The RTX 3050 has become the newest budget GPU model from the company, but is it worth getting one? Since it was released in early 2022, the RTX 3050 has been a popular choice with pre-built gaming PCs and custom PC builds alike. It comes with 8GB of GDDR6 VRAM, a good boost clock speed and relatively low clock requirements compared to other models. That being said, with it being a budget model, there are a few downfalls including lower bandwidth overall and a slower memory bus. If you are thinking of upgrading your GPU or are focusing on the GPU when buying a new gaming PC, here are some reasons to consider this one.
Ray Tracing
Ray tracing is one of the main reasons that many gamers decide to upgrade their graphics card. It’s one of the most highly sought-after technologies in PC gaming today with more realistic rendering of shadows and light. It provides an almost unbeatable photo-realism in gaming. However, while the RTX 3050 offers all of this, it’s worth bearing in mind that the number of games that support ray tracing is still quite limited.
More Multiprocessors
The RTX 3050 in some NVIDIA Gaming PC models is built with the Ampere architecture. It comes with twenty streaming multiprocessors and over 2500 CUDA cores. This is a huge step up from the GTX 1650, which had fourteen streaming multiprocessors and just under 900 CUDA cores. If you are interested in getting this GPU, you will be glad to hear that the power drawn is at 130W, which might be more than comparable graphics cards from brands like AMD but is definitely worth it for the performance boost.
DLSS
Since it is not the most powerful GPU out there, you may be wondering if ray tracing alone is good enough as a reason to invest in the RTX 3050. DLSS is a feature that is definitely worth mentioning when it comes to this GPU, boosting in-game performance and achieving 1060p at sixty frames per second for a longer period of time without having to make any sacrifices with the visuals. The RTX 3050 also includes NVIDIA Reflex, which is a technology that prevents latency when playing games competitively.
Low Temperatures
Compared to the RTX 3060, the RTX 3050 can maintain a lower temperature and use less power with the same cooler. Along with this, if you plan to overclock it, you will be glad to hear that it offers more thermal headroom. Although the fan speed of this GPU isn’t anything like that of models like the GTX 1660 Super, it is fast enough to create more noise compared to comparable budget graphics cards.
If you are in the market for a new gaming PC or want to upgrade your GPU, then it is definitely worth considering the NVIDIA RTX 3050. It offers a range of excellent features for a budget GPU including ray tracing, streaming multiprocessors, DLSS, and more, all while maintaining a low temperature that rivals higher-end models.
