The initial performance data for NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 3050 A “Ada” Laptop GPU has surfaced, and it shows that this new GPU is on par with the RTX 3050 Ti.
NVIDIA has been teasing a revamped version of the GeForce RTX 3050, earmarked with an “A” and using the latest Ada architecture. Aimed at entry-level laptops, this stripped-down GPU features the AD106 silicon. With 1792 cores across 14 SMs, clock speeds reaching up to 1935 MHz, and 4 GB GDDR6 memory on a 64-bit interface, the RTX 3050 A has a power consumption between 35-50W. This setup was spotted in an HP Victus gaming laptop teamed with an Intel Core i7-12650H and 16 GB of RAM, clearly targeting gamers on a budget.
Benchmark results from Geekbench 6 present some interesting insights. The RTX 3050 A Laptop GPU scored a respectable 57,138 points in the OpenCL test. When stacked against other mobile GPUs, its performance closely rivals that of the RTX 3050 Ti, marginally surpassing the 6 GB RTX 3050 variants, and is about 15% faster than the standard 4 GB RTX 3050 model.
While the RTX 3050 A offers a step up in performance from the original RTX 3050, it remains an entry-level option, partly due to its limited 4 GB VRAM. However, if priced similarly to earlier 4 GB RTX 3050 models, it could present a worthwhile upgrade for budget-conscious gamers. It is somewhat puzzling to see NVIDIA debuting this GPU under the familiar RTX 30 series banner, especially with the RTX 50 series slated for a launch next year.
In the broader lineup of NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 30 Mobility GPUs, here’s a quick snapshot of where the RTX 3050 A fits:
– The GPU utilizes TSMC’s 4N process node and features the AD106 silicon.
– With 14 SMs and 1792 CUDA cores, it contrasts with other models such as the GA107-based RTX 3050 Ti, which sports 20 SMs and 2560 CUDA cores.
– The memory clock rate and exact base clock speeds for the RTX 3050 A remain TBD, but its maximum boost clock hits 1935 MHz.
– Its memory size is pegged at 4 GB of GDDR6, connected via a 64-bit bus, resulting in relatively modest bandwidth compared to higher-end models.
To summarize, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 A Laptop GPU might not radically redefine mobile gaming but does promise notable improvements within the entry-level segment. For those in search of a cost-effective gaming laptop with ample horsepower for most mainstream games, this GPU is set to make a compelling choice as it starts appearing in affordable laptops.
