NVIDIA's nerfed RTX 3050 6GB GPU is selling like hotcakes apparently - at least in China

NVIDIA's RTX 3050 received a new spin on the graphics card not so long ago, a considerably cut-down version with 6GB of VRAM, and apparently it's selling well in China.

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NVIDIA's RTX 3050 6GB wasn't well-received by and large when it was launched - though that isn't the case in China (Image Credit: NVIDIA)

Indeed, this GPU - intended as a fresh option in place of the old GTX GPUs which have been chucked on the scrapheap - is under 'huge' demand in China, according to a report highlighted by Wccftech.

So much so, that apparently graphics card manufacturers over in the country are increasing the asking price of the RTX 3050 6GB, or that's the word on the grapevine, specifically from the Chinese Board Channel forums.

This isn't a source which we regard as the most reliable, but to be fair, it has got things right in the past.

At any rate, we're told that the RTX 3050 6GB is getting a price increase of 100 RMB, which represents a 7% hike in China.

With that 2GB reduction in VRAM from the old 8GB variant, not to mention a 20% drop in performance - due to the power being cut right down to 70W (so it can run off the motherboard, no power connector needed) - you might be forgiven for wondering how on earth this graphics card is doing so well.

For starters, we can take the report with a pinch of seasoning as mentioned, but it's also true that there is a market for this cut-down GPU.

Pound for pound, compared to its rivals - like Intel's A580 GPU - in raw performance terms, the RTX 3050 6GB looks seriously lackluster, especially at the prices in the US, which aren't as attractive as those in Asia.

However, the RTX 3050 6GB does still represent a solid option for an affordable discrete graphics card, with that low power usage and ability to run off the PCIe slot, and fit easily in small form-factor PCs. Plus compared to the likes of the GTX 1650, it comes with all the contemporary NVIDIA bells and whistles like DLSS.

It's a niche market, really, but seemingly popular on a larger scale over in Asia, helped by the pricing - though if that's being hiked now, that could pour at least some cold water on the apparent enthusiasm for the RTX 3050 6GB.

In other recent NVIDIA news, we've heard about Team Green possibly pushing out new versions of the RTX 4070, 4060 Ti and 4060 graphics cards. Sounds improbable? Well, these variants are being produced purely out of the necessity of finding places for silicon that hasn't made the cut, repurposing chips in lower-tier boards, so in short - it's nothing to get excited about.

Read more: NVIDIA's RTX 5000 GPUs on track for Q4 2024 launch but don't expect a Lovelace performance leap