The MSI MEG Ai1600T PCIE5 is an absolute behemoth of a power supply aimed at enthusiasts looking to build a monstrously powerful PC. Offering 1600W of power and equipped with an 80 Plus Titanium efficiency rating, the Ai1600T is designed with top-end components in mind and high-power excursions. Featuring ATX 3.1 and PCI-E 5.1 certifications, this unit is build-ready for a vast range of modern components.
With the arrival of the NVIDIA RTX 5090 at the start of 2025, power supplies like the Ai1600T PCIE5 are becoming less ridiculous. Over the years, we’ve gradually seen power requirements for new graphics cards and CPUs continually grow, with the RTX 5090, in particular, holding the title of ‘the most power-hungry’ with its 575W requirement. This means that an RTX 5090/14900K PC build could easily teeter over the 1000W mark, with certain PCs requiring 1200W, especially with a custom liquid cooling loop coming into play.
However, we’re here to see if the MEG Ai1600T is a worthwhile upgrade for the future or incredibly overkill in the current market. In this review, we’ve assessed the MEG Ai1600T, examining its specs, design, power connectors, and features to evaluate its value proposition.
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Specification
We can immediately see how powerful the MEG Ai1600T PCIE5 is compared to other PSUs just by looking at its specs. Regarding size and dimensions, this is an ATX power supply that is 190mm long, 150mm wide, and 86mm tall. Most PSUs tend to be about 160mm long, so it’s almost impressive to see such a big ATX PSU. Ultimately, this will be because of the amount of hardware crammed into the chassis to supplement the ability to draw 1600W.
The total power draw is 1600W, but thanks to the ATX 3.1 certification, the MEG Ai1600T PCIE5 can handle a total excursion of 3840W. This is so that in the event of a surge or transient spikes, the power supply won’t sustain any damage and will shut off as OPP (over-power protection) kicks in. This is an impressive feat of technology, and it ensures that you can still game if there’s a spike in your power draw.
Regarding efficiency, the MEG Ai1600T PCIE5 is 80 Plus Titanium and Cybenetics Titanium rated. The titanium efficiency rating is the highest that you can have for desktop power supplies, and this means that with 20%, 50%, and 100% loads, the PSU is 90% efficient or higher, minimising excess power draw across the board.
| Specification | MSI MEG Ai1600T PCIE5 |
|---|---|
| Size | ATX |
| PSU Dimensions (L x W x H) | 190mm x 150mm x 86mm |
| Wattage | 1600W |
| Efficiency Rating | 80 Plus Titanium Cybenetics Titanium |
| Modularity | Fully |
| ATX 3.1 | Yes |
| Fan Size | 135mm |
| Zero-Fan Mode | Yes |
| Warranty | N/A |
Unsurprisingly, this is a fully modular power supply. It lets you pick and choose the cables needed for your build, keeping everything neat. This is further assisted by the fact that the MEG Ai1600T PCIE5 uses braided cables and has inbuilt combs, reducing any stray wires.
The 135mm fan in the MEG Ai1600T PCIE5 ensures the power supply remains quiet while under load. Cybenetics has also noted that this PSU has an A++ noise rating, which means it is quiet across the board, which we love to see. The Zero Fan mode switch will also keep the fan turned off when TDP is below 55% but make sure that the USB cable is plugged in, as this unit will interact with MSI’s Gaming Intelligence software.
MSI MEG Ai1600T PCIE5 Design
As is standard with the MSI MEG power supplies, MSI has taken extra steps to ensure this is a good-looking power supply. This power supply adorns the signature black and gold colour scheme we’re used to seeing on the MEG range. The top of the unit, which offers a ventilated panel for air to flow freely through, features the golden MEG livery and triangular logo. This won’t be particularly visible once the PSU is installed, but the sides of the unit also feature the MEG text and a unique pattern, which you can see inside the PSU chamber of a case.
As for the rest of the design, there’s not much else to touch on from an aesthetic point of view. At the end of the day, this is a power supply; its primary purpose is to provide power, which it does incredibly well. It will eventually be stowed inside a PSU chamber and will likely be forgotten once installed. However, there are a couple of design elements worth touching on briefly.
The first is its weight. After taking this out of the box, we were somewhat blown away by the sheer heft of the Ai1600T. This is no small power supply, and because of its weight and size, it isn’t exactly portable. It’s also worth noting that because of its size, the dimensions of the MEG Ai1600T may cause clearance issues in some cases, especially if you have a hard drive cage in the PSU bay.
The second area of note is the modular power connectors. Fully modular PSUs have become incredibly popular over the years. Again, because this is a rather hefty wattage unit, it’s no shock that modularity is one of its key features. At the rear of the MEG Ai1600T PCIE5, you’ll find seventeen headers, four SATA/Molex, nine PCI-E/CPU connectors, a set of motherboard ATX headers, and two 16-pin graphics card cables headers. This is the most we’ve seen on a power supply and a rather impressive selection for those with a hefty build.
