Vertiv or Eaton UPS: which fits edge IT and small data centres?
Short answer: for a 120 V network closet or branch office, Vertiv and Eaton offer matching tiers: line-interactive (Vertiv Liebert PSI5; Eaton 5P and 5PX G2) and online double conversion (Vertiv Liebert GXT5; Eaton 9PX). For a small data centre, the Eaton BladeUPS that older guides recommend has reached end of life. Eaton names the 93PX as its replacement. Current 208 V choices run from single-phase units of 3 to 20 kVA to three-phase systems from 5 kW up.
- Branch closet, 120 V, line-interactive: Vertiv Liebert PSI5; Eaton 5P, 5PX G2
- Branch closet, 120 V, online: Vertiv Liebert GXT5; Eaton 9PX
- Vertiv EDGE: Vertiv's documents list 200 to 240 V input and IEC outlets only
- Small data centre, single-phase 208 V: Eaton 9PX (6 to 11 kVA), 9PXM (4 to 20 kVA modular); Vertiv Liebert GXT5 (up to 10 kVA), Liebert APS (5 to 20 kVA modular)
- Small data centre, three-phase 208 V: Eaton 93PX (5 to 20 kW), 93PM (from 10 kW); Vertiv Liebert ITA2 (8 to 20 kVA), Liebert APM2 (10 to 150 kVA)
Which UPS fits a branch office or network closet?
At 120 V and up to 3000 VA, both brands sell a line-interactive unit for closets and small offices (the Vertiv PSI5 has automatic voltage regulation, AVR), and an online double-conversion unit for loads that need a constant regulated output.
| Vertiv | Eaton | |
|---|---|---|
| Line-interactive, 120 V | Liebert PSI5: PSI5-1500RT120, PSI5-2200RT120, PSI5-3000RT120 | 5PX G2: 5PX1500RTG2 (1440 VA, 1440 W); 5P: 5P1500R (1440 VA, 1100 W) |
| Online double conversion, 120 V | Liebert GXT5: GXT5-1500LVRT2UXL, GXT5-2000LVRT2UXL, GXT5-3000LVRT2UXL | 9PX: 9PX1500RT, 9PX2000RT, 9PX3000RT |
| Lithium-ion, online | GXT5LI-1500LVRT2UXL, GXT5LI-3000LVRT2UXL | 9PX2000RT-L, 9PX3000RT-L (up to 10-year service life, 5-year warranty) |
| Network card | IntelliSlot RDU120 on "N" models; RDU101 optional | Gigabit Network Card Network-M3 |
| Building protocols | RDU101: Modbus TCP and RTU, BACnet IP and MSTP | Network-M3 lists neither; on the 9PX, Modbus needs the separate INDGW-M2 card |
On UPSPLUSBATTERY list prices on 2 October 2026, the PSI5-1500RT120 listed 15% below the Eaton 5PX1500RTG2. In the online tier the two brands were close: the GXT5 listed 1% below the 9PX at 1500 VA, the 9PX listed 4% below the GXT5 at 2000 VA, and the two 3000 VA units were within $1.
The Vertiv EDGE line is line-interactive, but the Vertiv documents for it list 200 to 240 V input and IEC-type outlets. The EDGE-1500IRT2UXL suits a 208 or 240 V circuit. For a 120 V closet, the PSI5 is Vertiv's line-interactive choice.
How will you monitor many small sites?
Vertiv Power Insight is free for up to 100 Vertiv UPS and rack PDUs. It sends alerts and shuts servers down automatically, and Vertiv LIFE Services adds remote monitoring by Vertiv (on the GXT5 it needs the RDU120 card). Eaton's equivalent is Brightlayer Distributed IT - Lite, formerly Intelligent Power Manager, licensed per node with a 60-day trial and up to 50 nodes per instance. Eaton's PredictPulse is its remote monitoring service in the Americas.
A mixed estate can be watched from one console. Vertiv Environet Alert (on premises, perpetual licence) is multi-vendor and reads SNMP, Modbus TCP/IP and BACnet IP, and Eaton's Network-M3 card supports SNMP v1, v2c and v3.
What replaced the Eaton BladeUPS?
Eaton lists the BladeUPS as end of life and names the Eaton 93PX three-phase UPS as its replacement: online double conversion at 208 V from 5 to 20 kW. Eaton says service and parts continue for installed BladeUPS systems. Planning a new small data centre around a BladeUPS frame no longer makes sense, since the modules that let it grow are part of a discontinued line.
Which UPS fits a small data centre of 10 to 50 kW?
