MSI’s PSUs appear to have been engineered with the RTX 40-and RTX 50-series GPUs as the primary target.
(Image credit: MSI)
Since the16-pin connectorwas introduced and later revised, melting adapters and PSU/GPU-side connectors on some of Nvidia’s mainstream GeForce gaming GPUs have been rampant. Two of MSI’s recently launched high-wattage PSUs interestingly feature two12V-2x6connectors while providing only one standard 8-pin connector (viaOC3D). Unless you get a 12V-2×6 to 8-pin adapter, these PSUs are incompatible with most modern-day GPUs from AMD, Intel, and even Nvidia (RTX 30 and prior), apart from a fewspecific variants.
The industry (or, more specifically, Nvidia) made the shift towards 16-pin connectors to reduce cable clutter and meet the ever-increasing power demand of new GPUs. After the first GPU meltdown wave hit, the 16-pin standard was revised with pin length changes and is now known as 12V-2×6.Reports of meltingRTX 50-series GPU connectors and adapters have been making rounds on the internet, even with the improved standard. This time, it is believed Nvidia’s power delivery design might be partially responsible.
It seems the industry is catching on to the 16-pin standard, even at the cost of reduced compatibility with other GPUs. MSI’s MPG A1000GS and MPG A1250GS power supplies, targeted at high-wattage GPUs, include two native 16-pin connectors and only a single 8-pin (6+2) connector. If you buy an additional 6+2 connector separately, you can only use a single 8-pin for the CPU, potentially hamstringing CPU performance.
Theoretically, a 225W TGP GPU or lower, like theIntel Arc B580,can easily be powered by one 8-pin connector. However, AMD’sRadeon RX 9070series cannot, as these GPUs typically require two or three 8-pin connectors.
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The Shift From 8-pin To 16-pin Power Connectors
To be clear, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen such an implementation.Galax’s GH1300also shipped with a dual 16-pin design, but that PSU was a one-off and unleashed to tame theRTX 4090 HOFthat could quickly chug up 1kW of power. As of writing, there isn’t any RTX 50 series GPU with multiple 16-pin connectors, so the full potential of these PSUs remains untapped. Nvidia recommends a 1,000W (minimum) PSU for theRTX 5090. This raises concerns about the MPG A1000GS, which is borderline on recommended specs yet ships with two 12V-2×6 connectors.
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All things considered, equipping PSUs with multiple 16-pin connectors is counterintuitive for most consumers, especially given the standard’s original goal to simplify cabling. For maximum user flexibility, a PSU design should include one 12V-2×6 connector alongside multiple 8-pin connectors to accommodate high-power GPUs from either brand.