Nvidia’s RTX 5050 GPU starts at $249 with last-gen GDDR6 VRAM

Nvidia has announced GeForce RTX 5050 GPUs for both desktops and laptops with support for ray tracing and DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation.

On the desktop side, the RTX 5050 will start at $249, draw up to 130W of power, and feature 8GB of last-gen GDDR6 video memory (VRAM) and 2,560 Blackwell CUDA cores. The cards will be made by third-party partners like Asus, Gigabyte, MSI, Zotac, and others, with expected shipments in the second half of July. Nvidia’s Game Ready Drivers are expected to receive an update for compatibility with the new cards in early July.

The RTX 5050 laptop GPU will draw 35W to 100W of power and use 8GB of GDDR7 VRAM and 2,560 Blackwell CUDA cores. Laptops running a 5050 GPU are expected to start at $999, with availability of some models beginning today. Early models launching before Nvidia’s Game Ready Drivers are released will have drivers for the 5050 GPU pre-installed. GDDR7 VRAM is more power efficient than GDDR6, allowing the laptop version of the 5050 to fit into slimmer notebooks without getting quite as hot.

The choice to go with GDDR6 on the desktop cards feels like an odd one, even though it should outperform the laptop version with GDDR7. The desktop RTX 5050 matches the RTX 5060 with 8GB of VRAM, but being GDDR6 and having 1,280 fewer CUDA cores ensures it should have a noticeable gap in performance with the card directly above it.

Nvidia is claiming the 5050 will be able to deliver “an immersive ray-traced experience with high settings in single-player games such as Cyberpunk 2077 and Avowed, thanks to DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation.” Its chart shows the 5050 achieving over 150 fps in that scenario with 4x MFG turned on. However, keep in mind that the fine print indicates that’s all while the GPU was paired with a $479 AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU running at 1080p resolution. In full raster, Nvidia claims the RTX 5050 is about 60 percent faster than the two-generations-old RTX 3050.

The RTX 5050 is the direct replacement of that RTX 3050, which remains one of the most popular GPUs in use on Steam. Nvidia never announced a desktop RTX 4050.

Take your gaming to the next level! The Redragon S101 RGB Backlit Gaming Keyboard is an Amazon’s Choice product that delivers incredible value. This all-in-one PC Gamer Value Kit includes a Programmable Backlit Gaming Mouse, perfect for competitive gaming or casual use.

With 46,015 ratings, an average of 4.6 out of 5 stars, and over 4K+ bought in the past month, this kit is trusted by gamers everywhere! Available now for just $39.99 on Amazon. Plus, act fast and snag an exclusive 15% off coupon – but hurry, this offer won’t last long!

Score this incredible deal now!

Help Power Techcratic’s Future – Scan To Support

If Techcratic’s content and insights have helped you, consider giving back by supporting the platform with crypto. Every contribution makes a difference, whether it’s for high-quality content, server maintenance, or future updates. Techcratic is constantly evolving, and your support helps drive that progress.

As a solo operator who wears all the hats, creating content, managing the tech, and running the site, your support allows me to stay focused on delivering valuable resources. Your support keeps everything running smoothly and enables me to continue creating the content you love. I’m deeply grateful for your support, it truly means the world to me! Thank you!