It’s looking like we could soon be getting a lower-spec variant of the RTX 3050, with a new Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 6GB version having appeared briefly on an Austrian online retailer. With slightly reduced specs across the board, the card will offer even lower performance than the current 8GB model but also comes with a 46% lower TDP of just 70W.
The new Nvidia contender for a best-budget place on our best graphics card list has been rumored for a few months, with us first reporting on it three months ago then again fresh rumors appeared a month ago. However, this is the first time we’ve seen suggestions the card is out in the wild, imminently ready for sale.
While it’s a shame we still don’t appear to be getting a truly interesting budget Nvidia GPU in the shape of an RTX 4050, the new card should give gamers on a really tight budget another option. Indeed, this new GPU is just the sort of option that makes the new AMD Ryzen 8700G APU a tricky sell, as even the RTX 3050 6GB should outpace AMD’s latest integrated graphics champ.
Interestingly, the new RTX 3050 6GB is actually expected to replace the 8GB version, which could indeed leave the door open for an RTX 4050 between it and the RTX 4060, but it’s also possible we’ll see the RTX 4060 just drop in price slightly to fill the gap and take the fight to the AMD Radeon RX 7600.
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 6GB specs
The new 6GB version of the RTX 3050 is expected to have a 10% reduction in CUDA cores and a drop in memory bandwidth to go along with its drop in total VRAM. As a result, we can expect performance to be considerably reduced. However, along with us expecting a drop in price for the new card, leaked specs also suggest it will consume far less power than the current version.
| RTX 3050 8GB | RTX 3050 6GB | |
| GPU | GA106/GA107 | GA107 |
| CUDA Cores |
2,560 | 2,304 |
| RT Cores |
20 | 20 |
| Tensor Cores |
80 | 80 |
| Base clock |
1,552MHz | 1,042MHz |
| Boost clock | 1,750MHz | 1,470MHz |
| VRAM | 8GB GDDR6 | 6GB GDDR6 |
| Memory bus width | 128-bit | 96-bit |
| TGP | 115W | 70W |
| MSRP | $249 | ~$179 |
As for that 46% reduction in TGP/TDP, this refers to the 6GB version versus the OEM version of the 8GB model. That’s the version you’ll find in PCs that ship with the GPU already installed rather than the version you’ll find in retailers. Instead, the retail version of the RTX 3050 8GB has a TGP of 115W, which would make the RTX 3050 6GB’s 70W TGP a 39% reduction.
As well as opening up the possibility of using the RTX 3050 6GB in very basic gaming systems, this also means it could be cooled passively quite easily.
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 6GB price
Oddly, the price listed by the rogue retailer was actually higher than current 8GB RTX 3050 models, at $249, which is the MSRP for the 8GB variant. That would indeed be a ridiculous price for this low a spec card, especially considering 8GB versions can be had for $219.
Instead, we would expect the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 6GB price to be around $179, based on current rumors.
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 6GB release date speculation
We don’t yet have an official Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 6GB release date but its appearance on a retailer along with other previous rumors suggest it will arrive in February 2024.
Would a card of the caliber of the RTX 3050 6GB appeal to you, or are such cheap GPUs a waste of time? Share your thoughts with us on the PCGamesN Facebook and X pages.