(Image credit: Future)

MSI just announced its new GPU Safeguard and GPU Safeguard+ tech available on its latest power supply units (PSUs). According to the company press release, this feature monitors the 12V-2x6 connector for abnormal current fluctuations, and it will then warn the user with a pop-up through the MSI Center (only for GPU Safeguard+) while the PSU itself will emit an audible warning buzzer. “This proactive alert system enables potential power issues to be addressed before they result in permanent hardware damage,” MSI said in its PR.

The Tom’s Hardware team visited the MSI booth at CES 2026, where it was explained that this protection is achieved through per-in-voltage monitoring. And if it indicates an anomaly, the only way you can stop the buzzing is by shutting your computer down, thereby cutting power to the GPU and helping protect it even before its power connector starts melting.

If it does not detect any response after three minutes of beeping, the PSU will force a black screen on your system to reduce the load on the graphics card while still continually beeping. MSI says that “In either case, the only way to get your PC up and running safely again is by shutting it down, unplugging the 12V-2x6 connector from your graphics card, inspecting for damage, and firmly re-plugging it if all’s well.”

This tech comes in four of MSI’s latest power supplies — the top-of-the-line MPG Ai1600TS and MPG Ai1300TS PCIE5 get GPU Safeguard+, while its mainstream MAG A1200PLS and MAG A1000PLS PCIE5 PSUs are protected with GPU Safeguard. The only difference between the two features is that the former displays a pop-up window alongside the warning sound, while the latter only gives an aural warning. Nevertheless, this should help protect your system from unexpected meltdowns, especially for high-powered GPUs like the RTX 5090 and even some Sapphire Nitro+ 9070 XTs.

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