NVIDIA’s it newly announced GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card, with 6 GB of memory, revives the company’s position in the under $200 segment, competing with Intel Arc A580 and AMD Radeon RX 6600. Initial data suggests the new model is 20% slower than its 8 GB counterpart.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Specifications
Equipped with a GA107-325 graphics processor and 2304 CUDA cores, the 6 GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 is 10% smaller than the 8 GB model. Furthermore, the GPU’s power is only 70 W, allowing NVIDIA partners to release graphics cards without power connectors – making it over 40% more efficient than the 8 GB version. A comparison of NVIDIA’s less than $200 category graphics cards reveals:
- GeForce GTX 1650 (April 2019, $149) – 896 CUDA cores, 4 GB GDDR5
- GeForce GT 1630 (June 2022, $169) – 512 CUDA cores, 4 GB GDDR6
- GeForce RTX 3050 6 GB (February 2024, $169) – 2304 CUDA cores, 6 GB GDDR6
Comparing the New and Old Models
When compared, the new 6 GB version of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 seems like an attractive option. Its direct predecessor, GeForce GT 1630, has fewer cores than the GTX 1650 but was priced higher, aimed at revitalizing the graphics card market post-cryptocurrency boom. The new model boasts 2.5 times more cores than the GeForce GTX 1650, and 4.5 times more than GT 1630. However, it should not be mistaken with the GeForce RTX 3050 with 8 GB.
Performance Results
In synthetic tests conducted by ComputerBase, the graphics card showed commendable results, considering its 46% power reduction compared to the 8 GB RTX 3050. In game tests carried out on Cyberpunk 2077, the difference was approximately 20%. ComputerBase plans to further compare this new graphics card with AMD Radeon RX 6600 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 in due course.
