Nicely, that type of snuck up did not it. Nvidia has quietly launched the RTX 3050 6GB. At a look it is an unexciting and slower model of a graphics card with a GPU that is been available on the market for practically three years.
Based on benchmarks from a retail card bought by Pc Base, it loses simply over 20% to the RTX 3050 8G within the handful of benchmarks it ran. That may put it across the GTX 1650 Tremendous and Radeon RX 6500 XT in efficiency. Hardly a compelling improve until you are transferring up from one thing low finish from a number of years additional again.
Spec clever, it consists of the GA107 GPU, with 2,304 CUDA cores, a 1492MHz enhance clock and 8GB of 14Gbps GDDR6 with a 96-bit bus. Its launch worth is $169, at the very least for the MSI RTX 3050 6GB Ventus 2X that was examined. It is not very thrilling stuff is it?
But it surely’s not all dangerous. There are subsets of customers that may discover a few of its traits interesting. Particularly, its 70W TDP means it does not require exterior energy. Which means all of these older OEM PCs or repurposed workplace machines can merely plug it in. It additionally means low profile and passive fashions can be found, with Palit launching a KalmX model. I can undoubtedly see the enchantment in that.
Nonetheless, at $169, it is too costly. A card just like the Intel Arc A580 is quicker with a greater characteristic set for round $10 extra, whereas leaping up a tier to $200 would get you a a lot sooner RX 6600—a card that spanks even the RTX 3050 8GB.
| Header Cell – Column 0 | RTX 3050 6GB | RTX 3050 8GB |
|---|---|---|
| GPU | GA107-325 | GA106-150 |
| CUDA cores | 2,304 | 2,560 |
| Core / Enhance clock | 1,042MHz / 1,492MHz | 1,552MHz / 1,777MHz |
| Reminiscence | 6GB 14Gbps GDDR6 | 8GB 14Gbps GDDR6 |
| Reminiscence bus | 96-bit | 128-bit |
| TGP | 70W | 130W |
| Launch date | February 2nd, 2024 | January 4th, 2022 |
| Worth | $169 | $249 |
Nvidia will say that you simply get RTX options (although not the DLSS 3 and Body technology good things) and ray tracing assist. Not that meaning a lot at this degree.
At $169, the RTX 3050 6G will not go down as one in every of 2024’s greatest graphics card offers. However for these looking for a card that does not require exterior energy, first rate efficiency per watt, low profile or fanless choices, or a card to reinvigorate an previous clunker with a rubbish energy provide, it seems to be like an excellent possibility.
If these traits enchantment to you, and you can not or won’t spend extra on a card that boasts far superior gaming efficiency, then the RTX 3050 6G is probably price contemplating.
Nonetheless, I discover it very arduous to get all excited over a slower model of an entry-mid degree graphics card from 3 years in the past.
If it was known as the RTX 3040 and priced at $149 then possibly I might perceive it a bit higher. I see its area of interest enchantment, however in case you’re on the lookout for a gaming card before everything, move on this one.