NVIDIA is preparing a new GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card for 2024, which will feature the Ampere GPU architecture and 6GB of GDDR6 memory. The current GeForce RTX 3050 features 8GB of GDDR6, while the new card will have cut-down specs including 6GB of VRAM.
The current GeForce RTX 3050 was launched in January 2022, over 18 months ago now, but Wccftech is reporting that an updated GeForce RTX 3050 is on the way with the previous-gen Ampere GPU architecture and 6GB GDDR6 memory. It is a bit strange, given that NVIDIA hasn't launched the GeForce RTX 4050 graphics card, and there's nothing new about that to report... so we're moving on the GeForce RTX 3050, it seems.
NVIDIA's new GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card will sport the GA107-325-Kx GPU which is based on the PG173 SKU 16 PCB board, but we don't know the CUDA core count. Wccftech is reporting, however, that we'll expect lower GPU clocks of somewhere around 1470MHz, which is another part of the cut-down side of things: the new RTX 3050 will have GPU clocks that are 17% lower than the previous RTX 3050 graphics card.
- RTX 3050 8GB: GA106-150, 2560 Cores, 1777 MHz GPU Boost, 115W TGP, 8GB GDDR6, 128-bit memory bus
- RTX 3050 6GB: GA107-325, TBD Cores, 1470 MHz GPU Boost, 70W TGP, 6GB GDDR6, 96-bit memory bus
NVIDIA is expected to outfit its new GeForce RTX 3050 6GB graphics card with a 96-bit memory bus, down from the 128-bit memory bus on the current GeForce RTX 3050 8GB graphics card. We should expect very, very low power consumption on the new GeForce RTX 3050 6GB... down to just 70W with no external PCIe power connector required. The current RTX 3050 8GB has a 115W TGP, and requires a single 8-pin PCIe power connector.
Who is going to buy this? Mainstream 1080p gamers will love this card, as it should push 60FPS in a slew of games, and even 120FPS in esports titles like Overwatch, the just-released Counter-Strike 2, Apex Legends, and more. System builders will love it even more, as it means they can offer gaming systems without any PCIe power connectors... making for a very clean-looking PC.
Why is NVIDIA doing this? Well, Intel is nailing the mainstream graphics card market with its Alchemist-based Arc series GPUs... with the new Intel Arc A580 graphics card having a price of under $200 in the US, so we should expect similiar pricing on the new GeForce RTX 3050 6GB graphics card. Hell, if NVIDIA nailed the pricing at something like $150 or less... it would really shake up the mainstream GPU market.
