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If you’re in the market for an affordable GPU, you’ll want to compare the RTX 3050 6GB vs the GTX 1650. Fresh off the release of a bunch of refreshed RTX 40-series cards, Nvidia has now turned its attention back to the Amphere RTX 3050. This time rather than increasing price and performance, the company has taken the opposite approach. As the name suggests this new card comes with 6GB of VRAM, down from the 8GB found in the original card. This decrease in gaming power has been reflected in what looks like a pretty substantial drop in price for what was already the more affordable of all the RTX 30-series GPUs. If this piques your interest, it’s definitely worth finding out where to buy RTX 3050 6GB.
The price and performance profile of the RTX 3050 6GB will inevitably put it, in the eyes of many, head to head with the GTX 1650. The GTX 1650 has been one of the best GPUs for 1080p, for years now. The card has proved enduring popular thanks to its affordable price, especially in comparison to comparable RTX 30-series cards. So let’s get into the comparison.
RTX 3050 6GB vs GTX 1650 – release date comparison
Most people reading this will already be aware that the refreshed 3050 is the newer card and by some margin. By the time the RTX 3050 6GB release date comes around on the 9th of February, some 1,753 days will have passed since the GTX 1650 dropped back in April 2019. A lot has changed in the world of technology since then, but the popularity of the GTX 1650 has endured. This is a testament to just how significant the budget GPU market is and shows how important a low price is to many gamers.
RTX 3050 6GB vs GTX 1650 – price comparison
We do not yet have a confirmed, concrete, MSRP for the RTX 3050 6GB just yet. However, the card has started popping up on several retailers’ sites. For example, Newegg listed the card in several different versions, all for a price of between $169 and $189. These are available to pre-order, though many have already sold out. If these pricing holdouts for the RTX 3050, it will be an impressively affordable GPU, and easily one of best budget graphics cards out there. It would mean it undercuts the previous RTX 3050 by between $60 and $80, making quality Amphere 1080p gameplay all the more accessible.
The GTX 1650 has maintained its popularity over all these years thanks, in large part, to its accessible price. It has an MSRP of just $149, though most listings available now are more around the $159/ $169 mark. This puts it essentially neck and neck with the RTX 3050 6GB. The next logical question is what kind of specs are you getting for these prices?
ZOTAC Gaming GeForce GTX 1650 AMP CORE
Base clock
1485 MHz
Boost clock
1725 MHz
VRAM
4GB GDDR5
Dimensions
162.4mm x 111.15mm x 37.1mm
Recommended PSU
300W
RTX 3050 6GB vs GTX 1650 – specs comparison
| Spec | RTX 3050 | GTX 1650 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM | 6GB | 4GB |
| Interface | PCI Express 4.0 | PCI Express 3.0 |
| CUDA Cores | 2,304 | 896 |
| Core clock speed | 1,042MHz | 1,485MHz |
| Memory Interface | 96-Bit | 128-bit |
| Memory Type | GDDR6 | GDDR5 |
| Max Resolution | 7680 x 4320 | 7680 x 4320 |
As you can see from the table above, the refreshed RTX 3050 is sporting the superior specs, almost across the board. The clock speed of the GTX 1650 might be faster at 1,485MHz vs 1,042MHz for the RTX 3050, however, clock speed refers to how many cycles are completed per second, what can actually be achieved within that cycle is dictated by other specs, and it’s here where the RTX 3050 is ahead.
Even though its 6GB of VRAM might represent a drop from the original RTX 3050’s 8GB, it still places it ahead of the GTX 1650’s 4GB. Not only is there more memory, but it is the more recent and more advanced GDDR6 memory, vs the GDDR5 you’ll find in the GTX 1650.
The RTX 3050 6GB is also ahead in the crucial CUDA core count, and by a fair margin too. These cores crunch much of the complex maths needed to render graphics, the more you have the more of these calculations that can be completed per second.
RTX 3050 6GB vs GTX 1650 – performance comparison
We’ve seen these cards are neck and neck in terms of price, so how do their performances compare? Well, we cannot say anything with certainty until we’ve actually got our hands on the refreshed 3050. Based on the specs listed above we would expect the RTX 3050 6GB to perform better, but we’ll know for sure after the 9th of February.
Another thing we can use to get a rough sense of how these two cards’ performances compare is to have a look at the original RTX 3050 vs the GTX 1650. YouTube Channel Testing Games has an in-depth side by side comparison of the RTX 3050 vs GTX 1650 in 10 games. Across the board the 3050 performed better, often significantly better. While the new 6GB version is less powerful than the original, this is still a good indicator that the RTX 3050 6GB move ultimately prove more capable than the GTX 1650.
We also know that neither of these cards will be going head-to-head with the best graphics cards on the market. In fact, they will likely start struggling at anything above 1080p. However, this is by design. There are gamers out there who are only looking to play games at 1080p, those who want to avoid having to fork out hundreds, not only for one of the best GPUs for 1440p but a 1440p gaming monitor too. This is the market both these cards are aimed at, the GTX 1650 already dominates here and the new RTX 3050 looks set to join it.
Which one should I go for?
We’ll hold off giving any concrete recommendations until the refresh RTX 3050 has hit shelves. However, it is looking likely that the new Nvidia card will be at least slightly more powerful and available for essentially the same price. If this does hold, the RTX 3050 6GB will be the more sensible card to buy, offering you a better return on your investment. That said, if you already have the GTX 1660 and are wondering whether you should upgrade, that is less clear-cut. While it seems likely you will see at least some increase in performance, it is not guaranteed to be huge. It might be worth looking at the performance category above, cards such as the RTX 3060, or even the original RTX 3050, if you want to really feel the benefits of upgrading.
Frequently asked questions
If you’re in the market for a new GPU, the process inevitably involves a tonne of research. To try and lighten the load somewhat, we’ve answered a few common questions here.
How much power does the new RTX 3050 use?
The RTX 3050 6GB has a TDP of just 70W. This is a full 46% reduction from the maximum power draw of the original RTX 3050.
Is the RTX 3050 6GB worth it?
The RTX 3050 6GB looks set to be one of the best low-cost GPUs on the market. While we will have to wait for its release to know for sure, we’re confident it will offer a good 1080p performance while retailing for a low price.
