In modern PC builds, the power of components is increasing every year. In such realities, the power supply becomes the main foundation of system stability. The MSI MPG A850GS PCIE5 promises to deliver reliability and efficiency for the most demanding gaming and work configurations. So, in this editorial review, we will try to check whether this candidate is suitable for those who are building a system based on top-end graphics cards and processors.
Content
The MSI MPG A850GS PCIE5 went on sale this year. Even from its name, it is easy to guess that we are looking at an 850W power supply that meets the latest standards for modern PCs. It supports the ATX 3.1 specification, which ensures compatibility with the latest graphics cards via the 12VHPWR (12+4 pin) connector and is capable of delivering up to 600W for the GPU.
Manufacturer | MSI |
Model | MPG A850GS PCIE5 |
Input voltage, V | 100-240 |
Power, W | 850 |
Certification | 80 Plus Gold |
Power correction | Active PFC |
Standard | ATX 3.1, PCIE 5.1 |
Connectors for the GPU | 1 x 12VHPWR (12+4 pin), up to 600 W; 3 x 6+2 pin PCIE |
Other connectors | 1 x 24-pin ATX, 2 x 4+4 pin EPS12V, 8 x SATA, 4 x Molex |
+12V power, W | 849 |
+5V power, W | 110 — combined mode |
+3.3V power, W | 72 — combined mode |
Cooling | ZFF132512H BAX3 — 135 mm fan with hydrodynamic bearing |
Efficiency | Up to 90% at typical load |
Protection | OCP/ OTP/ OPP/ SCP/ OVP/ UVP/ SIP/ NLO |
Dimensions, mm | 150 x 150 x 86 |
Weight, g | 2000 |
Warranty, years | 10 |
To test the MSI MPG A850GS PCIE5, we have assembled a system that reflects the front-end configuration of a modern progressive PC. The measurements were made on the Windows 11 24H2 ver. 26100.4061 The corps served asCougar FV270 RGB WHITE from CompX in a special version — ANNIHILATION.Test bench configuration:
MSI MPG A850GS PCIE5 arrived for review in a sturdy and bright cardboard box decorated in the MSI branded style. On the front side, the manufacturer focuses on the power supply, and also notes its key features, such as 80 Plus Gold certification.
On the sides and back are detailed specifications, information about connectors and efficiency. Inside, the unit is securely fixed, and the cables are neatly packed in a separate fabric bag. This is quite convenient for their further storage, because you never know what else you might need during continuous computer upgrades.
The set includes the power supply itself, a set of modular cables (including 24-pin ATX, two 4+4 pin EPS12V, one 12VHPWR and a total of three classic 6+2 pin PCIE cables, which will be appreciated by owners of new video cards AMD Radeon RX 9070 XTwhich we reviewed back in April.
If you have a large number of SSDs or HDDs, you will need six SATA connectors and four Molex connectors. In addition, there is a user manual and mounting bolts in case you lost the kit that usually comes with the chassis. Everything looks well thought out, although an additional 12VHPWR adapter in the box would have been a nice bonus.
We are looking at a black matte metal case. From the outside, the 150 x 150 x 86 mm power supply looks restrained but modern. On the top side there is a fan grille with the MSI logo, and on the back near the Zero Fan button there is a standard power switch and a cable connector. The side panel classically has a sticker with technical data.
The modular cable connectors are neatly arranged and labeled for easy reference. All in all, the design does not «scream», but looks functional and reliable.
Taking a closer look at the MSI MPG A850GS PCIE5, let’s try to pay attention to the details in the design. The internal components are securely fastened to avoid vibrations.
The connectors for modular cables are located on the rear panel of the unit and are clearly labeled, making it easy to connect the necessary wires without confusion. Therefore, even a beginner will be able to assemble it. The cables are quite convenient to route in the case, although they could be a little softer for easier bending in problematic places with limited space.
The 12VHPWR connector looks solid and meets PCIE 5.1 specifications, providing stable power for the most powerful graphics cards. In general, there is no unpleasant play at the connections.
So why not take a look inside? Although I don’t recommend disassembling the power supply yourself, because even when unplugged, it can discharge its electrolytic capacitor on you quite effectively. By the way, as practice shows, MSI uses Rubycon (420 V, 820 µF) in more expensive 1000 W power supplies. In our MSI MPG A850GS PCIE5, we got Nippon Chemi-Con (450 V, 680 µF). This company also boasts a high reputation, like Rubycon.
Nevertheless, the quality of the board assembly is striking. The capacitors are mostly made in Japan, which is a good sign for durability. Among the main components you can find:
The board has sufficiently large heatsinks to unload the active cooling. And this makes sense, because the heat loss of a «gold» platform under high loads is higher than that of a «platinum» platform.
The PSU uses a semi-digital combination controller that controls the primary winding and part of the secondary winding. A fully digital platform is one in which the VRMs that generate the secondary lines and the 5VSB circuitry are also digitally controlled, but this increases the final cost of the PSU.
The MSI MPG A850GS PCIE5 is equipped with a ZFF132512H BAX3 fan manufactured by ZLC (12V, 0.45A). It is built on a hydrodynamic bearing with a lifespan of up to 60,000 hours. When Zero Fan technology is activated, the fan starts at 60% power consumption.
The scheme includes several levels of protection (OCP/ OTP/ OPP/ SCP/ OVP/ UVP/ SIP/ NLO), which should protect the system from overloads, overheating, or short circuits. In general, the internal design meets the standards for devices of this class, although without specialized equipment it is difficult to assess the quality of soldering or small parts.
