MSI Afterburner has released an update that introduces an alert system for the 16-pin power connector on its MPG AI power supply units (PSUs). The goal is to prevent potential problems that could damage high-end graphics cards.

Update Details

The MSI Afterburner update adds a monitoring and warning mechanism regarding the power supplied through the 16-pin connector. This is particularly relevant for the latest generation GPUs that require high power delivery. The software constantly monitors power levels and, in case of anomalies or excessive fluctuations, alerts the user.

This timely alert system can help prevent permanent damage to the GPU, which could result from unstable or insufficient power. For those evaluating on-premise deployments, there are trade-offs related to hardware selection and power supply reliability, as discussed in AI-RADAR on /llm-onpremise.

Importance of Power Stability

Power stability is crucial for the proper functioning and longevity of GPUs, especially high-end ones used for intensive workloads such as large language model (LLM) inference or training. Voltage fluctuations or insufficient power delivery can cause system instability, reduced performance, and, in the worst case, permanent hardware damage.