Nvidia RTX 3050 6 GB vs RTX 3050 8 GB: Which is the better gaming GPU?

Now that the card is available in two variants, the Nvidia RTX 3050 6 GB vs RTX 3050 8 GB becomes a hot debate. The two GPUs are wildly different despite sharing the same 50-class moniker. Unlike other Nvidia offerings like the 4060 Ti 8 and 16 GB variants, the difference isn't just in memory capacities. The cards also have wide differences in core counts and operating clock speeds, adding to a significant performance gap in the latest titles.

This article will go through the RTX 3050 6 GB vs RTX 3050 8 GB comparison to give a clear idea of what you get with either card.

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Nvidia RTX 3050 6 GB vs RTX 3050 8 GB: Which is the better for entry-level 1080p gaming?

Multiple RTX 3050 graphics cards are available in the market (Image via Nvidia)

The Nvidia RTX 3050 6 GB and 8 GB cards vary widely in terms of on-paper specs. Let's review them before checking out the performance differences between the two.

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RTX 3050 6 GB vs RTX 3050 8 GB: Specifications comparison

For starters, the 3050 8 GB and 6 GB cards are based on two different GPUs. While the former uses the same GA106 as the RTX 3060, the newer 3050 6 GB is based on the smaller GA107 that was previously used by the 3050 laptop graphics processors. This is mainly a cost-cutting measure to help bring the card down to the $179 target MSRP.

Besides, the newer 6 GB card's core count has been cut by 10%. You get 2,304 CUDA cores, 18 RT cores, and 72 Tensor cores. The memory bus width has decreased from 128 to 96 bit on the newer GPU besides a capacity reduction from 8 GB to 6 GB.

Below is a detailed side-by-side specification comparison of the two video cards:

	Nvidia RTX 3050 6 GB	Nvidia RTX 3050 8 GB
Graphics processor	GA107	GA106
CUDA cores	2,304	2,560
RT cores	18	20
Tensor cores	72	80
Memory capacity	6 GB	8 GB
Memory type	96-bit GDDR6	128-bit GDDR6
L2 cache	2 MB	2 MB
TDP	70W	130W
Price	$179	$229

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RTX 3050 6 GB vs RTX 3050 8 GB: Performance comparison

The RTX 3050 supports ray tracing and DLSS for gaming (Image via Nvidia)

Given the massive specs cuts, it's only natural that the newer RTX 3050 6 GB will be significantly slower than the older variant across every modern video game. Theoretical estimates suggest the 8 GB option is as much as 34% faster than the 2024 variant. However, actual differences in video games vary.

Below is a list of performance marks secured by the video cards in some of the latest video games. The numbers have been sourced from the Testing Games YouTube channel.

	Nvidia RTX 3050 6 GB	Nvidia RTX 3050 8 GB
Starfield	38 FPS	47 FPS (+23.6%)
Cyberpunk 2077	39 FPS	50 FPS (+23.2%)
Forza Horizon 5	57 FPS	67 FPS (+17.5%)
Alan Wake 2	31 FPS	39 FPS (+25.8%)
Red Dead Redemption 2	44 FPS	55 FPS (+25%)
Avatar Frontiers of Pandora	47 FPS	59 FPS (+25.5%)
Hogwarts Legacy	44 FPS	55 FPS (+25.5%)
Horizon Forbidden West	43 FPS	52 FPS (+20.9%)

At the end of the RTX 3050 6 GB vs RTX 3050 8 GB comparison, we find video cards can comfortably handle the latest titles at 1080p with some compromises to the settings. However, the costlier variant has a significant advantage over the newer option.

It is 20%-25% in most titles and gets quite close to 60 FPS in some games. This makes the 8 GB card a more future-proof option as well. Thus, if you plan on using your gaming rig for a couple of years, we recommend spending $50 more and getting the RTX 3050 8 GB card. With extra graphics horsepower and video memory, it will last you for some time.