Rumor: NVIDIA RTX 5050 desktop GPU is still alive and could debut alongside laptop variant

The GPU grapevine is once more alive with chatter about NVIDIA's RTX 5050 desktop graphics card, and despite our recent worries, apparently this model is still incoming.

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All Blackwell GPUs have packed GDDR7 thus far, but that might change with the RTX 5050 (Image Credit: NVIDIA)

If you're thinking - recent worries, what might they be? - we're talking about the fact that of late, all the rumors have been about the mobile RTX 5050, with no mention of the desktop version, leading us to be concerned that there may not be a latter. (After all, there was never an RTX 4050 desktop, which was a sore point with budget-conscious PC gamers).

• Read more: NVIDIA RTX 5050 desktop graphics card again rumored to use GDDR6 - but laptop GPU is GDDR7
• Read more: NVIDIA RTX 5050 sighting at EEC sparks hope that a true budget Blackwell GPU could be inbound
• Read more: NVIDIA RTX 5050 GPU rumored to be in HP's incoming Victus 15 laptop, alongside RTX 5060 option

Well, it appears the desktop RTX 5050 is theoretically still incoming, because as VideoCardz reports, the rumor mill lit up with some speculation about this graphics card yesterday. On top of that, the tech site says it has contacted sources who indicated that NVIDIA is indeed about to launch this GPU in the coming weeks.

The rumored spec (previously aired, so note that this isn't new) is that it'll run with 2560 CUDA Cores (NVIDIA is using the GB207 chip) and have the expected 8GB of VRAM. However, that video RAM will supposedly be slower GDDR6 rather than the GDDR7 seen elsewhere in the Blackwell range.

Through the lens of pricing

We can theorize about the spec, and moan about potential weak points, all we want - but that's all pretty meaningless when lacking the critical context of the price of the RTX 5050.

Is NVIDIA going to give us a robust desktop GPU at the true budget end of the market for the first time in a long time? The jury's out on that one.

Of course, the hope is that the discrete RTX 5050 pitches up at the $200 mark, though there are plenty of skeptics who doubt NVIDIA will go that low with the MSRP. We can but hope, although for every optimist who guesses at $200 for the asking price, there's a pessimist who believes Team Green definitely won't roll this GPU off the production lines with a price tag any less than $249.

At any rate, at least it's starting to look like NVIDIA really does have an RTX 5050 in the wings - and certainly the rumors about the laptop RTX 5050 are coming in quickly at this point.

In theory, the desktop variant might be announced at the same time as that mobile graphics card, and here's hoping that this turns out to be the case - with the pricing of the discrete GPU surprising us all with its affordability. Because NVIDIA could use the good vibes that such a move would induce, let's face it.