A competent surge protector is a device no computer user should be without. A surge protector (power strips and power bars, by definition, don’t have surge protection features, so “surge protector” is the proper term) protects your computer from the surges, spikes, and other fluctuations in electrical current. Without a surge protector, an electrical surge or spike could destroy your PC and all of its components within nanoseconds.

Although most computers today have some sort of built-in surge guard, it generally isn’t sufficient for full protection, so it’s wise to invest in an effective surge protector.