'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYH/8QAFAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAv/aAAwDAQACEAMQAAAAsN5Ef//EAB4QAAEDBQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECAwQABQcUIRIy/9oACAEBAAE/AMpxbi5k/ajM21cSNrBSXi6HFEdPzXgnvK//xAAXEQADAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIh/9oACAECAQE/AHbrGf/EABcRAAMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAiH/2gAIAQMBAT8AUTOpH//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The Nvidia RTX 4050 gaming laptops have been some of the most popular among budget players this generation for their affordable price point and capable performance point. The GPU is designed for 1080p gaming with decent framerates in the latest and most demanding titles, which adds to its appeal. It's no wonder that the chip ranks among the top most popular graphics cards in the Steam Hardware Survey charts.
In this article, we analyze the mobile gaming GPU to try and answer whether buying laptops with it is a good decision in 2025. This primarily comes in the backdrop of the launch of RTX 50 series alternatives, which offer better performance.
Note: This article is subjective and reflects the writer's opinions.
Should you consider buying RTX 4050 gaming laptops anymore?
RTX 40 series GPUs are finally the last generation. The cards have been replaced by the 50 series alternate at CES, although not all of the SKUs are out yet. For now, a 5050 GPU hasn't been launched; however, it could be announced in a few months.
Trending
Specs comparison
In terms of hardware specs, the RTX 4050 is a severely cut-down offer. It is powered by the AD107 graphics chip, also found in the RTX 4060 desktop GPU. However, the CUDA core count has been significantly reduced to match the power budget and price point.
Moreover, you just get 80 Tensor cores and 20 RT cores, which often translates to poor ray tracing and upscaling performance.
The detailed specs list of the 4050 laptop GPU is as follows:
Read more: Nvidia RTX 4060 laptop vs RTX 4050 laptop
Performance comparison
Given the specs list, we are not expecting the GPU to deliver the best framerates even at FHD. Let's evaluate that by looking at the kind of framerates the 4050 can push out in the latest video games. .
Here are the RTX 4050's performance details in some of the latest video games. The GPU was only tested at 1080p resolutions at the highest settings. We sourced the numbers from the YouTube channel PC Support & Gaming Test.
RTX 4050 gaming laptops in 2025: Final verdict
The 4050 is quite capable in the latest and most demanding titles, as it can pump out playable framerates with some tweaks to the settings. In some more demanding titles, like Alan Wake 2 and The Last of Us Part I, you'll have to rely on the Medium settings to get the kind of framerates listed above. However, at entry-level, it is more about getting a playable experience than chasing the best visuals.
Do note the above numbers are without DLSS, so you could get even better framerates in titles that support the upscaling tech. The 4050 also has Frame Generation, which massively improves performance in supported titles.
Overall, we recommend buying the RTX 4050 in early 2025. It isn't clear when Nvidia plans to launch the next-generation, 5050, yet. Even the 5060 hasn't launched yet. Moreover, multiple 4050 laptop variants have been discounted lately, making them a decent buy at entry-level.
