NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050: Specifications, Performance Insights, and Pricing Details

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 is poised to be the seventh model in the Blackwell GeForce RTX 50 series, positioned just below the GeForce RTX 5060. Leaks regarding this GPU have circulated for several months, with fresh specifications emerging recently.

While NVIDIA has yet to formally acknowledge the RTX 5050, it has been identified in various laptop listings. This graphics card will be available for both desktop and laptop configurations, though detailed official specifications remain undisclosed. Based on a variety of leaks and credible reports, we have compiled information pertaining to the expected specifications, performance metrics, and anticipated release timeline for the RTX 5050.

GeForce RTX 5050: Affordable 1080p Gaming Experience

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50 series costs explained

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 serves as a successor to the RTX 4050, which was exclusive to laptops. The last desktop 50-class card released was the GeForce RTX 3050 in 2022, utilizing the Ampere architecture.

Prior to NVIDIA’s skip of the 50-class in the Ada series, the GTX 1650 and GTX 1650 Super represented the Turing lineup. The RTX 5050 is anticipated to cater to the entry-level market, acting as a replacement for both the desktop RTX 3050 and the laptop RTX 4050, offering users a new budget-friendly option for 1080p gaming.

Expected Specifications

Potential specifications of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 is rumored to incorporate the GB207 die (model GB207-300-A1), a detail that has surfaced through multiple reports. Following its predecessor, the RTX 4050, which was based on the AD107 die, the RTX 5050 is expected to similarly leverage advanced technology. Historically, NVIDIA assigns the XX6-class die to its 60-class cards, with the RTX 3050 being an exception that used the downscaled AD106 GPU.

Predicted specifications for the RTX 5050 include 2560 CUDA cores, matching the counts of both the RTX 3050 and RTX 4050, albeit with improvements in architecture that enhance power efficiency. The board design is likely to utilize PG152-SKU50 alongside 8 GB of VRAM. As for the memory type, there are mixed indications: some sources suggest GDDR7, while others believe GDDR6 will continue to be employed.

Reports regarding the laptop model point towards a more solid foundation for GDDR7 memory; however, specifications for desktop and laptop variants appear consistent thus far. It’s common to see slightly slower variants for laptops, but differences are expected to be minimal compared to other RTX 50 models.

If equipped with GDDR7, the anticipated memory speed could reach 28 Gbps, yielding approximately 448 GB/s in memory bandwidth. Conversely, should GDDR6 be utilized, performance will likely operate at 20 Gbps, noticeably lower than the GDDR6 seen in RTX 40 series cards, which may impact overall GPU performance.

Interestingly, VRAM capacity has not increased since the RTX 3050, although the laptop iteration will still boast 8 GB VRAM, reflecting a modest improvement over the RTX 4050. Both the laptop and desktop versions are expected to feature a 128-bit memory bus, as NVIDIA has not yet transitioned to 3 GB GDDR7 modules.

In terms of power requirements, early reports suggest the GeForce RTX 5050 will be rated at 130W TDP, but recent shipping manifests indicate a potential 100W TDP for the GB207. This represents a decrease compared to previous 50-class cards, excluding the RTX 4050 for laptops. If the desktop model indeed achieves a 100W rating, students can expect the laptop version to be even more power-efficient, although this remains speculative.

Performance Expectations

The GeForce RTX 5050 is projected to deliver performance levels similar to the RTX 4060, offering a notable enhancement over the RTX 4050. While factual performance data remains scarce, a laptop variant recently achieved a score of 88, 727 points in OpenCL benchmarks, representing an 11% increase over the RTX 4050. However, it’s important to interpret these results critically, as Geekbench validations do not provide a complete picture and may differ significantly from gaming performance results.

Although the RTX 5050 has fewer cores than the RTX 4060, the architectural enhancements and faster VRAM are likely to provide noticeable performance advantages. With both models featuring 8 GB VRAM, the RTX 5050 may not be ideally suited for 1440p gaming; however, it is well-targeted for 1080p gaming across both desktop and laptop configurations, marking an improvement over the RTX 4050, which only offers 6 GB of VRAM.

While comprehensive performance details are limited at this time, additional leaks are anticipated in the near future. Updates will be provided as new information becomes available about the RTX 5050’s capabilities.

Pricing Insights

The anticipated MSRP for the GeForce RTX 5050 is projected at around $249. While this figure is not confirmed, historical pricing patterns from the launch of the RTX 3050 and 60-class cards suggest the RTX 5050 will likely fall within the range of $200 to $250, thereby appealing to budget-conscious consumers.

Given this price point and its performance edging closer to the RTX 4060, the RTX 5050 is expected to offer superior value. However, a more suitable price range would be around $200, especially considering that the RTX 5050 will feature 50% fewer cores than the RTX 5060 and could potentially utilize slower GDDR6 VRAM.

Projected Release Date & Availability

Expect the GeForce RTX 5050 to be officially launched in July 2025. Following several retail sightings, the laptop variant is reported to debut on June 24th in China, with other regions likely to follow shortly thereafter.

As GPU availability improves, the RTX 5050 should see better accessibility post-launch. However, keep in mind that MSRP pricing is not guaranteed. If NVIDIA maintains a $249 price tag, overclocked models could reach as high as $299.

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