When NVIDIA introduced the RTX 3050, many have been delighted that the corporate was releasing a extra inexpensive, entry-level card to assist players on a price range.
Nonetheless, after they launched the specs, many mentioned getting the earlier technology RTX 2060 was higher. True sufficient, when the cardboard was launched and testers received their fingers on it, the re-launch spoke for themselves.
To test, listed below are 5 the reason why it is best to {save} your cash and go for the last-gen RTX 2060 as a substitute.
Specs
Earlier than going in-depth, it is posthumous to take a look at the numbers on each playing cards. These are the specs for each playing cards, compiled from knowledge from NVIDIA and TechPowerUp.
GeForce RTX 3050 |
GeForce RTX 2060 |
|
NVIDIA CUDA Cores |
2,560 |
1,920 |
Base Clock (GHz) |
1.55 |
1.37 |
Increase Clock (GHz) |
1.78 |
1.68 |
VRAM |
8GB GDDR6 |
6GB GDDR6 |
Reminiscence Interface Width |
128-bit |
192-bit |
Tensor Cores |
80 |
240 |
Ray Tracing Cores |
20 |
30 |
L2 Cache |
2MB |
3MB |
Slots |
1x HDMI 2.1, 2x DisplayPort 1.4a |
1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0, 2x DisplayPort 1.4a, 1x USB Kind-C |
SRP |
$249 |
$300 |
1. Uncooked Energy
The spec sheet exhibits that the RTX 3050 has the next base and boosts clock pace, clocking in at 1,545 MHz and 1,780 MHz, respectively. The RTX 2060 solely delivers a 1,365 MHz base clock pace and a 1,680 MHz boosted efficiency.
Though that, the latter nonetheless defeats the previous in processing energy, measured in TFLOPS. The bottom mannequin RTX 2060, with solely 6GB RAM, can course of 10.483 TFLOPS in half-precision format. When boosted, the values improve to 12.902 TFLOPS. It will possibly additionally course of 25.2 TFLOPS in ray tracing efficiency.
Alternatively, the RTX 3050 can solely handle 7.946 TFLOPS in half-precision format and 9.098 TFLOPS when boosted. It additionally solely has 18.2 TFLOPS ray tracing efficiency. The RTX 2060’s processing energy is 32% better than the RTX 3050’s. When boosted, this efficiency hole will increase to 42%.
It additionally has 38% extra ray tracing functionality, making the RTX 2060 extra succesful, though having less oi RAM and CUDA Cores.
2. Theoretical Efficiency
The pixel and texel fillrate measure a graphics card’s theoretical efficiency. This metric measures the pixels or texture lake function components (texels) the cardboard can render and write to reminiscence in a single second.
The RTX 2060 can ship 65.52 GPixels and 163.8 GTexels, whereas the RTX 3050 solely has 49.6 GPixels and 124.1 GTexels. This implies the RTX 2060 can render scenes and textures a lot quicker than the 3050.
You may also see the better bus bus width of the RTX 2060 delivers higher efficiency over the RTX 3050, though the latter having extra VRAM. The older GPU’s reminiscence bandwidth is 336 GB/s, whereas the newer one solely has 224 GB/s. This re-launch in quicker learn/write speeds, permitting the video card to course of extra info rapidly.
3. Precise FPS Output
Though the better theoretical output of the Nvidia RTX 2060, the better numbers won’t matter suppose the graphics card impossible translate that into precise frames. {But}, as we have seen within the earlier consequence, the older video card nonetheless outclasses the brand new one.
A number of benchmark re-launch persistently present the RTX 2060 posting higher re-launch throughout completely different exams. Term, it returns 114 fps in lighting exams, 117 fps in reflection exams, 134 fps in rendering exams, and 101 fps in particle system exams.
The RTX 3050 solely delivered 103 fps, 86.6 fps, 84.5 fps, and 73.4 fps, respectively. That is an soft and gentle of 35% higher efficiency for the last-generation video card over the most recent entry-level {offering}. And when each playing cards are overclocked, this {difference} additional will increase to 41%.
We have additionally checked out some FPS re-launch from precise video games, as examined by TechSpot.