To summarise, aesthetics isn’t something we’d consider critical for power supplies. While it’s nice to see unique designs or features like OLED displays, these often get hidden away inside the case once your build is fully assembled. The Ai1600T PCIE5 is well-designed but not aimed at those looking to build something with decent portability.
Power Connectors
24-Pin Motherboard Power Cable
The MSI MEG Ai1600T PCIE5 has a single braided motherboard power cable, which splits into two headers to plug into the power supply. This is one of the most critical cables as it powers the motherboard, which in turn powers the RAM, fan headers, storage and anything else that directly powers from your motherboard. Like the rest of the cables, motherboard power is braided, giving each cable a premium look, and there are dedicated cable combs to help straighten out any loose wires.
8-Pin EPS CPU Power Cable
The 8-pin EPS power cable is required to power the CPU in your build. Most modern AMD and Intel motherboards offer an 8+4 header configuration as standard, with some even offering dual 8-pin headers. You’ll want to plug in both cables that MSI has provided with this unit to ensure that your CPU has plenty of power and that power delivery is spread across both headers.
6+2 Pin PCI-E Power Cable
With NVIDIA entirely switching to the 16-pin power cable, the 6+2-pin PCI-E cable is primarily aimed at AMD users. These power your GPU and can be used with NVIDIA RTX 5000-series with a supporting adapter. Because this is a 1600W unit, MSI has provided a whopping nine cables, which means you’ve got plenty of options and can even plug in two graphics cards!
16-Pin GPU Power Cable
NVIDIA uses the 16-pin cable for all of the RTX 5000 series cards and the RTX 4000-series cards from the 4070 SUPER upwards. This GPU power cable can pipe up to 600W at a time. The MEG Ai1600T PCIE5 has two of these cables, and the end of the header is coloured yellow so that you can see if it’s been plugged in correctly.
SATA Power Cable
SATA power isn’t used as heavily anymore, especially in the wake of NVMe M.2 SSDs and the disappearance of disc drives. However, there are a few reasons why you might want to use SATA. You still have SATA-based storage; hence, you’ll need to plug in one of the two cables provided. Alternatively, your case might use a SATA-powered hub for RGB and fans. Cases like the Montech King 95 Pro use two SATA headers to power the hub, a great way to avoid taking up motherboard headers.
Molex Power
The last cable to cover is Molex. I’m not sure why manufacturers still include Molex, primarily because I can’t think of any modern components that use it. However, if you have a CD/DVD drive or some incredibly old fans, you may need to use one of the two Molex cables provided with this power supply.
Features We Like
Controls Through Gaming Intelligence
MSI’s Gaming Intelligence app is surprisingly quite impressive. As we’ve touched on in our monitor reviews, it provides an easy way to control your MSI parts or peripherals through software, and there’s plenty of customisation on offer. Controlling and monitoring a power supply through an app provides enthusiasts with a straightforward way to tinker, which is great to see.
Integrated Cable Combs
This power supply offers braided cables with integrated cable combs. While some may find these finicky, I’m personally a big fan. Integrated combs provide a simple way to straighten out the braided wires without adding your own, keeping everything tidy.
Features We Don’t Like
Very Hefty
This is, without a doubt, one of the largest power supplies we’ve worked with, and unfortunately, it is pretty heavy. We recommend exercising caution when building with the MEG Ai1600T, as it could damage things if dropped.
Conclusion
MSI MEG Ai1600T PCIE5
Product Name: MEG Ai1600T PCIE5
Brand: MSI
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Features
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Design
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Efficiency
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Value For Money
Summary
The MSI MEG Ai1600T PCIE5 is one of the beefiest power supplies we’ve seen. Equipped with the hardware to handle high-power excursions, offering 1600W of juice for your build and an 80 Plus Titanium efficiency rating, this PSU is an enthusiast’s dream. This unit provides several great features that make it worth considering, such as integrated cable combs, dual-colour 16-pin power cables, and ample headers for a range of different components. If you’re building a top-end RTX 5090 PC, the MEG Ai1600T PCIE5 is a solid contender to provide all the power for your system.
However, there are two pretty big caveats to think about. The first is the price. This is a $700 power supply. You can pick up a 1200W PSU for sub-$200, so unless you’ve got plenty of cash, the price of this PSU will make it out of reach for many prospective buyers. The second caveat is use-case. At the most, a Core i9-14900K and RTX 5090 system will draw at the maximum 1200W, so unless you’re building a dual-GPU PC, 1600W is going to be overkill for most enthusiasts, even if you’ve got a fully custom-cooled setup. I think the MSI MEG Ai1600T PCIE5 is incredibly well put together and offers many great features, but its pricing and use case put it out of reach for a significant amount of buyers.
Pros
✅ Titanium efficiency rating
✅ Can monitor in real-time
✅ Can handle high-power excursions
Cons
❌ Very heavy
❌ Likely overkill for most builders
❌ No specified warranty
