GeForce RTX 3050 6GB vs GeForce RTX 3080 Ti

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

2024Core: 1042 MHzBoost: 1470 MHz
RTX family
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VS
NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3080 Ti

2021Core: 1365 MHzBoost: 1665 MHz
RTX family
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GeForce RTX 3050 6GB vs GeForce RTX 3080 Ti 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 6GB vs GeForce RTX 3080 Ti 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 6GB vs GeForce RTX 3080 Ti: 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 6GB

2024

Why buy it

  • Costs $1,030 less on MSRP ($169 MSRP vs $1,199 MSRP).
  • Delivers 183.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 63.6 vs 22.4 G3D/$ ($169 MSRP vs $1,199 MSRP).
  • Draws 70W instead of 350W, a 280W reduction.
  • Measures 160mm instead of 285mm, a 125mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3080 Ti across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • Fewer Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation (72 vs 320), which can reduce FPS gains in supported games.
  • GeForce RTX 3080 Ti is the safer long-term pick here because the hardware is newer and the feature stack is stronger.

GeForce RTX 3080 Ti

2021

Why buy it

  • 136.1% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • 344.4% more Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation, which can increase overall FPS in supported games (320 vs 72).
  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 6 GB).
  • Better long-term bet: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • 609.5% HIGHER MSRP
    $1,199 MSRPvs$169 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 22.4 vs 63.6 G3D/$ ($1,199 MSRP vs $169 MSRP).
  • 400% higher power demand at 350W vs 70W.
  • 78.1% longer card at 285mm vs 160mm.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce RTX 3080 Ti is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 136.1% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 149.9% in PassMark G3D (26,861 vs 10,749), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 3080 Ti is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 12 GB vs 6 GB of VRAM and 80 vs 18 ray-tracing units. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce RTX 3050 6GB makes the most sense to buy today. It is $1,030 cheaper on MSRP at $169 vs $1,199, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 183.9% (63.6 vs 22.4), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and strong 1440p headroom, GeForce RTX 3080 Ti has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB vs GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

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.

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3080 Ti

The GeForce RTX 3080 Ti is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 31 2021. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1365 MHz to 1665 MHz. It has 10240 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 350W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 80 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 26,861 points. Launch price was $1,199.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB scores 10,749 versus the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti's 26,861 — the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti leads by 149.9%. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is built on Ampere while the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti uses Ampere, both on a 8 nm process. Shader units: 2,304 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 10,240 (GeForce RTX 3080 Ti). Raw compute: 6.774 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 34.1 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3080 Ti). Boost clocks: 1470 MHz vs 1665 MHz. Ray tracing: 18 RT cores (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 80 (GeForce RTX 3080 Ti) with 72 Tensor cores vs 320.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBGeForce RTX 3080 Ti
G3D Mark Score
10,749
26,861+150%
Architecture
Ampere
Ampere
Process Node
8 nm
8 nm
Shading Units
2304
10240+344%
Compute (TFLOPS)
6.774 TFLOPS
34.1 TFLOPS+403%
Boost Clock
1470 MHz
1665 MHz+13%
ROPs
32
112+250%
TMUs
72
320+344%
L1 Cache
2.3 MB
10 MB+335%
L2 Cache
2 MB
6 MB+200%
Ray Tracing Cores
18
80+344%
Tensor Cores
72
320+344%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBGeForce RTX 3080 Ti
Upscaling Tech
DLSS 2 Super Resolution
DLSS 2 Super Resolution
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
NVIDIA Reflex
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB has 6 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti carries 12 GB. GeForce RTX 3080 Ti gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 168 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 912 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3080 Ti) — a 442.9% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti. Memory bus width is 96-bit on the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB and 384-bit on the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 6 MB (GeForce RTX 3080 Ti) — the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBGeForce RTX 3080 Ti
VRAM Capacity
6 GB
12 GB+100%
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR6X
Memory Bandwidth
168 GB/s
912 GB/s+443%
Bus Width
96-bit
384-bit+300%
L2 Cache
2 MB
6 MB+200%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3080 Ti). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBGeForce RTX 3080 Ti
DirectX
12 Ultimate
12 Ultimate
Vulkan
1.3
1.4+8%
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (5th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs NVENC 7th gen (GeForce RTX 3080 Ti). Decoder: NVDEC (7th Gen) vs NVDEC 5th gen. Supported codecs: H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode Only) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1 (GeForce RTX 3080 Ti).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBGeForce RTX 3080 Ti
Encoder
NVENC (5th Gen)
NVENC 7th gen
Decoder
NVDEC (7th Gen)
NVDEC 5th gen
Codecs
H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode Only)
H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB draws 70W versus the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti's 350W — a 133.3% difference. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 750W (GeForce RTX 3080 Ti). Power connectors: None vs 2x 8-pin. Card length: 160mm vs 285mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 85°C.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBGeForce RTX 3080 Ti
TDP
70W-80%
350W
Recommended PSU
300W-60%
750W
Power Connector
None
2x 8-pin
Length
160mm
285mm
Height
112mm
Slots
2
2
Temp (Load)
75°C-12%
85°C
Perf/Watt
153.6+100%
76.7
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB came in at $169, while the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti launched at $1199. On MSRP, GeForce RTX 3050 6GB was 85.9% cheaper ($1030 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 63.6 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 22.4 (GeForce RTX 3080 Ti) — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB offers 183.9% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3050 6GB (2024 vs 2021).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBGeForce RTX 3080 Ti
MSRP
$169-86%
$1199
Performance per Dollar
63.6+184%
22.4
Codename
GA107
GA102
Release
February 2 2024
May 31 2021
Ranking
#252
#33

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