The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is about 20% slower than the GeForce RTX 3050 8GB, according to preliminary benchmarks by ComputerBase. The 6GB model launched yesterday is cut down in four key areas: memory, core count, clock speed, and power consumption. While the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is certainly a downgrade in performance, it also features some of the best efficiency and lowest power consumption among the best graphics cards.
ComputerBase got its hands on a GeForce RTX 3050 6GB early by ordering it from a retailer that had put up the card for sale too early. Although the publication hasn't finished testing, it has released some preliminary benchmarks. The model in question is MSI's GeForce RTX 3050 Ventus 2X 6G OC, one of the higher-end GeForce RTX 3050 6GB variants.
Incidentally, retail listings for the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB claim a CUDA core count of 2,048, but it seems this is a mistake. MSI's website claims its GeForce RTX 3050 6GB has 2,304 CUDA cores, as rumors initially claimed, and ComputerBase checked its 3050 6GB through GPU-Z, which also says 2,304 cores. It's unclear why retailers got this specification wrong, but ultimately, it seems that the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB isn't relatively as disadvantaged as thought.
| Header Cell - Column 0 | GeForce RTX 3050 6GB | GeForce RTX 3050 8GB |
|---|---|---|
| SMs | 18 | 20 |
| CUDA Cores | 2,304 | 2,560 |
| Base Clock | 1,042 MHz | 1,552 MHz |
| Boost Clock | 1,470 MHz | 1,777 MHz |
| VRAM | 6GB | 8GB |
| VRAM Bus Width | 96-bit | 128-bit |
| VRAM Bandwidth | 168 GB/s | 224 GB/s |
| TDP | 70W | 130W |
| Price | $179 | From $220 |
ComputerBase showed benchmarks in Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty and 3DMark Time Spy, Speed Way, and Port Royal. Though the performance margins varied a bit between each test, the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB was about 80% as fast as its 8GB counterpart, which is unsurprising given that it has fewer cores, lower clock speeds, and less memory bandwidth. Because the 6GB model also costs about 80% of the price, its value is the same as the GeForce RTX 3050 8GB.
However, there is one area that the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB excels in: power efficiency. For 20% less performance, the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB has nearly half the power draw, making it about 50% more efficient than the 8GB version. While power consumption isn't often a concern about low-end gaming GPUs, it enables the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB to offer unique models. For example, Palit has a GeForce RTX 3050 6GB with no active cooling at all, and MSI has a low-profile, dual-slot GeForce RTX 3050 6GB, which could rank among the fastest low-profile min-ITX GPUs today.