Start with the electrical service in the room. Single-phase 208 V units plug into or hardwire to a single-phase circuit; three-phase units need a three-phase panel. Modular frames such as the Eaton 9PXM and the Vertiv Liebert APS add capacity or N+1 redundancy one power module at a time.
| Single-phase, 208 V | Three-phase, 208 V | |
|---|---|---|
| Eaton | 9PX: 6, 8 and 11 kVA (9PX6KP1). 9PXM: 4 to 20 kVA in 4 kVA modules; 8-slot frame 4 to 16 kVA in 14U, 12-slot frame 4 to 20 kVA in 21U (9PXM8S8K, 9PXM12S20K) | 93PX: 5 to 20 kW. 93PM: frames of 10 to 120, 10 to 160 and 10 to 200 kW |
| Vertiv | Liebert GXT5: up to 10 kVA at 208 V (GXT5-6000MVRT4UXLN, GXT5-10KMVRT6UXLN). Liebert APS: 5 to 20 kVA (N+1) in 5 kVA / 4.5 kW modules (APS 20 kVA) | Liebert ITA2: 8 and 10 kVA, and 15 and 20 kVA (ITA2-08KRT208C, ITA2-10KRT208C, ITA2-15KRT208V11UN). Liebert APM2: 10 to 150 kVA at 208/220 V |
Size in kW, not kVA. The Eaton 9PXM12S20K is rated 20000 VA and 18000 W, the Vertiv Liebert APS at 20 kVA delivers 18 kW (5 kVA / 4.5 kW modules), and the Eaton 93PX tops out at 20 kW. For loads up to about 16 kW, leaving headroom, the comparison is the Eaton 9PXM or 93PX against the Vertiv Liebert APS or ITA2. Above that at 208 V, the three-phase frames take over: the Eaton 93PM and the Vertiv Liebert APM2. Three-phase units and modular frames usually need an electrician and a site survey. On-site installation and maintenance are available through our service partner, which answers and quotes within 4 business hours and serves Montreal, Quebec City, Toronto and Ottawa the same day (24 to 48 hours elsewhere).
What do the batteries cost over time?
Eaton gives a service life of up to 10 years for the lithium-ion 9PX-L, with a 5-year warranty. For the lead-acid models, the replacement battery is the wear item: Eaton lists the EBP-1613 for the 9PX1500RT, and Vertiv lists the GXT5-48VBATKIT for the GXT5 1500 and 2000 VA, the GXT5-72VBATKIT for the 3000 VA and the PSI5-1500BATKIT for the PSI5-1500RT120. Whether the lithium-ion premium pays back is worked through in our single-phase smart UPS comparison.
Replacement batteries: Liebert and Vertiv batteries, Eaton 9PX batteries, all Eaton batteries. UPS systems: Vertiv UPS, Eaton UPS.
Frequently asked questions
Is Vertiv or Eaton better for edge IT?
Neither brand wins outright at 120 V. Both offer a line-interactive unit (Vertiv Liebert PSI5, Eaton 5P and 5PX G2) and an online unit (Vertiv Liebert GXT5, Eaton 9PX). Vertiv's Power Insight software is free for up to 100 devices, while Eaton's Brightlayer Distributed IT - Lite is licensed per node.
Is the Eaton BladeUPS discontinued?
Yes. Eaton lists the BladeUPS as end of life and names the Eaton 93PX (208 V, 5 to 20 kW) as its replacement. Eaton says service and parts continue for installed systems.
Does Vertiv make a 120 V EDGE UPS?
No 120 V model appears in Vertiv's EDGE documents, which list 200 to 240 V input and IEC-type outlets. For a 120 V closet, Vertiv's line-interactive choice is the Liebert PSI5.
What UPS fits a 20 kW server room?
Size the UPS above the load. A 20 kVA Eaton 9PXM or Vertiv Liebert APS delivers about 18 kW, and the Eaton 93PX tops out at 20 kW, so a 20 kW load points to a three-phase frame at 208 V: the Eaton 93PM (frames from 10 kW up) or the Vertiv Liebert APM2 (10 to 150 kVA). Three-phase units need a three-phase panel.
Can Vertiv and Eaton UPS be monitored together?
Yes. Vertiv Environet Alert (on premises, perpetual licence) is multi-vendor and reads SNMP, Modbus TCP/IP and BACnet IP, and Eaton's Network-M3 card supports SNMP v1, v2c and v3.
Sources
- Eaton: BladeUPS end of life, 93PX, 93PM, 9PXM, 9PX11K, 9PX1500RT-L, Network-M3, Brightlayer Distributed IT - Lite
- Vertiv: Liebert PSI5, Liebert GXT5 120 V, Liebert GXT5 3000 to 10000 VA 208 V, EDGE guide specifications, Liebert ITA2 8 and 10 kVA, Liebert ITA2 15 and 20 kVA, Liebert APS, Liebert APM2, Power Insight, Environet Alert
Updated 2 October 2026. Prices are UPSPLUSBATTERY list prices on that date, in CAD before tax.