GeForce RTX 3050 6GB vs Quadro CX

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

2024Core: 1042 MHzBoost: 1470 MHz

Popular choices:

VS
NVIDIA

Quadro CX

2008Core: 602 MHz

Popular choices:

Performance Spectrum - GPU

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 RTX 3050 6GB

2024

Why buy it

  • +1035.1% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Costs $1,830 less on MSRP ($169 MSRP vs $1,999 MSRP).
  • Delivers 13325.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 63.6 vs 0.5 G3D/$ ($169 MSRP vs $1,999 MSRP).
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • 50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 4 GB).

Trade-offs

  • Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.

Quadro CX

2008

Why buy it

  • Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (947 vs 10,749).
  • Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
  • Very weak future-proofing: 2008-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
  • 1082.8% HIGHER MSRP
    $1,999 MSRPvs$169 MSRP

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3050 6GB better than Quadro CX?
Yes. GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 10,749 vs 947 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is a 2024 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while Quadro CX is a 2008 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 2008, 1035.1% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 6 GB instead of 4 GB, and better upscaling support with DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack. That leaves it with more room for heavier textures, tougher ray tracing loads, and higher-end 1440p or 4K gaming over the next few years.
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 $1,830 cheaper on MSRP at $169 MSRP versus $1,999 MSRP, and you are getting 1035.1% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 13325.9%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.
Is Quadro CX still worth buying for gaming in 2026?
Yes. Quadro CX 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 $1,999 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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetGeForce RTX 3050 6GBQuadro CX
1080p
low85 FPS13 FPS
medium72 FPS9 FPS
high60 FPS6 FPS
ultra40 FPS3 FPS
1440p
low74 FPS9 FPS
medium64 FPS5 FPS
high47 FPS2 FPS
ultra30 FPS1 FPS
4K
low27 FPS4 FPS
medium25 FPS2 FPS
high17 FPS1 FPS
ultra15 FPS1 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce RTX 3050 6GBQuadro CX
1080p
low174 FPS30 FPS
medium149 FPS14 FPS
high118 FPS10 FPS
ultra87 FPS7 FPS
1440p
low129 FPS16 FPS
medium106 FPS7 FPS
high83 FPS5 FPS
ultra62 FPS4 FPS
4K
low74 FPS5 FPS
medium62 FPS3 FPS
high48 FPS2 FPS
ultra34 FPS2 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce RTX 3050 6GBQuadro CX
1080p
low484 FPS43 FPS
medium387 FPS34 FPS
high322 FPS28 FPS
ultra242 FPS21 FPS
1440p
low363 FPS32 FPS
medium290 FPS26 FPS
high242 FPS21 FPS
ultra181 FPS16 FPS
4K
low242 FPS21 FPS
medium193 FPS17 FPS
high161 FPS14 FPS
ultra121 FPS11 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce RTX 3050 6GBQuadro CX
1080p
low243 FPS43 FPS
medium210 FPS34 FPS
high171 FPS28 FPS
ultra144 FPS21 FPS
1440p
low185 FPS8 FPS
medium166 FPS6 FPS
high131 FPS5 FPS
ultra109 FPS4 FPS
4K
low104 FPS5 FPS
medium87 FPS4 FPS
high69 FPS3 FPS
ultra55 FPS3 FPS

Technical Specifications

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

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

Quadro CX

The Quadro CX is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in November 11 2008. It features the Tesla 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 602 MHz. It has 192 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 55 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 947 points. Launch price was $1,999.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB scores 10,749 versus the Quadro CX's 947 — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB leads by 1035.1%. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is built on Ampere while the Quadro CX uses Tesla 2.0, both on 8 nm vs 55 nm. Shader units: 2,304 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 192 (Quadro CX). Raw compute: 6.774 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 0.4623 TFLOPS (Quadro CX).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBQuadro CX
G3D Mark Score
10,749+1035%
947
Architecture
Ampere
Tesla 2.0
Process Node
8 nm
55 nm
Shading Units
2304+1100%
192
Compute (TFLOPS)
6.774 TFLOPS+1365%
0.4623 TFLOPS
ROPs
32+33%
24
TMUs
72+13%
64
L2 Cache
2 MB+953%
0.19 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 CX relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBQuadro CX
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 CX has 4 GB. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB offers 50% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 96-bit vs 64-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 0.19 MB (Quadro CX) — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBQuadro CX
VRAM Capacity
6 GB+50%
4 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR5
Bus Width
96-bit+50%
64-bit
L2 Cache
2 MB+953%
0.19 MB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 11.1 (10_0) (Quadro CX). Vulkan: 1.3 vs N/A. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 3.3. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 2.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBQuadro CX
DirectX
12 Ultimate+8%
11.1 (10_0)
Vulkan
1.3
N/A
OpenGL
4.6+39%
3.3
Max Displays
4+100%
2
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (5th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs None (Quadro CX). Decoder: NVDEC (7th Gen) vs PureVideo HD. Supported codecs: H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode Only) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (Quadro CX).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBQuadro CX
Encoder
NVENC (5th Gen)
None
Decoder
NVDEC (7th Gen)
PureVideo HD
Codecs
H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode Only)
H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB draws 70W versus the Quadro CX'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 CX). Power connectors: None vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 160mm vs 267mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 80.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBQuadro CX
TDP
70W-53%
150W
Recommended PSU
300W-14%
350W
Power Connector
None
PCIe-powered
Length
160mm
267mm
Height
111mm
Slots
2
2
Temp (Load)
75°C-6%
80
Perf/Watt
153.6+2338%
6.3
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB launched at $169 MSRP, while the Quadro CX launched at $1999. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB costs 91.5% less ($1830 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 63.6 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 0.5 (Quadro CX) — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB offers 12620% better value. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is the newer GPU (2024 vs 2008).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBQuadro CX
MSRP
$169-92%
$1999
Performance per Dollar
63.6+12620%
0.5
Codename
GA107
GT200B
Release
February 2 2024
November 11 2008
Ranking
#252
#901