Evaluation of the Alinity m HIV-1 assay for the quantification of HIV-1 RNA plasma viral load in a high-throughput molecular laboratory in South Africa

•This was the first real-world validation of the Alinity m HIV-1 assay in a low- to middle-income country.•Excellent correlation and agreement was achieved between the Alinity m HIV-1 assay and cobas® 4800.•Alinity m HIV-1 and cobas® 6800 correlated well across the dynamic range with slightly higher quantitation by cobas® 6800.•Excellent percentage agreement was demonstrated at the 200 cp/mL and 1000 cp/mL clinically relevant thresholds.