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 RTX 3050 6GB

2024

Why buy it

✅3.3% more average FPS across 29 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $631 less on MSRP ($169 MSRP vs $800 MSRP).
✅Delivers 542.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 63.6 vs 9.9 G3D/$ ($169 MSRP vs $800 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.

Quadro M5500

2016

Why buy it

✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 6 GB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3050 6GB across 29 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 8 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌
373.4% HIGHER MSRP
$800 MSRPvs$169 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 9.9 vs 63.6 G3D/$ ($800 MSRP vs $169 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

2024

Quadro M5500

2016

Why buy it

✅3.3% more average FPS across 29 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $631 less on MSRP ($169 MSRP vs $800 MSRP).
✅Delivers 542.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 63.6 vs 9.9 G3D/$ ($169 MSRP vs $800 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Why buy it

✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 6 GB).

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3050 6GB across 29 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 8 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌
373.4% HIGHER MSRP
$800 MSRPvs$169 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 9.9 vs 63.6 G3D/$ ($800 MSRP vs $169 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3050 6GB better than Quadro M5500?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is clearly the better overall GPU here. GeForce RTX 3050 6GB averages 3.3% more FPS across 29 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 10,749 vs 7,915 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is a 2024 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while Quadro M5500 is a 2016 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?

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2024 generation instead of 2016, 35.8% more raw performance headroom, better upscaling support with DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, and a 8nm process instead of 28nm. That broader feature stack should age better as more games lean on modern upscaling and frame-generation support.

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

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is about $631 cheaper on MSRP at $169 MSRP versus $800 MSRP, and you are getting 3.3% more estimated average FPS across 29 tracked games in our benchmark data and 35.8% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 542.9%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.

Is Quadro M5500 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. Quadro M5500 is still a strong modern gaming GPU: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It remains a good buy when you can get it meaningfully cheaper than the alternative around $800 MSRP, even if GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is still the cleaner recommendation on overall value today.

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 RTX 3050 6GB Benchmark Check

Quadro M5500 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB	Quadro M5500
1080p
low	109 FPS	108 FPS
medium	92 FPS	91 FPS
high	77 FPS	78 FPS
ultra	45 FPS	52 FPS
1440p
low	95 FPS	92 FPS
medium	81 FPS	77 FPS
high	59 FPS	59 FPS
ultra	34 FPS	38 FPS
4K
low	30 FPS	36 FPS
medium	28 FPS	33 FPS
high	19 FPS	21 FPS
ultra	16 FPS	18 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Open Quadro M5500

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB	Quadro M5500
1080p
low	174 FPS	229 FPS
medium	149 FPS	198 FPS
high	118 FPS	151 FPS
ultra	87 FPS	120 FPS
1440p
low	129 FPS	170 FPS
medium	106 FPS	144 FPS
high	83 FPS	116 FPS
ultra	62 FPS	91 FPS
4K
low	74 FPS	98 FPS
medium	62 FPS	82 FPS
high	48 FPS	69 FPS
ultra	34 FPS	52 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Open Quadro M5500

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB	Quadro M5500
1080p
low	484 FPS	356 FPS
medium	387 FPS	285 FPS
high	322 FPS	237 FPS
ultra	242 FPS	178 FPS
1440p
low	363 FPS	267 FPS
medium	290 FPS	214 FPS
high	242 FPS	178 FPS
ultra	181 FPS	134 FPS
4K
low	242 FPS	178 FPS
medium	193 FPS	142 FPS
high	161 FPS	119 FPS
ultra	121 FPS	89 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Open Quadro M5500

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB	Quadro M5500
1080p
low	243 FPS	234 FPS
medium	210 FPS	202 FPS
high	171 FPS	164 FPS
ultra	144 FPS	140 FPS
1440p
low	185 FPS	183 FPS
medium	166 FPS	159 FPS
high	131 FPS	125 FPS
ultra	109 FPS	104 FPS
4K
low	104 FPS	100 FPS
medium	87 FPS	80 FPS
high	69 FPS	63 FPS
ultra	55 FPS	50 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Open Quadro M5500

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3050 6GB and Quadro M5500

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in February 2 2024. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1042 MHz to 1470 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 70W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 18 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 10,749 points. Launch price was $179.

Quadro M5500

The Quadro M5500 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in April 8 2016. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1140 MHz to 1165 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 7,915 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB scores 10,749 versus the Quadro M5500's 7,915 — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB leads by 35.8%. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is built on Ampere while the Quadro M5500 uses Maxwell 2.0, both on 8 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 2,304 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 2,048 (Quadro M5500). Raw compute: 6.774 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 4.772 TFLOPS (Quadro M5500). Boost clocks: 1470 MHz vs 1165 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB	Quadro M5500
G3D Mark Score	10,749+36%	7,915
Architecture	Ampere	Maxwell 2.0
Process Node	8 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	2304+13%	2048
Compute (TFLOPS)	6.774 TFLOPS+42%	4.772 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1470 MHz+26%	1165 MHz
ROPs	32	64+100%
TMUs	72	128+78%
L1 Cache	2.3 MB+207%	0.75 MB
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Quadro M5500 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB	Quadro M5500
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 2 Super Resolution	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	Standard

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB comes with 6 GB of VRAM, while the Quadro M5500 has 8 GB. The Quadro M5500 offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 96-bit vs 256-bit.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB	Quadro M5500
VRAM Capacity	6 GB	8 GB+33%
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6
Bus Width	96-bit	256-bit+167%
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 12 (12_1) (Quadro M5500). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB	Quadro M5500
DirectX	12 Ultimate	12 (12_1)
Vulkan	1.3+8%	1.2
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (5th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs NVENC (Maxwell) (Quadro M5500). Decoder: NVDEC (7th Gen) vs NVDEC (Maxwell). Supported codecs: H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode Only) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs H.264,H.265,VP9,MPEG-2,VC-1 (Quadro M5500).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB	Quadro M5500
Encoder	NVENC (5th Gen)	NVENC (Maxwell)
Decoder	NVDEC (7th Gen)	NVDEC (Maxwell)
Codecs	H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode Only)	H.264,H.265,VP9,MPEG-2,VC-1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB draws 70W versus the Quadro M5500's 150W — a 72.7% difference. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 350W (Quadro M5500). Power connectors: None vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 160mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 85.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB	Quadro M5500
TDP	70W-53%	150W
Recommended PSU	300W-14%	350W
Power Connector	None	PCIe-powered
Length	160mm	0mm
Height	—	0mm
Slots	2	0-100%
Temp (Load)	75°C-12%	85
Perf/Watt	153.6+191%	52.8

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB launched at $169 MSRP, while the Quadro M5500 launched at $800. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB costs 78.9% less ($631 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 63.6 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 9.9 (Quadro M5500) — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB offers 542.4% better value. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is the newer GPU (2024 vs 2016).