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 8GB

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $1,750 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $1,999 MSRP).
✅Delivers 231% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 50.3 vs 15.2 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $1,999 MSRP).
✅Draws 130W instead of 575W, a 445W reduction.
✅Measures 242mm instead of 304mm, a 62mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 5090 D v2 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 8 GB vs 32 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation (2025).
❌Weaker long-term outlook: GeForce RTX 5090 D v2 is the safer future-proof pick thanks to newer hardware and better gaming feature support.

GeForce RTX 5090 D v2

2025

Why buy it

✅145.1% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation (2025).
✅300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (32 GB vs 8 GB).
✅More future proof: Blackwell 2.0 (2025−2026) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌
702.8% HIGHER MSRP
$1,999 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 15.2 vs 50.3 G3D/$ ($1,999 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
❌342.3% higher power demand at 575W vs 130W.
❌25.6% longer card at 304mm vs 242mm.

GeForce RTX 3050 8GB

2022

GeForce RTX 5090 D v2

2025

Why buy it

✅Costs $1,750 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $1,999 MSRP).
✅Delivers 231% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 50.3 vs 15.2 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $1,999 MSRP).
✅Draws 130W instead of 575W, a 445W reduction.
✅Measures 242mm instead of 304mm, a 62mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Why buy it

✅145.1% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation (2025).
✅300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (32 GB vs 8 GB).
✅More future proof: Blackwell 2.0 (2025−2026) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 5090 D v2 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 8 GB vs 32 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation (2025).
❌Weaker long-term outlook: GeForce RTX 5090 D v2 is the safer future-proof pick thanks to newer hardware and better gaming feature support.

Trade-offs

❌
702.8% HIGHER MSRP
$1,999 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 15.2 vs 50.3 G3D/$ ($1,999 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
❌342.3% higher power demand at 575W vs 130W.
❌25.6% longer card at 304mm vs 242mm.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 5090 D v2 better than GeForce RTX 3050 8GB?

Yes. GeForce RTX 5090 D v2 is clearly the better overall GPU here. GeForce RTX 5090 D v2 averages 145.1% more FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 30,399 vs 12,535 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 5090 D v2 is a 2025 card with DLSS 4 + Multi Frame Gen, while GeForce RTX 3050 8GB is a 2022 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 5090 D v2 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2025 generation instead of 2022, 142.5% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 32 GB instead of 8 GB, and better upscaling support with DLSS 4 Super Resolution (2025) instead of DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) and better frame-generation support with DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation (2025) instead of DLSS Super Resolution. 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 5090 D v2 is about 702.8% more expensive on MSRP at $1,999 MSRP versus $249 MSRP, and you are getting 145.1% more estimated average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and 142.5% higher G3D Mark. GeForce RTX 3050 8GB still holds the G3D-per-dollar lead, so the performance win comes with a real value premium. If you are comfortable paying the premium for the stronger gaming result, GeForce RTX 5090 D v2 is the one to buy. If staying closer to budget matters more, GeForce RTX 3050 8GB still makes more sense on price alone and remains capable enough for modern gaming.

Is GeForce RTX 3050 8GB still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3050 8GB is still a strong gaming GPU in 2026: it is very strong for 1080p, good for 1440p, and more limited at 4K. This mostly comes down to price. If you want to stay closer to $249 MSRP, it remains a strong choice; if you are comfortable paying more, GeForce RTX 5090 D v2 earns that extra money with a clearly stronger gaming result and a more complete overall package.

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 8GB Benchmark Check

GeForce RTX 5090 D v2 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3050 8GB	GeForce RTX 5090 D v2
1080p
low	130 FPS	276 FPS
medium	113 FPS	257 FPS
high	99 FPS	219 FPS
ultra	83 FPS	192 FPS
1440p
low	119 FPS	260 FPS
medium	96 FPS	217 FPS
high	81 FPS	172 FPS
ultra	69 FPS	155 FPS
4K
low	64 FPS	179 FPS
medium	57 FPS	149 FPS
high	39 FPS	112 FPS
ultra	33 FPS	100 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3050 8GB Open GeForce RTX 5090 D v2

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3050 8GB	GeForce RTX 5090 D v2
1080p
low	245 FPS	880 FPS
medium	211 FPS	713 FPS
high	165 FPS	561 FPS
ultra	128 FPS	474 FPS
1440p
low	163 FPS	697 FPS
medium	135 FPS	591 FPS
high	112 FPS	483 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	383 FPS
4K
low	89 FPS	383 FPS
medium	74 FPS	328 FPS
high	62 FPS	305 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	263 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3050 8GB Open GeForce RTX 5090 D v2

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 3050 8GB	GeForce RTX 5090 D v2
1080p
low	564 FPS	944 FPS
medium	451 FPS	772 FPS
high	376 FPS	698 FPS
ultra	282 FPS	604 FPS
1440p
low	423 FPS	731 FPS
medium	338 FPS	598 FPS
high	282 FPS	529 FPS
ultra	212 FPS	452 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	506 FPS
medium	226 FPS	419 FPS
high	188 FPS	377 FPS
ultra	141 FPS	316 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3050 8GB Open GeForce RTX 5090 D v2

