Friday, February 2nd 2024
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Formally Launched
NVIDIA today formally launched the GeForce RTX 3050 6 GB as its new entry-level discrete GPU. The RTX 3050 6 GB is a significantly different product from the original RTX 3050 that the company launched as a mid-range product way back in January 2022. The RTX 3050 had originally launched on the 8 nm GA106 silicon, with 2,560 CUDA cores, 80 Tensor cores, 20 RT cores, 80 TMUs, and 32 ROPs; with 8 GB of 14 Gbps GDDR6 memory across a 128-bit memory bus; these specs also matched the maximum core-configuration of the smaller GA107 silicon, and so the company launched the RTX 3050 based on GA107 toward the end of 2022, with no change in specs, but a slight improvement in energy efficiency from the switch to the smaller silicon. The new RTX 3060 6 GB is based on the same GA107 silicon, but with significant changes.
To begin with, the most obvious change is memory. The new SKU features 6 GB of 14 Gbps GDDR6, across a narrower 96-bit memory bus, for 168 GB/s of memory bandwidth. That's not all, the GPU is significantly cut down, with just 16 SM instead of the 20 found on the original RTX 3050. This works out to 2,048 CUDA cores, 64 Tensor cores, 16 RT cores, 64 TMUs, and an unchanged 32 ROPs. The GPU comes with lower clock speeds of 1470 MHz boost, compared to 1777 MHz on the original RTX 3050. The silver lining with this SKU is its total graphics power (TGP) of just 70 W, which means that cards can completely do away with power connectors, and rely entirely on PCIe slot power. NVIDIA hasn't listed its own MSRP for this SKU, but last we heard, it was supposed to go for $179, and square off against the likes of the Intel Arc A580.
To begin with, the most obvious change is memory. The new SKU features 6 GB of 14 Gbps GDDR6, across a narrower 96-bit memory bus, for 168 GB/s of memory bandwidth. That's not all, the GPU is significantly cut down, with just 16 SM instead of the 20 found on the original RTX 3050. This works out to 2,048 CUDA cores, 64 Tensor cores, 16 RT cores, 64 TMUs, and an unchanged 32 ROPs. The GPU comes with lower clock speeds of 1470 MHz boost, compared to 1777 MHz on the original RTX 3050. The silver lining with this SKU is its total graphics power (TGP) of just 70 W, which means that cards can completely do away with power connectors, and rely entirely on PCIe slot power. NVIDIA hasn't listed its own MSRP for this SKU, but last we heard, it was supposed to go for $179, and square off against the likes of the Intel Arc A580.
65 Comments on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Formally Launched
Gigabyte Launches GeForce RTX 3050 6G graphics cards | TechPowerUpYup, absolute insanity. Even taking inflation into consideration, NVIDIA (and AMD for that matter) has done all in their power to push price brackets ever upwards.
But would it hurt NVIDIA to call this a RT(X) 3040 to alleviate confusion?
Edit: If Nvidia gets Lenovo or HP to build some systems around these, there's a few hundred thousands SKUs sold. Easily.
Manufacturers, get a clue. Low-profile and/or single slot, purely PCIe slot-powered, or stop wasting our time.
For that matter, the 4060 is more in line with past x50 cards than it is with past true mid-rangers.
www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/graphics-cards/30-series/rtx-3050/
www.gigabyte.com/Graphics-Card/GV-N3050OC-6GL/sp#sp
www.msi.com/Graphics-Card/GeForce-RTX-3050-LP-6G/Specification
www.msi.com/Graphics-Card/GeForce-RTX-3050-LP-6G-OC/Specification
The pages from MSI confirm the inclusion of 8 PCIe lanes (the same number used by the original 3050 8GB card).
All that means the only possible reasonable purchase scenario is SFF without the possibility of adding 6-pin connectors, or even thinking of drawing more power than that. For $200, there are used 3060s (almost twice as fast at this point) and 6600 XTs as well as BNIB 6600 non-XTs and Intel Arc GPUs of much higher calculating power. Adding 20 USD on top of 180 isn't that hard. So if you're by no mean limited in space and power to the point you consider <100 W GPUs exclusively this is a total pass.
I mean, you won't be upset over not supporting the game that otherwise would "run" at 10 FPS if you had a 3050-6 instead of an RX 580.