GeForce RTX 3050 4GB Laptop GPU vs Radeon RX 590

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3050 4GB Laptop GPU

2022Core: 1545 MHzBoost: 1740 MHz
RTX family
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VS
AMD

Radeon RX 590

2018Core: 1469 MHzBoost: 1545 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce RTX 3050 4GB Laptop GPU vs Radeon RX 590 Performance Spectrum

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 RTX 3050 4GB Laptop GPU vs Radeon RX 590 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

GeForce RTX 3050 4GB Laptop GPU vs Radeon RX 590: 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 RTX 3050 4GB Laptop GPU

2022

Why buy it

  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • Better long-term bet: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
  • Draws 90W instead of 175W, a 85W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than Radeon RX 590 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation (2023).
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 33.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $279 MSRP).

Radeon RX 590

2018

Why buy it

  • 28.2% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 33.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($279 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation (2023).
  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 4 GB).

Trade-offs

  • No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
  • Older hardware, 8 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in newer AAA releases.
  • 94.4% higher power demand at 175W vs 90W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Radeon RX 590 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 28.2% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward GeForce RTX 3050 4GB Laptop GPU instead at 9,489 vs 9,315, so for this question the real-game FPS result matters more than the synthetic split.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 3050 4GB Laptop GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 8nm process instead of 12nm, 16 vs 0 ray-tracing units, and a newer 2022 generation instead of 2018. That gives it the more rounded hardware package for newer games.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
Radeon RX 590 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, Radeon RX 590 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce RTX 3050 4GB Laptop GPU has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce RTX 3050 4GB Laptop GPU vs Radeon RX 590 Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3050 4GB Laptop GPU

The GeForce RTX 3050 4GB Laptop GPU is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 27 2022. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1545 MHz to 1740 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 90W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 16 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 9,489 points. Launch price was $199.

AMD

Radeon RX 590

The Radeon RX 590 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 15 2018. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1469 MHz to 1545 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 175W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 9,315 points. Launch price was $279.

Graphics Performance

The GeForce RTX 3050 4GB Laptop GPU scores 9,489 and the Radeon RX 590 reaches 9,315 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce RTX 3050 4GB Laptop GPU is built on Ampere while the Radeon RX 590 uses GCN 4.0, both on 8 nm vs 12 nm. Shader units: 2,048 (GeForce RTX 3050 4GB Laptop GPU) vs 2,304 (Radeon RX 590). Raw compute: 7.127 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3050 4GB Laptop GPU) vs 7.119 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 590). Boost clocks: 1740 MHz vs 1545 MHz.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 4GB Laptop GPURadeon RX 590
G3D Mark Score
9,489+2%
9,315
Architecture
Ampere
GCN 4.0
Process Node
8 nm
12 nm
Shading Units
2048
2304+13%
Compute (TFLOPS)
7.127 TFLOPS
7.119 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
1740 MHz+13%
1545 MHz
ROPs
32
32
TMUs
64
144+125%
L1 Cache
2 MB+257%
0.56 MB
L2 Cache
2 MB
2 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The clearest feature edge for the Radeon RX 590 is support for FSR Frame Generation. In games that support it, that can smooth out motion and lift perceived FPS. The GeForce RTX 3050 4GB Laptop GPU does not have comparable native support in the same tier.The GeForce RTX 3050 4GB Laptop GPU gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon RX 590 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 4GB Laptop GPURadeon RX 590
Upscaling Tech
DLSS 2 Super Resolution
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation
Not Supported
FSR Frame Generation
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
AMD Anti-Lag
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 3050 4GB Laptop GPU has 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon RX 590 carries 8 GB. Radeon RX 590 gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 192 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3050 4GB Laptop GPU) vs 256 GB/s (Radeon RX 590) — a 33.3% advantage for the Radeon RX 590. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the GeForce RTX 3050 4GB Laptop GPU and 256-bit on the Radeon RX 590.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 4GB Laptop GPURadeon RX 590
VRAM Capacity
4 GB
8 GB+100%
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
192 GB/s
256 GB/s+33%
Bus Width
128-bit
256-bit+100%
L2 Cache
2 MB
2 MB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3050 4GB Laptop GPU) vs 12.0 (Radeon RX 590). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 4GB Laptop GPURadeon RX 590
DirectX
12 Ultimate
12.0
Vulkan
1.3+8%
1.2
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (7th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3050 4GB Laptop GPU) vs VCE 3.4 (Radeon RX 590). Decoder: NVDEC (5th Gen) vs UVD 6.3. Supported codecs: H.264,HEVC,AV1,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3050 4GB Laptop GPU) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (Radeon RX 590).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 4GB Laptop GPURadeon RX 590
Encoder
NVENC (7th Gen)
VCE 3.4
Decoder
NVDEC (5th Gen)
UVD 6.3
Codecs
H.264,HEVC,AV1,VP9
MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3050 4GB Laptop GPU draws 90W versus the Radeon RX 590's 175W — a 64.2% difference. The GeForce RTX 3050 4GB Laptop GPU is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce RTX 3050 4GB Laptop GPU) vs 500W (Radeon RX 590). Power connectors: Mobile vs 8-pin. Typical load temperature: 85°C vs 80°C.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 4GB Laptop GPURadeon RX 590
TDP
90W-49%
175W
Recommended PSU
500W
500W
Power Connector
Mobile
8-pin
Length
241mm
Height
111mm
Slots
0-100%
2
Temp (Load)
85°C
80°C-6%
Perf/Watt
105.4+98%
53.2
💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3050 4GB Laptop GPU (2022 vs 2018).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 4GB Laptop GPURadeon RX 590
MSRP
$279
Codename
GA107
Polaris 30
Release
January 27 2022
November 15 2018
Ranking
#276
#285

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