During testing, the MSI MPG A850GS PCIE5 showed stable results that meet the declared specifications. Under a load of 850 W (maximum power), the voltage on the +12 V, +5 V, and +3.3 V lines remained within ATX tolerance, with deviations of less than 1%. This is evidence of high-quality stabilization, which is critical for modern components, especially video cards and processors with high power consumption.
The efficiency also met the 80 Plus Gold certification. At 50% load (about 425 watts), which is typical for gaming systems, the efficiency reached about 90%. Even at 20% and 100% load, the performance remained within the Gold standard, albeit slightly lower. Standby power consumption ranged from 3.6-3.9 watts.
Power consumption, W | Line +12 V | Line +5 V | Line +3.3 V | |
The NVIDIA RTX 5080 computer is turned off | 3,8 | 12,03 | 5,01 | 3,29 |
The AMD RADEON RX 5070 XT computer is turned off | 3,9 | 12,03 | 5,01 | 3,29 |
Sleep mode (desktop) NVIDIA RTX 5080 | 107 | 12,03 | 5,01 | 3,31 |
Sleep mode (desktop) AMD RADEON RX 5070 XT | 135 | 12,03 | 5,01 | 3,29 |
CPU-Z MultiCore NVIDIA RTX 5080 | 226 | 12,03 | 5,01 | 3,31 |
CPU-Z MultiCore AMD RADEON RX 5070 XT | 248 | 12,03 | 5,04 | 3,29 |
CPU-Z + Furmark NVIDIA RTX 5080 | 525 | 11,98 | 5,01 | 3,31 |
CPU-Z + Furmark AMD RADEON RX 5070 XT | 597 | 11,98 | 5,01 | 3,29 |
Furmark NVIDIA RTX 5080 | 409 | 12,03 | 5,01 | 3,29 |
Furmark AMD RADEON RX 5070 XT | 485 | 11,98 | 5,01 | 3,29 |
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 NVIDIA RTX 5080 | 390 | 12,03 | 5,01 | 3,29 |
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 AMD RADEON RX 5070 XT | 453 | 11,98 | 5,01 | 3,29 |
Counter-Strike 2 (Cybersport) NVIDIA RTX 5080 | 300 | 12,03 | 5,01 | 3,31 |
Counter-Strike 2 (Cybersport) AMD RADEON RX 5070 XT | 262 | 12,03 | 5,01 | 3,29 |
The temperature of the MSI MPG A850GS PCIE5 remained within reasonable limits even under maximum load. After 20 minutes of stress testing, the chassis temperature reached approximately 31°C, and the hot air from the fan did not exceed 47°C at a room temperature of 20°C
It’s safe to say that cooling is effective here, although in compact cases with poor airflow, these figures may be higher. The heatsink and internal components remained within safe limits during the tests, and the overheat protection (OTP) did not trip even under prolonged load.
UPS received the Cybenetics A++ certificate for acoustic tests. In terms of noise, the hydrodynamic bearing fan was quite quiet. At low loads in Zero Fan mode, the noise level was zero
Under maximum load, the noise increased to 24-26 dBA, which is inaudible against the background of the case fans. Of course, there is a silver lining. At very high FPS (mostly above 240), an annoying high-frequency squealing of the throttles may appear. However, in general, the acoustic comfort of this power supply will suit most users
I’ve been using the MSI MPG A850GS PCIE5 for two months now for all my benchmarking, day-to-day work, and gaming. In most scenarios, it leaves a mostly positive impression. Installing the power supply into the case is quite simple thanks to the modular cables that allow you to plug in only the wires you need, avoiding clutter. No problems with the heating of the 12VHPWR connector were observed.
I usually use two video cards for testing: Gigabyte Radeon RX 9070 XT AORUS ELITE and Gigabyte GeForce RTX 5080 GAMING OC 16G. The layout of the power supply allows you to connect them in turn without any additional hassle and without unnecessary manipulations with adapters.
The stability of the system also did not cause any complaints. Even during long gaming sessions or stress tests, the system remained reliable, with no sudden shutdowns or interruptions. The power grid can sometimes throw up some quirks nowadays, and several times the voltage dropped quite a bit. The MSI MPG A850GS PCIE5 didn’t even give the appearance that something was wrong. For this, it has a separate plus. And since July 1, 2025, we have switched to a new voltage standard altogether — 230 volts, so we had to conduct additional tests.
As a retro gaming enthusiast, I really miss PhysX x32, which was discontinued by the NVIDIA RTX 50 series of graphics cards. But the power supply still had enough power to power an additional RTX 4060, which played the role of a physical accelerator. Yes, «my tastes — weird, you won’t understand» (s). In this mode, it consumed an additional 30 watts, almost as if it were in standby mode. But it was hard to fit it into the last PCIE slot. I even had to remove the bottom tray that separates the motherboard space from the PSU cables.
MSI MPG A850GS PCIE5 is positioned in the mid-high price segment for 850W power supplies. It can be purchased at a price starting at 6,925 UAH. For this money, you get a modern unit with a long warranty and readiness for powerful graphics cards.
Seasonic FOCUS GX ATX 3.1 — another strong contender with similar characteristics, good layout, Japanese capacitors, and a reputation for reliability. And again, Seasonic is more expensive.
Be quiet! Pure Power 12 M also competes in this segment, but usually with a shorter warranty period. Its cable layout is not suitable in my case, because I use 3 x 8 pin PCI-E (there are only two of them, so it’s not suitable for powerful AMD Radeon) and 12VHPWR at the same time.