Monster Vertex and Vertex XL surge suppression power strips review

Monster is well known for their cables in the home theater space, but that’s far from the only area where they play. Fresh off of their excellent showing at CES 2022, we’ve gotten our hands on two of their newest products — the Vertex and Vertex XL. These newest entries into their surge suppression line look to not only protect our devices, but also work to organize our cable mess in a sleek and elegant way. Let’s unbox them and take a closer look at their capabilities.

On the surface it might seem like color and number of power connections are the only differences between the Vertex and the Vertex XL, but there are a few features hiding just below the surface. Before that, though, let’s hit the high points.

The Vertex and Vertex XL are both available in black or white, so color shouldn’t be your primary criteria for choice. The Vertex has six AC grounded outlets, whereas the XL has 10 of them, but there’s also a difference in how much juice they can absorb. The Vertex has a 3000 Joule surge protection system, with the XL bumping that to 5000. Both have a detachable USB port extension pod, though the XL extends the cord from 6 feet to 10. Both have two USB A ports at 2.4 amps, with a 20 Watt PD USB-C port next to it. The power plug gets a bit more length on the XL as well – 10 feet versus 6.

Beyond the various ports and features, the Vertex and Vertex XL both come with a $300,000 connected device warranty, should something unthinkable happen. It also has a lifetime warranty on workmanship, though that doesn’t cover normal wear and tear, obviously.

On both versions of the device there are two lights – a grounded indicator, as well as one that shows the protection is working. When plugged into a properly-grounded wall plug, the light will show this, indicating that whatever you plug into it will inherit that same protection. Similarly, a protected light should be illuminated. A lot of surge suppressors have no indication of protection, so it’s a nice feature.

The last major feature of the Vertex and Vertex XL is a braided cable. Both the USB pod and the primary wall plug cord are wrapped in a woven braided sheath that is color matched to the device. It helps prevent the cables from tangling, and it looks good doing it.

Truthfully, if there’s one thing the Vertex and Vertex XL does well, it is this cable management aspect. They look sleek and modern, and with the USB puck unraveled, you now have a channel to wrap up the extra length on other cables under your desk. The aforementioned puck also moves power management into any position you’d care to have it, thanks to the included magnetic plate, allowing you to remove overly large power bricks from your work space.

There is really only one thing that gives me pause recommending the Vertex or its larger brother – the price. The Vertex will set you back $99.99, and the Vertex XL will cost you $119.99. Sold exclusively at Walmart, they do offer a ton of protection, and they are from a brand you can trust, but that’s a huge investment. There are multiple alternatives from companies like Belkin and Tripp-Lite that offer similar protection for less. In the end, it’s about picking a brand you trust.

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