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GeForce GTX 1050 3GB vs M1 8-Core GPU

CPUCPUGPUGPU
NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1050 3GB

2018Core: 1392 MHzBoost: 1518 MHz
GTX family
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VS

M1 8-Core GPU

2020Core: 1278 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce GTX 1050 3GB vs M1 8-Core GPU Performance Spectrum

GeForce GTX 1050 3GB
3 GB 75
5,116
+2.3%
brand logoGeForce MX350
brand logoGeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST
brand logoGeForce GTX 570
brand logoGeForce MX550
brand logoGeForce GTX 780 Ti
brand logoGeForce RTX 2070 Super with Max-Q Design
brand logoGeForce RTX 3070 Ti Laptop GPU
brand logoRTX 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.

GeForce GTX 1050 3GB vs M1 8-Core GPU: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

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

  • ❌2018 hardware with 3 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
  • ❌150% higher power demand at 75W vs 30W.

M1 8-Core GPU

2020

Why buy it

  • ✅Better long-term bet: Unknown architecture on 5nm gives it a newer hardware base 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).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce GTX 1050 3GB is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 2.3% in PassMark G3D (5,116 vs 5,000), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
M1 8-Core GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 5nm process instead of 14nm and a newer 2020 generation instead of 2018. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce GTX 1050 3GB makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce GTX 1050 3GB is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, M1 8-Core GPU has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 1050 3GB vs M1 8-Core GPU Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

NVIDIA

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).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1050 3GBM1 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 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The M1 8-Core GPU leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1050 3GBM1 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 has 3 GB of VRAM, while the M1 8-Core GPU carries 2 GB. GeForce GTX 1050 3GB gives you 50% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. 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. Memory bus width is 96-bit on the GeForce GTX 1050 3GB and Unified on the M1 8-Core GPU.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1050 3GBM1 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.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1050 3GBM1 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).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1050 3GBM1 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.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1050 3GBM1 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

At launch, the GeForce GTX 1050 3GB came in at $129, while the M1 8-Core GPU launched at $0. On MSRP, M1 8-Core GPU was 100+% cheaper ($129 less). 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 newer card here is M1 8-Core GPU (2020 vs 2018).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1050 3GBM1 8-Core GPU
MSRP
$129
$0-100%
Performance per Dollar
39.7
Infinity
Codename
GP107
—
Release
May 21 2018
November 10 2020
Ranking
#440
#428
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