Rumors suggest that a more affordable variant of the RTX 3050 graphics card is in the works, notable for its less memory compared to the current 8GB model. The specific rationale for this change remains unclear, but noteworthy is NVIDIA’s reported discontinuation of the 8GB version, with an expectation for board partners to transition exclusively to the 6GB iteration.
The anticipated cost of the RTX 3050 6GB model is projected to be lower than its 8GB counterpart, with reports from Benchlife media, closely connected to Taiwanese NVIDIA board partners, suggesting a pricing range of $179 to $189. Additionally, there are ongoing discussions regarding potential rumors surrounding a new RTX 40 card. Notably, NVIDIA has yet to unveil the RTX 4050 for its desktop lineup.
While the present cost of the RTX 3050 8GB hovers around $200-$220, this pricing is notably competitive, particularly when compared to AMD’s Radeon RX 6600 series and Intel’s Arc A750 models. The decision by NVIDIA to introduce a new 6GB memory model instead of positioning the existing 8GB variant at a more competitive price remains unclear.
The speculated specifications for the purported RTX 3050 version indicate a potential GA107-325 GPU with 2048 CUDA cores. The 6GB memory is expected to be connected via a 96-bit memory bus, accompanied by a notably lower TGP of 70W. Initial reports pointed to a January 2024 release, a detail corroborated by Benchlife.
The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is expected to be released in January 2024. However, the selling price of the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB may range from $179 to $189. As a result, there are speculations suggesting that NVIDIA might introduce a new graphics card in the GeForce RTX 40 series, positioned between the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB and the GeForce RTX 4060 8GB, catering to consumers in different price ranges.
— Benchlife
Via Benchlife