When plugging in your computer, or any electronic equipment, don’t try to save a few dollars by using a cheap “surge protector”. Most inexpensive (i.e. the $5-$10 variety) units will do virtually nothing during a surge and the extra power will be absorbed by your equipment, potentially causing damage. Instead, invest in a good surge protector. These are not terribly expensive, but, as to be expected, cost a lot more than the cheap units.

Do not make your purchasing decision solely on the number of outlets offered. A good measurement of power dissipation is the number of joules the surge protector can absorb. While the surge may destroy the surge protector, you equipment will most likely receive little of the damage.

A good plain-English explanation of what the differences are can be read here: [http://computer.howstuffworks.com/surge-protector6.htm]