INTRODUCTION

   With just a few months left before both NVIDIA and AMD announce their upcoming CPU and GPU lines (motherboard chipsets as well) as expected there's an increasing interest by consumers for the latest PCIe 5.0 & ATX 3.0 compatible power supply units. This of course is to be expected, the new PCIe 5.0 & ATX 3.0 models are not just ideal for PCIe 5.0 systems due to their improved specifications over their predecessors (not to mention the addition of the new +12VHPWR 600W cables), they are also quite "greener" since they help reduce power consumption. MSI with their MEG AI1300P PCIe 5.0 & ATX 3.0 ready power supply unit was among the very first companies to support such systems and today after quite a few reader requests that's exactly what i have in the lab with me.

   MSI is a world leader in gaming, content creation, business & productivity and AIoT solutions. Bolstered by its cutting-edge R&D capabilities and customer-driven innovation, MSI has a wide-ranging global presence spanning over 120 countries. Its comprehensive lineup of laptops, graphics cards, monitors, motherboards, desktops, peripherals, servers, IPCs, robotic appliances, and vehicle infotainment and telematics systems are globally acclaimed. Committed to advancing user experiences through the finest product quality, intuitive user interface and design aesthetics, MSI is a leading brand that shapes the future of technology.

   The MEG line of PCIe 5.0 & ATX 3.0 power supply units includes just 2 units (1000/1300W) both of which sport the 80 PLUS Platinum certification (up to 92% electrical efficiency) along with active PFC and half bridge LLC topology (DC to DC design) for optimal performance. It also comes ready with 8 PCIe 6+2 connectors, single 12VHPWR (600W) connector, powerful single +12V rail (108.33A - can switch to multi rail mode via MSI Center) capable of delivering the units’ entire power output (1300W) and a peak power output of no less than 1448W (up to 2.6KW for 100ms according to ATX 3.0 specs – this is not something I can test however). Secondary features include strong minor rails with a total output of 148W, compact size, sleeved cables, 120mm HDB (hydro dynamic bearing) silent gale fan with liquid crystal polymer blades (zero fan mode by default - can adjust speed via MSI center) and 100% Japanese capacitors certified for use up to 105 degrees Celsius. As for available electrical protections the MEG AI1300P packs them all including over-current (OCP), over-voltage (OVP), under-voltage (UVP), short-circuit (SCP), over-temperature (OTP) and over-power (OPP). As with other similar models by MSI the entire MEG PCIe 5.0 line is covered by a very generous 10-year limited warranty.