A middle of the road tripp lite protector is good to the ball park of 1500~ joules, and yes as you said, if lightning strikes too close it doesnt matter what type of protection you have, anything is going to get fucked regardless.
Please read with care. Now more numbers. A 1500 joule Tripplite means it only absorbs a paltry 500 joules and never more than 1000. A surge that tiny is routinely made irrelevant by protection already inside appliances. So what has that Tripplite done? Nothing useful.
Also read this with greater care. Effective protection means direct lightning strikes without damage even to a protector. Routine are direct lightning strikes without damage - even 100 years ago. But that means learning well proven science. And ignoring lies, myths, and propaganda. Effective protection will always answer this question. Where do hundreds of thousands of joules harmlessly dissipate?
Protectors from other companies known for integrity means a protector remains functional for many decades after many direct lightning strikes. These protectors cost many times less - about $1 per protected appliance. Companies known for integrity include Intermatic, Square D, Ditek, Siemens, Polyphaser (an industry benchmark), Syscom, Leviton, ABB, Delta, Erico, General Electric, and Cutler-Hammer (Eaton). A so expensive Trippite is not in that list. Its near zero numbers even says why.
If using a Tripplite, then damage from lightning is even made easier. You have zero reasons to believe a Tripplite does anything useful. In fact, if found in your luggage, it may be confiscated by a cruise ship. They also take fire more seriously. Fire is another problem created by near zero joule protectors not protected by a properly earthed 'whole house' solution. And yes, that solution means direct lightning strikes without damage even to a protector - today and over 100 years ago. Is that clear enough yet?
Completely different is power provided by any power strip - with or without protector parts. Shape of that AC receptacle says it can provide up to 15 amps. Power strip's circuit breaker also must be 15 amps. If a wall receptacle can provide sufficient power, then a power strip also can provide that power. Those numbers are completely unrelated to separate circuits that do surge protection.
If a power strip does not have a circuit breaker, then it should be removed as a threat to human life.
Last two paragraphs are completely irrelevant to surge protection, brownouts, or blackouts. A human is always expected to perform some arithmetic. Sum of currents draw by appliances verifies that its circuit breaker will not trip.
All this stuff is layman obvious. Unfortunately too many eyes glaze over with each number - not an exaggeration. Concepts even taught in elementary school science are implemented so that your telco's CO (switching computer) suffers about 100 surges with each storm. How often is your town without phone service for four days while that computer is replaced? Never? Exactly. Because protection from direct lightning strikes is routinely found in every town - today and 100 years ago. And completely unknown to so many educated by outright lies and myths - such as those from Tripplite.
Protection from lightning is impossible only when one has swollowed the lies from Tripplite and equivalent (high profit) manufacturers.
Again, a Tripplite or equivalent plug-in protector can even make surge damage easier. As we demonstrated by tracing surge damage even by replacing each damaged semiconductor. And explained it in design reviews.
Informed consumer uses a solution that always answers this question. Where do hundreds of thousands of joules harmlessly dissipate? A protector is only as effective as its earth ground - today and 100 years ago.
Same applies to blackouts and brownouts. Those do not harm any properly designed electronics. Brownouts are a concern for motorized appliances - not electronics. How often this week have you replaced less robust appliances - ie doorbell, GFCIs, smoke detectors, microwave oven, central air electronics, clocks? Are those protected by invisible protectors? Best protection at each is already inside each. Miners are even more robust.
Then discuss what can overwhelm that best protection - always with numbers. We have not even begun to discuss effective protection because so many fables first must be exposed - with numbers.
Start by admitting protection from direct lightning strikes is routine. Even that expensive and near zero joule Tripplite must be protected.
