GeForce GTX 1050 3GB vs M1 8-Core GPU

CPU

GPU

GeForce GTX 1050 3GB

2018Core: 1392 MHzBoost: 1518 MHz

Popular choices:

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M1 8-Core GPU

2020Core: 1278 MHz

Popular choices:

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Performance Spectrum - GPU

GeForce GTX 1050 3GB

3 GB 75

5,116

+2.3%

GeForce MX350

GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST

GeForce GTX 570

GeForce MX550

GeForce GTX 780 Ti

GeForce RTX 2070 Super with Max-Q Design

GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Laptop GPU

RTX 4000 Ada Generation Laptop GPU

M1 8-Core GPU

2 GB 30

5,000

0.0%

About G3D Mark

G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, raw graphics performance, VRAM, feature set, power efficiency, pricing context, and long-term value so you can see which GPU actually makes more sense.

GeForce GTX 1050 3GB

2018

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 39.7 vs 0 G3D/$ ($129 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (3 GB vs 2 GB).

Trade-offs

❌Poor future-proofing: 2018-era hardware with 3 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌150% higher power demand at 75W vs 30W.

M1 8-Core GPU

2020

Why buy it

✅More future proof: Unknown architecture on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Draws 30W instead of 75W, a 45W reduction.
✅More future proof: Unknown architecture on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 3 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 39.7 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $129 MSRP).

GeForce GTX 1050 3GB

2018

M1 8-Core GPU

2020

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 39.7 vs 0 G3D/$ ($129 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (3 GB vs 2 GB).

Why buy it

✅More future proof: Unknown architecture on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Draws 30W instead of 75W, a 45W reduction.
✅More future proof: Unknown architecture on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Poor future-proofing: 2018-era hardware with 3 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌150% higher power demand at 75W vs 30W.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 3 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 39.7 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $129 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce GTX 1050 3GB better than M1 8-Core GPU?

Yes. GeForce GTX 1050 3GB is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 5,116 vs 5,000 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce GTX 1050 3GB is a 2018 card with no meaningful modern upscaling stack, while M1 8-Core GPU is a 2020 model from an older generation with no meaningful modern upscaling stack. So this is not really a tight same-tier comparison. It is more a modern card against an older, weaker alternative.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

M1 8-Core GPU is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2020 generation instead of 2018 and a 5nm process instead of 14nm. That makes it the safer long-run choice for modern games.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?

GeForce GTX 1050 3GB can still make sense if you find it at the right price, especially around $129 MSRP. GeForce GTX 1050 3GB is still the smarter buy for most people, though, because the raw performance is close while the overall package is cleaner. GeForce GTX 1050 3GB is priced in an unclear MSRP range at $129 MSRP versus an unclear MSRP, and you are getting 2.3% higher G3D Mark. M1 8-Core GPU is the newer 2020 card, so it still has a real case if you care more about newer architecture, lower power draw (30W vs 75W), and future-proofing than about squeezing out the strongest gaming value today.

When does M1 8-Core GPU make more sense than GeForce GTX 1050 3GB?

Yes. M1 8-Core GPU is still an excellent gaming GPU in 2026: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It makes more sense if your priority is newer architecture, lower power draw (30W vs 75W), future-proofing, and staying closer to an unclear MSRP more than squeezing out the extra headroom of GeForce GTX 1050 3GB. The trade-off is that GeForce GTX 1050 3GB currently gives you 2.3% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 100+%.

Games Benchmarks

Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 9800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.

Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.

GeForce GTX 1050 3GB Benchmark Check

M1 8-Core GPU Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1050 3GB	M1 8-Core GPU
1080p
low	43 FPS	91 FPS
medium	28 FPS	81 FPS
high	21 FPS	56 FPS
ultra	14 FPS	44 FPS
1440p
low	30 FPS	74 FPS
medium	19 FPS	63 FPS
high	11 FPS	42 FPS
ultra	8 FPS	33 FPS
4K
low	15 FPS	35 FPS
medium	10 FPS	33 FPS
high	6 FPS	20 FPS
ultra	4 FPS	18 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1050 3GB Open M1 8-Core GPU

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1050 3GB	M1 8-Core GPU
1080p
low	78 FPS	123 FPS
medium	48 FPS	92 FPS
high	36 FPS	66 FPS
ultra	22 FPS	43 FPS
1440p
low	33 FPS	83 FPS
medium	23 FPS	56 FPS
high	15 FPS	41 FPS
ultra	11 FPS	29 FPS
4K
low	10 FPS	37 FPS
medium	7 FPS	27 FPS
high	6 FPS	21 FPS
ultra	4 FPS	15 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1050 3GB Open M1 8-Core GPU

