If you have electronics in your home, you should know what a power strip is.  But do you know what surge protector is?  Or do you think they are one in the same.  A power trip and a surge protector are two very different devices.  While many act as both, if you are not careful during your initial purchase, you may come home with the wrong unit to protect your electronics from power surges and other electrical issues.

A power strip is a small device that allows you to plug multiple electronics into one wall socket. Since the standard household electrical socket allows for two connections at a time, a lot of electronics can easily outnumber the amount of outlets in a given room. For example, a standard desktop computer package comes with a desktop, a monitor and a printer. That is three plugs you need to plug in and only two that come with the wall. A power strip allows you to plug in all three into one device that is plugged into the wall.

However, a power strip would not be the best solution for a computer system. A surge protector would be the safe solution, because it acts as a power strip while protecting your computer and its components from electrical spikes. Electrical spikes can cause damage to your computer and other electronics, a power surge protector will help curtail any spikes that occur and most are insured so that if something does happen to your electronics, you can seek damages for the unit failing.

When it comes down to it, any major electronics item should be plugged into a power surge protector instead of a simple power strip.  Most packages will tell you whether the strip is just a strip or a surge protector.  Always choose the protector over the strip when it comes to your electronics, otherwise you may find yourself out a device or two if a power surge hits your home.