The MSI MPG A1000G PCIE5 PSU Review: Balance of Power

Power Supply Quality

As part of our testing, we also check output parameters are within specifications, as well as voltage ripple and line noise.

The electrical performance of the MSI MPG A1000G PCIE5 PSU is surprisingly good for a PSU of this class. As a matter of fact, the MPG A1000G theoretically provides better power quality than its otherwise superior MEG Ai1300P. Though such a comparison is not entirely fair due to the 30% greater power output of the latter.

Nevertheless, our instruments recorded a maximum ripple of 22 mV on the 12V line with a recommended design limit of 120 mV, a very low figure for any PC PSU. The filtering of the minor voltage lines is equally good, with a maximum of 10 mV and 12 mV on the 3.3V and 5V lines respectively. Voltage regulation is very tight on the 12V line, at less than 0.8%. It is not as tight on the minor voltage lines, where the regulation is at about 1.5%, but that still is a good performance figure.

As part of our standard testing, we test the primary protections of all PSUs we review (Over Current, Over Voltage, Over Power, and Short Circuit). The MSI MPG A1000G PCIE5 successfully passed all of the tests, as in all of the protections do work. The OCP protection is set very high though, with our testing reaching over 140% current on any voltage line for several seconds before the unit shuts down. Similarly, the OPP protection also is high, as we drew over 1300 Watts from the MPG A1000G PCIE5 before it decided to shut down. These high figures clearly are due to the tweaks that give the MPG A1000G PCIE5 its ATX 3.0 compatibility, as the engineers had to ensure that the unit would not be shutting down due to power excursions that need to be met for ATX 3.0 compliance.

Conclusion

Unlike halo products which frequently compete in terms of innovation and/or performance – and where value is a secondary concern – the MPG A1000G PCIE5 is targeted towards a market segment where users weigh every factor, with price being one of the most important. In configuring their new PSU, MSI had to convince users that the MPG A1000G PCIE5 can offer good all-around performance and long-term reliability, while also offering it at a competitive price. Otherwise it would not stand a chance in the mainstream market, even at the highest layers of it.

MSI can certainly boast about the quality of the MPG A1000G PCIE5. Despite the relatively simple topology and the use of mid-range active components, each and every component found in the unit is of top quality. CWT did an excellent job designing this platform and layout too. It is very crowded and probably disadvantageous for the manufacturer themselves, but it manages to offer enough clearance for a 135 mm fan to fit and still the heatsinks are sizable, which plays a major role in the thermal performance and long-term reliability of the PSU.

In terms of performance, the MSI MPG A1000G PCIE5 did very well, perhaps even a little better than what we usually expect such a product to reach. It delivers exceptional power quality, with minimal voltage fluctuations across the entire load range. The energy conversion efficiency is stellar at low loads but drops sharply at high loads, resulting in the 80Plus Gold certification. It also runs relatively cool, which is a very good thing for the long-term reliability of any such design. The only weak link here is the aggressive cooling profile – on one hand, it is responsible for keeping the operating temperatures very low but, on the other hand, it also makes the MPG A1000G PCIE5 run loud when having to cope with loads greater than 500 Watts. Our only true concern lies with the very slack OCP/OPP protections – they do work but these seem to be set a little too high, which limits the unit’s ability to timely react to a real fault and properly protect the rest of the equipment.

In summary, the MSI MPG A1000G PCIE5 is a fairly well-balanced product for users who want to buy a powerful PSU that will last them for many years to come. Even if purchasing a video card with a 12VHPWR connector is not in a user’s immediate plans, the ATX 3.0 compliance ensures that the PSU will not be rendered obsolete if a user later upgrades to one.

The current street price of $199 is a bit higher than ATX 2.52 compliant units with similar characteristics, but it's competitive enough to entice users who want to purchase a high-quality and relatively future-proof product. MSI will have to make sure that they don't rest on their laurels, however, as there are numerous competing mid-to-high tier ATX 3.0 PSUs that will be coming out in the following weeks and months.