Technical details

Like its older brothers in the 30xx family, the new RTX 3050 is based on the NVIDIA Ampere core, which has made an impressive performance leap over the Turing family. This is really a new architecture that has moved to a new 8nm process technology, seriously increasing the density of transistors and thereby increasing the average TFLOPS. Plus, Ampere cards are equipped with next-generation GDDR6 video memory.

RTX 3050 key features.

But more importantly, all representatives of the 3000 series have acquired separate computing units for processing lighting (ray tracing) and machine learning. The first technology offered a new, more realistic approach to handling light and reflections in games. With the help of machine learning, the company's engineers were able to implement NVIDIA DLSS artificial scaling technology, which increases the native resolution in the game, while increasing the average FPS.

The base for the RTX 3050 is a stripped-down version of the GA106 chip from the GeForce RTX 3060. In order not to compete with themselves, NVIDIA engineers sent some of the computing units and stream processors “under the knife”. The amount of video memory compared to the RT 3060 was cut from 12 to 8 GB, and the bus width was reduced to 128 bits. At the same time, the power consumption of the card has decreased by almost 30%, and for correct operation, manufacturers recommend power supplies with a capacity of not 650, but 550 W.

All this suggests that the 3050 has replaced oldies like the GTX 1650/RTX 2060, which were designed to play in 1080p resolution and medium-high graphics settings. With the difference that, in fact, the RTX 3050 is perhaps the most affordable solution on the market with support for ray tracing and supersampling.

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Asus GeForce RTX 3050 TUF OC 8GB 
Quality and reliability, 8 GB of video memory, modest power consumption, a large number of video ports.
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Asus GeForce RTX 3050 TUF OC 8GB is the youngest discrete graphics card based on the modern Ampere architecture. The Navi 24 graphics chip is made using an advanced 8nm process technology and contains 2560 CUDA cores, 80 tensor cores, and 20 RT cores responsible for ray tracing acceleration. Paired with the chip is an array of 8 GB of high-speed GDDR6 video memory. In gaming tests, GPU frequencies typically range from 1820 to 1986 MHz, the fans spin at around 1400 rpm, and the average core temperature does not exceed 60°C, with occasional spikes up to 73°C.

Asus' version of the RTX 3050 is part of the Ultimate Force product line, all products undergo rigorous stress tests to ensure high reliability and zero defects. The printed circuit board turned out to be medium in size (272 mm) and it does not promise difficulties during installation. To power the device and other PC components, the manufacturer recommends using a 550W power supply. Its heat dissipation is not high, so Asus engineers limited themselves to using a two-slot cooling system with two air coolers and a passive radiator.

The design of the device turned out to be quite minimalistic, which is why it is unlikely to look appropriate in a designer case with viewing windows and complex lighting. The Asus TUF RTX 3050 has only a small logo on one of the sides illuminated. In the minimum load mode, the cooling system provides almost silent operation. For additional strengthening and cooling of the structure, the printed circuit board was reinforced with a metal backplate. Separately, it is worth noting the increased number of digital video ports (2 HDMI v2.1 + 3 Display Port v1.4), which completely untie the owner's hands when organizing a multi-monitor bundle.

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Graphics Cards

Tests in games

Tests in games on different graphics settings with DLSS and RT enabled.

Below, we've compared the RTX 3050 to other popular entry/mid-range graphics cards and plotted the average FPS across different resolutions and graphics settings. Tested on the following games: Horizon Zero Dawn, Borderlands 3, RDR2, Far Cry 6, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Watch Dogs Legion, and Forza Horizon 5.

At 1080p, even at medium graphics settings, the RTX 3050 is more than decent, averaging close to 100fps. Only slightly inferior to the slightly older model from the previous generation RTX 2060. Everything is fine here, let's move on.

Tests at 1080p and medium graphics settings.

On the Ultra preset at 1080p, the RTX 3050 delivered a decent average 58 FPS. If we consider the maxims, then in Horizon Zero Dawn the card gives out an average of 73 FPS, and in the voracious Microsoft Flight Simulator, on the contrary, the counter drops to 45 FPS. It should also be noted that at 1080p + Ultra settings, the gap in results between models with 4 and 8 GB of video memory increases. This is especially noticeable when compared with another popular entry-level model Radeon RX 6500 XT. In turn, the gap from the more productive RTX 3060 and RX 6600 XT averages 25-30%.

Tested at 1080p and ultra graphics settings.

If we increase the resolution to 1440p, keeping the graphics settings at the maximum, then we will get a seemingly acceptable average of 43 FPS, but here it still depends more on the specific game: in resource-demanding Borderlands 3 and Flight Simulator, the average FPS is 24 frames, and the gameplay spices up with constant staters and friezes.

This is a completely unplayable option, so we decided to try to keep the original resolution, but at the same time reduce the settings to medium. In this mode, the situation noticeably improves and in most games the RTX 3050 provides from 40 to 55 FPS. Thus, the card is theoretically suitable for use with 2K monitors, but you will have to fiddle with the settings sliders and connect DLSS, which we will talk about next.

Tests at 1440p + ultra settings: the game is on the verge of a foul.

When ray tracing is activated, the performance of the card sags noticeably, but if the RTX 3080/3090 has a serious power reserve behind it, the RTX 3050 simply has nowhere to retreat, so we immediately tested most of the games at 1080p and medium graphics settings. In most cases, we got a conditionally acceptable 30-40 frames per second, which may well satisfy some players and turn out to be an unacceptable option in the eyes of others.

DLSS and ray tracing tests: 1080p and medium graphics settings.

If you add the DLSS function in the “quality” mode to the equation, then the frame rate counter increases to the coveted 60 FPS. Thus, in games with support for supersampling, the adapter is capable of delivering 60 frames per second with tracing enabled.

conclusions

A new round of sparring between NVIDIA and Radeon in the low-cost sector.

Based on the tests, we can conclude that the younger RTX 3050 from the Ampere family is able to provide consistently high frame rates in popular gaming titles until 2022 at Full HD resolution and with medium graphics settings. In tests, it showed a performance level between the GeForce GTX 1660 Super and the GeForce RTX 2060, and closer to the latter than to the former.

At the same time, the status of the junior model in the line of Ampere video cards hints at the possibilities when tracing is activated. However, there are too many variables in this formula, and the cost of natural light is a sharp drop in FPS. Therefore, it is imperative to add DLSS to the cocktail, and then look for the optimal settings for both features.

If you are not really chasing these technologies, we advise you to pay attention to the alternative in the face of the Radeon RX 5600 XT and RX 6600 XT video cards. Instead of RT and DLSS, they support simpler alternatives like DirectX Raytracing and FidelityFX Super Resolution, but they have much higher net performance and prices are almost identical to the RTX 3050. The RX 6500 XT model will also be an interesting option.