RTX 3050 6 GB expected prices, leaked specs, and more

The RTX 3050 6 GB has been tipped to be launched alongside the new wave of graphics cards early next month. The cheaper alternative to the entry-level card will bring RTX gaming to an even wider audience. The laptop alternative to the card has already received a 2023 refresh with 6 GB VRAM, and now it's time that desktop gamers get the same treatment.

Nvidia has cut down the specs of the original GPU to fit a lower price point. Some key changes include a super efficient 70W power wattage and a smaller AD107 graphics processor. Moreover, it will also feature a lower core count and clock speeds.

The card will likely fill up the demand for a super-cheap model that can game. The GTX 1650 4 GB is formally dead now, but demand for a card of its caliber continues among the budget crowd. The 3050 6 GB is being introduced to account for that gap.

Let's go over all we know about this budget GPU in this article, including possible release dates, specs, and more.

---

RTX 3050 6 GB leaked specs

The RTX 3050 6 GB is primarily a cut-down version of the original 3050 that was introduced at CES 2022. The new card will utilize the GA107 graphics processor that was also seen on a cheaper variant of the RTX 3050 and 3050 Ti mobile GPUs.

Almost every spec is being cut down to meet the target power draw of 70W. Besides a smaller 200 mm² GPU, for instance, the new card will feature 2,048 CUDA cores instead of the 2,560 cores on the original 3050.

Moreover, the GDDR6 memory onboard the card is being slashed down to a very limited 96-bit bus. This reduces the overall memory bandwidth to 168 GB/s from 224 GB/s on the 8 GB variant.

A detailed specs comparison between the two graphics cards is as follows:

	RTX 3050 6 GB	RTX 3050 8 GB
Graphics processor	Ampere GA107-325	Ampere GA106-150
Process node	Samsung 8nm	Samsung 8nm
GPU die size	200 mm² (GA107)	276mm² (GA106)
Transistor count	8.7 Billion (GA107)	13.2 Billion (GA106)
CUDA cores	2,048	2,560
Boost clock	1,470 MHz	1,777 MHz
Video memory	6 GB 96-bit	8 GB 128-bit
Memory speed	14 Gbps	14 Gbps
Memory bandwidth	168 GB/s	224 GB/s
TDP	70W	130W

---

RTX 3050 6 GB expected release window

The RTX 3050 6 GB is very close to launch. Recently, it was listed alongside the new RTX 40 Super series cards on the European Economic Commission (EEC) website. This means it has already cleared retail rights in the region.

We are expecting the graphics card to be announced at CES 2024, which has been scheduled from January 9-12. Availability could begin in the following weeks — we don't have concrete information yet. This article will be updated once Nvidia reveals the GPU.

---

Predicting RTX 3050 6 GB prices

The 3050 6 GB is targeting a super affordable price tag, to say the least. Historically, the GTX 1650 4 GB did the same — with 4 GB of GDDR5 memory and an efficient 75W power draw, the card was built for cash-strapped gamers. Back in 2019, it debuted for a jaw-dropping $149 and went on to become the most popular graphics card ever, topping the Steam Hardware Survey charts.

Accounting for inflation and the current state of technology, we can make an educated guess that the card will be priced at $199. None of this information has been confirmed by Nvidia though. It's just our speculation, so take it with your regular dosage of salt.