MSI MPG A1000G PCIe 5.0 1000W Power Supply Overview

MSI was kind enough to loan us its latest version of the popular A1000G PCIE5 power supply. With Intel’s current 12th Gen Core processors and the soon-to-launch Intel 13th Gen and AMD’s Ryzen4 AM5 CPUs, PCIE5 will finally become the mainstream connector for high-end GPUs and NVMe SSDs. In this overview, we look at the features and specifications of the new PCIe 5.0-capable power supply. We start by looking at the specifications table.

Specifications and Features

• The MSI MPG A1000G PCIe5 provides 1000 Watts of power through a single 12 Volt rail.
• Native PCIe 5.0 and ATX 3.0 compliant.
• 80 Plus Gold certification.
• All Japanese 105° C electrolytic capacitors.
• Fully modular design.
• Zero RPM fan mode when TDP is below 40%
• Industrial level protection with OCP, OVP, OPP, OTP, SCP, and UVP.

Here’s a list of the specifications per MSI.

Below you will find a list of features provided by MSI.

MSI MPG A1000G PCIe5 Power Supply Features
	Ultimate Future Proof PSU It has an output port that is compliant with PCIe 5.0 and Intel PSDG (Power Supply Design Guide) ATX 3.0. The MPG A1000G/A850G/A750G PCIE5 power supply can hold up to 2x total power excursion and 3x GPU power excursion.
	Level Up Your Game With native 16 PIN (12VHPWR) PCIe connector, the MPG A1000/A850G PCIE5 is ready for all high performing future graphics cards. It can freely pipe up to 600W of power to PCIe 5.0 graphics cards(*MPG A750G PCIE5’s 12VHPWR can pipe up to 450W).
	Support for the current RTX 30 series The MPG A1000G/A850G/A750G PCIE5 power supply not only supports the latest graphics cards, but also supports the current RTX 30 series graphics cards.
	80 PLUS GOLD CERTIFIED The efficiency of your power supply directly influences your system’s performance and your power consumption. The 80 PLUS Gold certification promises lower energy consumption and higher efficiency.
	0% RPM MODE The fan 0 RPM mode can stop the fan’s operation when TDP is below 40% to help with energy saving and providing silence. *0% RPM Mode is on by default. Press the button to turn it off.
	SINGLE-RAILED DESIGN The MPG A1000G/A850G/A750G PCIE5’s single rail supply of power can properly deliver the power you need. For high-performance graphics cards and CPUs, the MPG A1000G/A850G/A750G PCIE5’s 5 CPU & PCI-E slots are more than plenty.
	FLUID DYNAMIC BEARING The MPG A1000G/A850G/A750G PCIE5’s fan sports a fluid dynamic bearing, chosen to increase the life span of the fan while maintaining low noise level.
	100% JAPANESE 105°C CAPACITORS Aiming for unwavering product quality and performance stability, the MPG A1000G/A850G/A750G PCIE5 comes with 100% Japanese 105° C capacitors and solid capacitors.
	FULLY MODULAR The MPG A1000G/A850G/A750G PCIE5’s fully modular design means that only the connectors required by the build need to be used, significantly reducing cable clutter and simplifying the system’s overall build.
	COMPACT SIZING Smaller than typical PSUs on the market, the MPG A1000G/A850G/A750G PCIE5’s compact sizing makes it an excellent fit for most PC cases.
	Protection Mechanisms To make sure the entire system can operate safely and stably at all times, the MPG A1000G/A850G/A750G PCIE5 comes with a number of protection mechanisms to give you the best peace of mind. Packaging

Packaging

The box that MSI uses for the MPG A1000G is black with a quality colored print on all sides. The 80 Plus Gold rating, ATX 3.0, and PCIe 5.0 ready badges are easily identified on multiple sides along with the specific model number of the unit. The bulk of the information is located at the bottom of the box and includes several key features listed above, the included cable quantity and lengths, and specific Voltage and Wattage outputs. Inside the box, you will find the power supply safely sandwiched between thick foam padding and a storage bag containing all the cables. The packaging is typical for all power supplies and is adequate protection.

MSI MPG A1000G PCIe5 PSU

Box Front

Box Rear

Internal Packaging

The MSI A1000G PCIe5 Power Supply

MSI opted to keep the same great looks of the existing MPG A1000G power supply utilizing a satin black powder coat with aluminum accent pieces. MSI and MPG branding are scattered on the bottom and sides of the unit while the top displays all the important specifications sticker. Located at the bottom is a 135 mm fan tasked with cooling while maintaining relative silence.