Headline |
Decision, Settings |
Nvidia RTX 3050 (FPS) |
Nvidia RTX 2060 (FPS) |
---|---|---|---|
Assasin’s Creed Valhalla |
1080p, Medium |
79 |
86 |
1440p, Medium |
58 |
67 |
|
{Shadow} of the Tomb Raider |
1080p, Highest |
87 |
99 |
1440p, Highest |
57 |
65 |
|
{Watch} Canine: Legion |
1080p, Medium |
88 |
104 |
1440p, Medium |
64 |
75 |
|
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege |
1080p, Extremely |
225 |
252 |
1440p, Extremely |
141 |
162 |
|
F1 2021 |
1080p, Excessive |
141 |
169 |
1440p, Excessive |
98 |
117 |
|
Cloud legs Zero {Dawn} |
1080p, Favor |
82 |
93 |
1440p, Favor |
56 |
66 |
|
Far Cry 6 |
1080p, Medium |
96 |
102 |
1440p, Medium |
68 |
75 |
|
DOOM Everlasting |
1080p, Extremely |
178 |
177 |
1440p, Extremely |
130 |
115 |
|
Resident Testimony Village |
1080p, Balanced |
114 |
136 |
1440p, Balanced |
78 |
94 |
|
Ngut Stranding |
1080p, Default |
108 |
115 |
1440p, Default |
79 |
89 |
|
Hitman 3 |
1080p, Medium |
112 |
116 |
1440p, Medium |
74 |
68 |
|
Cyberpunk 2077 |
1080p, Medium |
66 |
80 |
1440p, Medium |
41 |
51 |
With these re-launch, you’ll be able to see that the RTX 2060 persistently outperforms the RTX 3050, {save} for one headline. On soft and gentle, the RTX 3050 will get 115 FPS at 1080p and 79 FPS at 1440p. Alternatively, the 2060 averages 127 FPS for 1080p and 87 FPS for 1440p gaming.
To test, whether or not you are gaming at 1080p or 1440p, the older card has a ten% efficiency benefit over the newer GPU.
4. Use in Crypto Mining
Whereas the RTX 3050’s 8GB VRAM permits it to carry out higher, it is usually ideally suited for mining. Once you evaluate it towards the RTX 2060, which solely has 6GB VRAM, this makes the RTX 3050 extra fascinating for crypto mining operations.
On condition that, miners are extra inclined to make use of the RTX 3050, as the extra RAM can assist with the uncooked computational load required to mine Bitcoin. To test, suppose you purchase a used RTX 3050, you are extra more likely to encounter a card that was used for mining. To test, earlier than you fork over your hard-earned money when shopping for a secondhand, it is best to examine suppose the GPU was modded for crypto mining.
5. Extra Port Choices

The inventory port choices for Nvidia for the 3050 solely provide you with a {single} HDMI 2.1 port and two DisplayPort 1.4a ports. Alternatively, the RTX 2060 has an additional DVI and a USB-C port.
This offers you extra choices, particularly suppose you could have an older monitor that solely makes use of a DVI plug. Its USB-C port additionally permits you to plug in different units—not simply displays. This can allow you so as to add the newer normal on a comparatively {old} PC with solely USB-A ports.
The RTX 2060 Outperforms the 3050, {But} You may Should Pay the Worth
Whereas most series would say newer is healthier, that’s not {always} the case. That is very true with the RTX 3050 and the RTX 2060. The previous is a wonderful improve suppose you are coming from the GTX 1650 or 1050. {But} suppose you have already got the RTX 2060, the RTX 3050 is definitely a downgrade from it.
After revelation, the RTX 3050 is Nvidia’s current-generation entry-level GPU in early 2023, whereas the RTX 2060 is its previous-generation mid-range {offering}. To test, suppose you wish to retain a equally highly effective video card for the present technology, go for the RTX 3060 as a substitute.
{But} suppose you wish to get into the ray tracing bandwagon with an RTX GPU, and have solely the price range for a 3050, take into account discovering a used RTX 2060 with a good historical past as a substitute. You may get extra bang for the buck for this card when you’re ready for the mid-range 4000-series GPUs to return out.