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 3050 8GB	GeForce RTX 5090 D v2
1080p
low	469 FPS	999 FPS
medium	415 FPS	999 FPS
high	336 FPS	907 FPS
ultra	282 FPS	684 FPS
1440p
low	373 FPS	885 FPS
medium	326 FPS	778 FPS
high	237 FPS	684 FPS
ultra	198 FPS	513 FPS
4K
low	200 FPS	639 FPS
medium	175 FPS	547 FPS
high	152 FPS	456 FPS
ultra	126 FPS	342 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3050 8GB Open GeForce RTX 5090 D v2

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3050 8GB and GeForce RTX 5090 D v2

GeForce RTX 3050 8GB

The GeForce RTX 3050 8GB is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 4 2022. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1552 MHz to 1777 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 130W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 20 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 12,535 points. Launch price was $249.

GeForce RTX 5090 D v2

The GeForce RTX 5090 D v2 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 15 2025. It features the Blackwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 2017 MHz to 2407 MHz. It has 21760 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 575W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 170 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 30,399 points. Launch price was $2,299.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3050 8GB scores 12,535 versus the GeForce RTX 5090 D v2's 30,399 — the GeForce RTX 5090 D v2 leads by 142.5%. The GeForce RTX 3050 8GB is built on Ampere while the GeForce RTX 5090 D v2 uses Blackwell 2.0, both on 8 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs 21,760 (GeForce RTX 5090 D v2). Raw compute: 9.098 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs 104.8 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 5090 D v2). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 2407 MHz. Ray tracing: 20 RT cores (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs 170 (GeForce RTX 5090 D v2) with 80 Tensor cores vs 680.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 8GB	GeForce RTX 5090 D v2
G3D Mark Score	12,535	30,399+143%
Architecture	Ampere	Blackwell 2.0
Process Node	8 nm	5 nm
Shading Units	2560	21760+750%
Compute (TFLOPS)	9.098 TFLOPS	104.8 TFLOPS+1052%
Boost Clock	1777 MHz	2407 MHz+35%
ROPs	32	176+450%
TMUs	80	680+750%
L1 Cache	2.5 MB	21.3 MB+752%
L2 Cache	2 MB	96 MB+4700%
Ray Tracing Cores	20	170+750%
Tensor Cores	80	680+750%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the GeForce RTX 5090 D v2 is support for DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation. This allows it to generate entire frames using AI/Algorithms, essentially doubling the frame rate in CPU-bound scenarios or heavy ray-tracing titles. The GeForce RTX 3050 8GB lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.The GeForce RTX 5090 D v2 supports the newer DLSS 4 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce RTX 3050 8GB is capped at DLSS 2 Super Resolution.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 8GB	GeForce RTX 5090 D v2
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 2 Super Resolution	DLSS 4 Super Resolution
Frame Generation	Not Supported	DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation
Ray Reconstruction	No	Yes (DLSS 4)
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 3050 8GB comes with 8 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 5090 D v2 has 32 GB. The GeForce RTX 5090 D v2 offers 300% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 224 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs 1792 GB/s (GeForce RTX 5090 D v2) — a 700% advantage for the GeForce RTX 5090 D v2. Bus width: 128-bit vs 512-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs 96 MB (GeForce RTX 5090 D v2) — the GeForce RTX 5090 D v2 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 8GB	GeForce RTX 5090 D v2
VRAM Capacity	8 GB	32 GB+300%
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR7
Memory Bandwidth	224 GB/s	1792 GB/s+700%
Bus Width	128-bit	512-bit+300%
L2 Cache	2 MB	96 MB+4700%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 5090 D v2). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 8GB	GeForce RTX 5090 D v2
DirectX	12 Ultimate	12 Ultimate
Vulkan	1.4	1.4
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th gen (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs NVENC (9th Gen) (GeForce RTX 5090 D v2). Decoder: NVDEC 5th gen vs NVDEC (6th Gen). Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs AV1,H.264,H.265,VP9 (GeForce RTX 5090 D v2).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 8GB	GeForce RTX 5090 D v2
Encoder	NVENC 7th gen	NVENC (9th Gen)
Decoder	NVDEC 5th gen	NVDEC (6th Gen)
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1,VP9	AV1,H.264,H.265,VP9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3050 8GB draws 130W versus the GeForce RTX 5090 D v2's 575W — a 126.2% difference. The GeForce RTX 3050 8GB is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 450W (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs 1000W (GeForce RTX 5090 D v2). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 16-pin. Card length: 242mm vs 304mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 66°C vs 70°C.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 8GB	GeForce RTX 5090 D v2
TDP	130W-77%	575W
Recommended PSU	450W-55%	1000W
Power Connector	8-pin	16-pin
Length	242mm	304mm
Height	112mm	137mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	66°C-6%	70°C
Perf/Watt	96.4+82%	52.9

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3050 8GB launched at $249 MSRP, while the GeForce RTX 5090 D v2 launched at $1999. The GeForce RTX 3050 8GB costs 87.5% less ($1750 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 50.3 (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs 15.2 (GeForce RTX 5090 D v2) — the GeForce RTX 3050 8GB offers 230.9% better value. The GeForce RTX 5090 D v2 is the newer GPU (2025 vs 2022).