Early last month came the first GPU data that should rule the low end of graphics cards, RTX 3050, who has seen how much more data has leaked of its setup and could be the new queen of the midrange. Because? Well, because we already know with today’s filtration where each of the proposals of the three major global GPU companies will settle for this market. Are we facing the winner?
It is surprising how the events are suggested. Many will think this is a coincidence, but nothing is further from the truth, since these are very specific moves that companies are making with unofficial media like the leakers and that this Christmas will give a lot to say. The first was the RX 6500 XT, today the ARC A380 from Intel and now more data is leaking from the RTX 3050, so comparatively we can already get a sense of what to expect.
NVIDIA RTX 3050, a surprise
Update:
GA106-150-Kx-A1
RTX 3050
8G GD6– kopite7kimi (@ kopite7kimi) December 2, 2021
And it is that it is perhaps the best adjective that we can make to this card about which we know very little for the moment. We are of course talking about the non-Ti version, to be dried, which shows that it is the entry-level range from Ampère and therefore the smallest of the entire RTX 30 series.
What exactly was disclosed? As usually happens on these occasions, information has evolved over time and updated, so you have to go back to what you already knew to put it into perspective.
The RTX 3050 will feature a chip GA106-150-Kx-A1 which differs from the Ti version by this Kx, something we still don’t know what that will mean in particular or if it’s just an abbreviation to tell them apart. In all cases, the configuration of the Shaders must be lower than the 3072 in FP32 which specifies the upper model, we can see some 2560 Shadings (pure speculation on our part) and we explain ourselves.
The RTX 3050 Ti version would arrive with these 3072 Shaders and in a 6 GB or 12 GB configuration, which will surely be the latter, since the RTX 3050 is confirmed with 8 GB. What does that mean in the beginning? Well we have either 64 bit bus or 128 bit.
Memory configuration
Intel Arc A380 graphics card
2.45 GHz 6 GB-APISAK (@TUM_APISAK) December 2, 2021
Sus rivales tendrán 64 bits y 96 bits respectivamente, así que nada hace think that NVIDIA is going to acudir a los 128 bits salvo, y aquí entramos en lo especulativo una vez más, de que los supuestos 2560 Shaders y su frecuencia no sean suficiente para quedar in front. These Shaders would involve 20 SM and so we are talking about 2 or 4 VRAM controllers divided into groups of 10 SM or 5 SM according to the configuration of each IMC.
Of course the option of 4 controllers and 128 bits would be the one that would give the best performance, but then if the leaks are true the RTX 3050 Ti should have 192 bits like the RTX 3060, which is doable since they share a flat chip. -form (GA106). Assuming we are talking about 128 bits (for scalability it’s probable, for performance it’s ideal) this would mean that the Intel ARC A380 is a threat (the supposed performance of a GTX 1650) with only 1024 Shaders at 2.45 GHz (the drivers would still be green) and the RX 6500 XT with the same configuration it squeezes cute.
Where it looks like NVIDIA will be ahead is in VRAM and won’t make the mistake of yesteryear with the original RTX 30 line. 8GB of VRAM is a lot for the low end and at the price of GDDR6 it will be hard to see a really low MSRP from this RTX 3050. Huang’s kick? Will we see a more competitive 4GB version in terms of price? Patience.
