Hey there! If you‘re looking to upgrade your graphics card on a budget, I bet the RX 6500 XT and RTX 3050 caught your eye. These two offer solid 1080p gaming performance at an affordable price point.
But you‘re probably wondering: which one is right for you? Don‘t worry, I‘m here to help! In this detailed face-off, we‘ll compare every aspect of the RX 6500 XT and RTX 3050 to see how they stack up. Time to settle this graphics card showdown once and for all!
First off, let‘s recap what these two cards are all about:
Meet the Contenders
AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT – AMD‘s latest entry-level gaming GPU, released in January 2022. Based on RDNA 2 architecture and aimed at smooth 1080p performance.
- GPU: Navi 24 with 16 compute units
- Boost Clock: Up to 1845MHz
- Memory: 4GB GDDR6
- Power: 75W, no external power needed
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 – NVIDIA‘s newest budget card, also launched January 2022. Brings Ampere and basic ray tracing to lower price points.
- GPU: GA106 with 2560 CUDA cores
- Boost Clock: Up to 1777MHz
- Memory: 8GB GDDR6
- Power: 130W, needs PCIe power connector
Now, let‘s compare the performance and features you can expect from these two contenders:
Performance Benchmarks
When it comes to speed, the RTX 3050 pulls ahead for 1080p gaming. In benchmarks, it‘s roughly 20-25% faster on average:
| Benchmark | RX 6500 XT | RTX 3050 | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3DMark Time Spy | 4302 | 5581 | +30% RTX |
| Fortnite (1080p Epic) | 87 fps | 105 fps | +21% RTX |
| Apex Legends (1080p Ultra) | 76 fps | 94 fps | +24% RTX |
The RTX 3050‘s lead comes thanks to its more powerful 2560 core GA106 GPU. It handily beats the RX 6500 XT‘s 16 compute unit Navi 24 chip. Higher boost clocks also give the RTX 3050 better throughput.
That said, the RX 6500 XT still nails 60+ fps in popular titles at 1080p if you dial back some settings. But for maximum detail, the RTX 3050 has faster silicon.
Ray Tracing and DLSS Support
One of NVIDIA‘s biggest advantages is dedicated ray tracing hardware and DLSS.
The RX 6500 XT completely lacks ray tracing capabilities – there‘s no hardware support on its Navi 24 chip. AMD doesn‘t enable software-based ray tracing on the card either.
But the RTX 3050 comes armed with NVIDIA‘s 2nd-gen RT cores. This allows real-time ray traced lighting in supported games like Control, Fortnite, and more. Performance takes a hit, but the visual enhancements can be worth it.
NVIDIA‘s Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) is also a potential game-changer. It uses AI to boost frame rates while rendering at higher resolutions. Then it intelligently downscales to your target resolution without noticeable quality loss.
DLSS can improve fps by up to 2X in some titles when enabled. It‘s a handy advantage the RTX 3050 holds over the RX 6500 XT.
Display Connectors
For display outputs, both cards give you plenty of options:
- RX 6500 XT
- 1 x HDMI 2.1
- 1 x DisplayPort 1.4
- RTX 3050
- 1 x HDMI 2.1
- 3 x DisplayPort 1.4a
I really like that both went with HDMI 2.1. This future proofs your card for 4K 120Hz gaming when you upgrade your monitor down the road.
The RTX 3050 gives you extra flexibility by including triple DisplayPort. Overall though, both have you covered for high refresh rate 1080p and 1440p gaming today.
Power Efficiency
One spec where the RX 6500 XT shines is idle and load power consumption. Let‘s look at total board power ratings:
- RX 6500 XT – 107W
- RTX 3050 – 130W
That roughly 23W difference is huge when you consider the RX 6500 XT delivers 75% of the RTX 3050‘s performance. AMD‘s 7nm manufacturing gives it a big efficiency lead.
In your system, this can equal 50+ watts less power draw under gaming loads. Over years of use, the RX 6500 XT will save you a nice chunk on electricity bills.
The RX 6500 XT also requires no PCIe external power connector. It sips a maximum of 75W from the motherboard. This allows more flexibility for upgrading pre-built PCs.
Memory Size
Memory configuration varies between the cards:
- RX 6500 XT – 4GB GDDR6
- RTX 3050 – 8GB GDDR6
Right now, 4GB is sufficient for 1080p medium-high settings in most games. But 8GB gives you more overhead for the future as titles get more VRAM hungry. It also enables higher textures if you jump up to 1440p.
I‘d only consider 4GB a dealbreaker if you plan to use your card for 3+ years. Otherwise, the RX 6500 XT should still fare decently with its 4GB buffer. But 8GB is nice peace of mind if you can afford it.
Dimensions
These cards have quite different physical footprints:
- RX 6500 XT
- Length: 180 mm
- Height: 113 mm
- Width: 36 mm
- RTX 3050
- Length: 242 mm
- Height: 112 mm
- Width: 40 mm
The RX 6500 XT is about 60mm shorter than the RTX 3050. Its tiny Navi 24 GPU keeps the PCB petite even with a dual fan cooler.
If you‘re building in a compact mini-ITX case, the RX 6500 XT has a definite advantage. But both cards should fit in most standard mid and full towers without issue.
Cost Per Frame
At current street prices, the RX 6500 XT offers better value in terms of price versus performance. Let‘s break down the math:
- RX 6500 XT – $170, 50 fps = $3.40 per frame
- RTX 3050 – $250, 60 fps = $4.17 per frame
By these numbers, the RX 6500 XT gives you around 20% more for your dollar. Of course, this varies based on where you can actually buy the cards. But that gives a general idea of the value proposition.
However, the RTX 3050 justifies its premium through features like DLSS, ray tracing, and extra VRAM. You have to decide if those are worth paying more for your use case.
Which Should You Get?
So, with all said, which of these budget cards is right for you?
If you want the fastest raw speeds for 1080p gaming, the RTX 3050 is the way to go. It outruns the RX 6500 XT by a solid 20%+ margin in most titles. You also get entry-level ray tracing and DLSS for enhancing visuals.
However, if you mainly play esports titles like Fortnite, Rocket League, or Apex Legends, the RX 6500 XT is plenty powerful. It offers fantastic value at $170 or less with its tiny footprint and efficiency.
I‘d suggest grabbing whichever you can find close to MSRP in today‘s market. The RTX 3050 is worth $250 if you‘ll utilize its features. Otherwise, consider the RX 6500 XT for no-compromise 1080p gaming at 60+ fps.
Hopefully this detailed face-off helped you pick the right budget card for your needs! Let me know if you have any other questions. Enjoy your new pixel pushing powerhouse!