At the front of the power supply are the output connectors. These are all clearly labeled for easy identification and are as follows: ATX24P for the motherboard connector, four CPU & PCI-E connectors, four SATA & MOLEX, and a 12+4 pin 12VHPWR connector. The four CPU & PCI-E connectors are interchangeable between the EPS 4+4 cables and the PCIe 6+2 cables. The back of the PSU features the standard exhaust venting, power input connection, and power switch but also features a Zero Fan toggle button which allows for a zero RPM silent mode.

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The MSI MPG A1000G PCIe5 offers many great features in a compact package.  In fact, 1000W of 80 Plus Gold rated power packed into a 150 mm long chassis makes it one of the smallest non-SFF units which provides that much power. With its ATX 3.0 compatibility, the power supply is able to handle 2x total power excursions and 3x GPU ‘power excursions’. What is a power excursion you may ask? A power excursion is a fairly new term for PCs so it’s understandable that many don’t know what it is. A very basic explanation is that it is a very brief power spike caused by a component like a GPU which can, be PCISIG specification allowed to draw up to three over its rated power. So a 400 Watt GPU could briefly draw as much as 1200 Watts in the new spec. While this could normally trip the Over Power Protection or other safety protection circuit, an ATX 3.0 compliant PSU is designed to accommodate this burst of required power without issue.

Additionally, the MSI MPG A1000G PCIe5 is built with a single primary rail with 100% Japanese capacitors providing the cleanest power possible. While the internal components keep the power clean, the fully modular cables keep the inside of your chassis clean. Finally, we arrive at the Coup de Grâce, the 16-pin 12VHPWR PCIe 5.0 GPU cable. This updated power standard delivers up to 600 Watts of power which should support the most power-hungry GPUs, even those that haven’t hit the market yet.

Cables and Accessories

The included accessories bag is made of what feels like durable nylon and uses a Velcro-style strip to keep the top flap closed. At the front is a printed MSI dragon logo for additional marketing.  Inside the bag are a dozen cables and a small baggie containing four mounting screws. The included cables are as follows: One Power supply cable (1525 mm) one 20+4-pin ATX motherboard cable (600 mm), two 4+4-pin EPS CPU power cables (700 mm), three SATA cables (950 mm), one FDD/Molex cable (1100 mm), one 600 Watt 16-pin 12VHPWR PCIe cable (600 mm), one 6+2-pin PCIe to 16-pin cable (600 mm), and two 6+2-pin PCIe cables (600 mm). All of the cables are black flat-ribbon style except for the two used with the 16-pin 12VHPRW connector which features a black braided sleeve.

Internal Components

Disclaimer: do not open any power supply units without proper training. Failing to heed this warning can result in severe injury or death. We have opened this unit so you won’t have to.

With the four retaining screws removed, we are able to flip the lid over. The 135 mm fan (model HA13525H12SF-Z) is powered by a 3-pin mini-connector and uses a Fluid Dynamic Bearing for longer life without sacrificing silence. Just like the original A1000G, this PSU utilizes a Nichicon 400V, 820uF primary capacitor. The secondary capacitors are a variety of Nippon and Nichicon, which are all generally regarded as quality components. Three large heatsinks are used to cool the hottest components such as the bridge rectifiers and FETs.

A transparent piece of plastic protects the main board and components from contacting any part of the steel chassis. Finally, looking at the back side of the main board, we find the soldering to be very good to excellent quality.

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Conclusion

While this is not a full, in-depth review (we don’t have the in-house testing equipment to do it properly), we do get to see what the MSI MPG A1000G PCIe5 power supply has to offer. Just like the original model, it offers many safeguards like Over Voltage Protection (OVP), Over Current Protection (OCP), Over Thermal Protection (OTP), and more. The Zero RPM Fan Mode is an excellent feature for those who prefer quiet PCs when the system isn’t being taxed heavily. The single rail design makes balancing the power distribution of the rails a thing of the past.

At just 86 mm long, this is a very compact design and with the fully modular cables, this unit is perfect for small mITX cases that are compatible with ATX PSUs. In fact, the design and internal components appear to be the same as the original power supply which is well received by other reviewers like Tom’s Hardware and The Guru of 3D. The main difference between the two is the addition of the ATX 3.0 and PCIe 5.0 compatibility. The ATX 3.0 compatibility allows for up to twice the total power excursion and up to three times the GPU power excursion. The additional 16-pin 12VHPWR connector and cables while being PCIe 5.0-ready allow for current and future high-end GPU connectivity.

Overall, the MSI MPG A1000G PCIe5 power supply is an excellent choice for anyone looking to build a modern system that conforms to the latest standards. At $199.99 it is priced accordingly and on par with many enthusiast-grade power supplies in its class. The 1000 Watt version may be overkill for most builds, but MSI has offerings of 850 Watts and 750 Watts as well. If you’re building a power-hungry rig, we believe the new MSI MPG A1000G PCIE5 power supply is up to the task.

-John Nester (Blaylock)