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 1050 3GB	M1 8-Core GPU
1080p
low	230 FPS	225 FPS
medium	184 FPS	180 FPS
high	153 FPS	150 FPS
ultra	115 FPS	112 FPS
1440p
low	173 FPS	169 FPS
medium	138 FPS	135 FPS
high	115 FPS	112 FPS
ultra	86 FPS	84 FPS
4K
low	115 FPS	112 FPS
medium	92 FPS	90 FPS
high	77 FPS	75 FPS
ultra	50 FPS	56 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1050 3GB Open M1 8-Core GPU

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 1050 3GB	M1 8-Core GPU
1080p
low	230 FPS	184 FPS
medium	175 FPS	139 FPS
high	153 FPS	125 FPS
ultra	115 FPS	102 FPS
1440p
low	173 FPS	147 FPS
medium	136 FPS	109 FPS
high	115 FPS	89 FPS
ultra	86 FPS	72 FPS
4K
low	95 FPS	78 FPS
medium	71 FPS	58 FPS
high	62 FPS	51 FPS
ultra	47 FPS	40 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1050 3GB Open M1 8-Core GPU

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1050 3GB and M1 8-Core GPU

GeForce GTX 1050 3GB

The GeForce GTX 1050 3GB is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 21 2018. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1392 MHz to 1518 MHz. It has 768 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,116 points.

M1 8-Core GPU

The M1 8-Core GPU is manufactured by Apple. It was released in November 10 2020. The core clock speed is 1278 MHz. It has 8 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 30W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,000 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 1050 3GB scores 5,116 and the M1 8-Core GPU reaches 5,000 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.3% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. Shader units: 768 (GeForce GTX 1050 3GB) vs 8 (M1 8-Core GPU).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1050 3GB	M1 8-Core GPU
G3D Mark Score	5,116+2%	5,000
Process Node	14 nm	5 nm
Shading Units	768+9500%	8

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 1050 3GB gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The M1 8-Core GPU relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1050 3GB	M1 8-Core GPU
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	Standard

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 1050 3GB comes with 3 GB of VRAM, while the M1 8-Core GPU has 2 GB. The GeForce GTX 1050 3GB offers 50% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 84 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1050 3GB) vs 68 GB/s (M1 8-Core GPU) — a 23.5% advantage for the GeForce GTX 1050 3GB. Bus width: 96-bit vs Unified.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1050 3GB	M1 8-Core GPU
VRAM Capacity	3 GB+50%	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	Shared
Memory Bandwidth	84 GB/s+24%	68 GB/s
Bus Width	96-bit	Unified

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (12_1) (GeForce GTX 1050 3GB) vs N/A (M1 8-Core GPU). OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.1 (Rosetta 2). Maximum simultaneous displays: 3 vs 2.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1050 3GB	M1 8-Core GPU
DirectX	12 (12_1)	N/A
OpenGL	4.6+12%	4.1 (Rosetta 2)
Max Displays	3+50%	2

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 6.0 (GeForce GTX 1050 3GB) vs Apple M1 Video Encoder (M1 8-Core GPU). Decoder: NVDEC 3.0 vs Apple M1 Video Decoder. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265,VP9 (GeForce GTX 1050 3GB) vs H.264,HEVC,ProRes,ProRes RAW (M1 8-Core GPU).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1050 3GB	M1 8-Core GPU
Encoder	NVENC 6.0	Apple M1 Video Encoder
Decoder	NVDEC 3.0	Apple M1 Video Decoder
Codecs	H.264,H.265,VP9	H.264,HEVC,ProRes,ProRes RAW

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1050 3GB draws 75W versus the M1 8-Core GPU's 30W — a 85.7% difference. The M1 8-Core GPU is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (GeForce GTX 1050 3GB) vs 350W (M1 8-Core GPU). Power connectors: None vs PCIe-powered.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1050 3GB	M1 8-Core GPU
TDP	75W	30W-60%
Recommended PSU	300W-14%	350W
Power Connector	None	PCIe-powered
Length	145mm	—
Height	111mm	—
Slots	2	0-100%
Temp (Load)	65	—
Perf/Watt	68.2	166.7+144%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 1050 3GB launched at $129 MSRP, while the M1 8-Core GPU launched at $0. The M1 8-Core GPU costs 100+% less ($129 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 39.7 (GeForce GTX 1050 3GB) vs Infinity (M1 8-Core GPU) — the M1 8-Core GPU offers Infinity% better value. The M1 8-Core GPU is the newer GPU (2020 vs 2018).