MSI MPG A850GS PCIE5 ATX v3.1 PSU Review

Box & Bundle

box_top_front

box_front

box_rear

box_open

box_cables

cables_case

cable1

The product comes in a sturdy box with a PSU photo at the front and its model number. Inside, the protection is good, with packing foam surrounding the product. Moreover, a bag contains all the cables.

Product Photos

psu_top_front

psu_front

psu_side

psu_bottom

psu_label

psu_top_rear

psu_rear

psu_standby1

psu_standby2

psu_standby3

The PSU has compact dimensions, and the exterior design looks nice. On the front side, besides the AC receptacle, there is a power switch and a button for toggling on/off the fan’s passive operation. Around the back, the modular board has ten sockets, including two 12V-2×6 sockets, which are overkill for an 850W PSU, but MSI uses one of them to provide two dedicated 6+2 pin PCIe connectors. I wish MSI had provided the same option as the 1000W model.

Cables

cable2

cable3

cable4

cable5

cable6

cable7

cable8

There are two EPS, six PCIe 6+2 pin, and a single high-power PCIe (12+4 pin). I have to note here that one of the cables hosts a pair of 6+2 pin PCIe connectors, and it ends with a native 12+4 pin on the PSU side, so these connectors use dedicated gauges. It is a wise choice to offer two 6+2 pin PCIe, and MSI should also use it in the 1000W model, which only has a single 6+2 pin PCIe (but 2x 12+4 pin). The cables are long enough, especially the EPS ones, and the distance between the peripheral connectors is adequate, at 150mm.