Often underappreciated, the PSU is one of the most important parts of any new PC build. It ensures everything in the system runs smoothly, along with giving the needed juice to keep your GPU, CPU, and everything else in your system operational. A bad PSU can be the death of many systems, and it is one area I would suggest you never avoid investing a few extra dollars to get the best for your needs.
To this end, we recently had a chance to look at the latest from MSI with their MPG A850GF 850W Power Supply. Offering plenty of power, a solid build and smart design choices make this a great option for anyone looking to upgrade or build a new power-hungry gaming PC.
At first glance, the MPG A850GF 850W looks simple, but well-built. Boasting an 80 Plus Gold standard performance rating, and module design, it looks very in-line with many of the PC components MSI sells. The simple black metal body with white and gold lettering gives it a sleek and simple presence in a gaming PC case. And the large fan provides ample cooling for this PSU, even under heavy load. The body feels very well constructed, meaning this is a PSU that should stand up to some use without showing major signs of wear, something I can’t say for all modern PSUs on the market.
“The module design makes the MPG A850GF 850W a great option for new builds, especially since you only need to have the cables you plan to use actually plugged into the PSU.”
While not unique, the module design makes the MPG A850GF 850W a great option for new builds, especially since you only need to have the cables you plan to use actually plugged into the PSU. I am a sucker for keeping my PC builds clean, and the module design makes this much easier than the standard rat’s nest many power supplies need you to deal with. Additionally, the FlexForce cables the MPG A850GF 850W features further help reduce mess, making it much easier to manage the mess of cables that are almost impossible to avoid.
While the external casing looks solid, MSI have pushed the quality to all aspects of this new PSU. The internal components feel well executed, featuring alloy copper terminals, Nippon Chemi-con standard capacitors as well as FPCAP and Nippon Chemi-con solid capacitors that are a must when working with the latest and greatest video cards and CPUs.
For our test build, we utilized an Intel i9-12900K CPU, an Nvidia RTX 3070 GPU, 32 GB Corsair DDR 5 RAM, and a Cooler Master case. We pushed the system through numerous applications, to get a sense for how the MSI MPG A850GF faired in this high-performance build, and if there are any issues people should be aware of.
“While the external casing looks solid, MSI have pushed the quality to all aspects of this new PSU.”
Through every test we ran, the MPG A850GF 850W fared very well, making it in the top 10 percent of PSUs we have tested at CGMagazine. We saw very little fluctuation in power, with the efficiency of the supply well over 87% in all tests. It also managed to keep the heat levels low, even under heavy load, something I am very happy to see.
Throughout our testing, we were very satisfied with the performance of the MPG A850GF 850W, even when we pushed the system as hard as we could in standard tests. While it may not be the best 850W power supply on the market, it comes very close to some of the best we have ever tested. MSI may be new to the space, but they are delivering a fantastic offering that should be great for a range of builds.
The MPG A850GF feels like a great PSU offering from MSI. They have taken what PC builders and gamers demand in a PSU and delivered it where it counts. With clean, well-built construction, and internals that can power the latest and greatest, this is a great 850 watt offering that feels worthy of your next gaming PC. At an MSRP of $139.99, you can’t go wrong with the MPG A850GF 850W, a PSU that can bring your next PC to life in style.
