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The Geforce RTX 3050 is the lowest-end graphics card in the RTX 30 series lineup. The GPU has been built for 1080p gaming with compromises. However, it is much faster than its last-gen equivalent, the GTX 1650 Super. At $300, this makes the graphics card a lucrative option for several budget gamers.
However, with several similarly priced and cheaper options from competitors like AMD and Intel, gamers' main question is whether they should consider the RTX 3050 for gaming purposes.
While the entry-level 1080p gaming card from Nvidia is selling in heaps, many gamers do not consider certain factors before finalizing where to spend $300 of their money.
There are many other powerful graphics cards that cost way less than the RTX 3050
The RTX 3050 is quite a capable video card on paper. It is based on the GA106 graphics processor and comes with 2.560 CUDA cores, 80 Texture Mapping Units (TMUs), and 32 Render Output Units (ROPs). It also comes with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory based on a narrow 128-bit bus.
The RTX 3050 has been built for entry-level 1080p gaming. It is not significantly faster than its last-gen equivalent, the GTX 1650 Super. The main highlight of the new -50 class GPU is support for modern features like ray tracing and Nvidia DLSS.
Although the GPU sounds good so far, it is worth noting that there are several more powerful graphics cards from the competition that cost way less. While the RTX 3050 is priced at $300, the RX 6600 will set gamers back by $215.99.
Moreover, the RX 6600 was built for 1080p gaming in the highest settings possible. It is way faster than the 3050.
AMD launched the RX 6600 XT for no-compromises 1080p gaming. Gamers can expect to maximize their in-game settings without any drop in framerates.
Currently, the RX 6600 XT can be bought for an eye-watering $230 on Newegg, making it a way better choice than the 3050.
The RX 6650 XT is a slightly faster and overclocked version of the 6600 XT. This graphics card is the best-in-class 1080p gaming option from AMD. It is around $20 cheaper than the 3050.
Users can expect way better performance from this GPU. It can also play games at 1440p.
Intel's Arc A750 trades blows with the RTX 3060 in 1080p gaming performance. Although this GPU has its fair share of problems, it is much faster than the 3050 while costing $10 less, making it an option worth considering.
Conclusion
On the higher end, Nvidia graphics cards have come down in price. Some high-end cards like the RTX 3080 Ti are now worth considering over the competition. However, the prices of entry-level cards like the RTX 3050 and the RTX 3060 are still too high to qualify as budget-friendly.
Amid this situation, both AMD and Intel are introducing cards at a more affordable price point to please as many budget gamers as possible.
Thus, gamers should consider the far superior cards from Team Red and Team Blue while building a sub-$1000 gaming PC. Pricing kills Nvidia from being a recommendation.
