GeForce RTX 3050 6GB vs Tesla P40

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

2024Core: 1042 MHzBoost: 1470 MHz

Popular choices:

VS
NVIDIA

Tesla P40

2016Core: 1303 MHzBoost: 1531 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

  • Costs $5,530 less on MSRP ($169 MSRP vs $5,699 MSRP).
  • Delivers 2969.8% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 63.6 vs 2.1 G3D/$ ($169 MSRP vs $5,699 MSRP).
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
  • Draws 70W instead of 250W, a 180W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (10,749 vs 11,808).
  • Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 24 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.

Tesla P40

2016

Why buy it

  • +9.9% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • 300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (24 GB vs 6 GB).

Trade-offs

  • No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
  • Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 24 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
  • 3272.2% HIGHER MSRP
    $5,699 MSRPvs$169 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 2.1 vs 63.6 G3D/$ ($5,699 MSRP vs $169 MSRP).
  • 257.1% higher power demand at 250W vs 70W.

Quick Answers

So, is Tesla P40 better than GeForce RTX 3050 6GB?
Yes. Tesla P40 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 11,808 vs 10,749 in G3D Mark. On top of that, Tesla P40 is a 2016 card with no meaningful modern upscaling stack, while GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is a 2024 model from an older generation with DLSS Super Resolution. 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, better upscaling support with DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, and a 8nm process instead of 16nm. 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?
Tesla P40 is the smarter buy by a wide margin. Tesla P40 is about 3272.2% more expensive on MSRP at $5,699 MSRP versus $169 MSRP, and you are getting 9.9% higher G3D Mark. GeForce RTX 3050 6GB really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.
When does GeForce RTX 3050 6GB make more sense than Tesla P40?
Yes. GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is still an excellent gaming GPU in 2026: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It makes more sense if your priority is newer architecture, lower power draw (70W vs 250W), future-proofing, and staying closer to $169 MSRP more than squeezing out the extra headroom of Tesla P40. The trade-off is that Tesla P40 currently gives you 9.9% higher G3D Mark. GeForce RTX 3050 6GB still holds the G3D-per-dollar lead, so the performance win comes with a real value premium.

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 6GBTesla P40
1080p
low109 FPS243 FPS
medium92 FPS230 FPS
high77 FPS197 FPS
ultra45 FPS161 FPS
1440p
low95 FPS224 FPS
medium81 FPS189 FPS
high59 FPS151 FPS
ultra34 FPS124 FPS
4K
low30 FPS120 FPS
medium28 FPS99 FPS
high19 FPS75 FPS
ultra16 FPS67 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce RTX 3050 6GBTesla P40
1080p
low174 FPS326 FPS
medium149 FPS281 FPS
high118 FPS215 FPS
ultra87 FPS171 FPS
1440p
low129 FPS213 FPS
medium106 FPS179 FPS
high83 FPS146 FPS
ultra62 FPS115 FPS
4K
low74 FPS103 FPS
medium62 FPS84 FPS
high48 FPS70 FPS
ultra34 FPS54 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce RTX 3050 6GBTesla P40
1080p
low484 FPS531 FPS
medium387 FPS425 FPS
high322 FPS354 FPS
ultra242 FPS266 FPS
1440p
low363 FPS399 FPS
medium290 FPS319 FPS
high242 FPS266 FPS
ultra181 FPS199 FPS
4K
low242 FPS266 FPS
medium193 FPS213 FPS
high161 FPS177 FPS
ultra121 FPS133 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce RTX 3050 6GBTesla P40
1080p
low243 FPS473 FPS
medium210 FPS420 FPS
high171 FPS354 FPS
ultra144 FPS266 FPS
1440p
low185 FPS374 FPS
medium166 FPS319 FPS
high131 FPS266 FPS
ultra109 FPS199 FPS
4K
low104 FPS240 FPS
medium87 FPS213 FPS
high69 FPS177 FPS
ultra55 FPS133 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3050 6GB and Tesla P40

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

Tesla P40

The Tesla P40 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 13 2016. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1303 MHz to 1531 MHz. It has 3840 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 250W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 11,808 points. Launch price was $5,699.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB scores 10,749 versus the Tesla P40's 11,808 — the Tesla P40 leads by 9.9%. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is built on Ampere while the Tesla P40 uses Pascal, both on 8 nm vs 16 nm. Shader units: 2,304 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 3,840 (Tesla P40). Raw compute: 6.774 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 11.76 TFLOPS (Tesla P40). Boost clocks: 1470 MHz vs 1531 MHz.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBTesla P40
G3D Mark Score
10,749
11,808+10%
Architecture
Ampere
Pascal
Process Node
8 nm
16 nm
Shading Units
2304
3840+67%
Compute (TFLOPS)
6.774 TFLOPS
11.76 TFLOPS+74%
Boost Clock
1470 MHz
1531 MHz+4%
ROPs
32
96+200%
TMUs
72
240+233%
L1 Cache
2.3 MB+64%
1.4 MB
L2 Cache
2 MB
3 MB+50%

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 Tesla P40 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBTesla P40
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 Tesla P40 has 24 GB. The Tesla P40 offers 300% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 96-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 3 MB (Tesla P40) — the Tesla P40 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBTesla P40
VRAM Capacity
6 GB
24 GB+300%
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR6
Bus Width
96-bit
256-bit+167%
L2 Cache
2 MB
3 MB+50%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 12.1 (Tesla P40). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.1. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.5. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 0.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBTesla P40
DirectX
12 Ultimate
12.1
Vulkan
1.3+18%
1.1
OpenGL
4.6+2%
4.5
Max Displays
4
0
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (5th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs NVENC 4.0 (2x) (Tesla P40). Decoder: NVDEC (7th Gen) vs PureVideo HD VP6. Supported codecs: H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode Only) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (Tesla P40).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBTesla P40
Encoder
NVENC (5th Gen)
NVENC 4.0 (2x)
Decoder
NVDEC (7th Gen)
PureVideo HD VP6
Codecs
H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode Only)
MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB draws 70W versus the Tesla P40's 250W — a 112.5% difference. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 500W (Tesla P40). Power connectors: None vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 160mm vs 267mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 85°C.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBTesla P40
TDP
70W-72%
250W
Recommended PSU
300W-40%
500W
Power Connector
None
PCIe-powered
Length
160mm
267mm
Height
112mm
Slots
2
2
Temp (Load)
75°C-12%
85°C
Perf/Watt
153.6+225%
47.2
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB launched at $169 MSRP, while the Tesla P40 launched at $5699. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB costs 97% less ($5530 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 63.6 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 2.1 (Tesla P40) — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB offers 2928.6% better value. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is the newer GPU (2024 vs 2016).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBTesla P40
MSRP
$169-97%
$5699
Performance per Dollar
63.6+2929%
2.1
Codename
GA107
GP102
Release
February 2 2024
September 13 2016
Ranking
#252
#227