RTX 3050 Vs RTX 3060: Worth Upgrading In 2023?

In the RTX 3050 vs RTX 3060 comparison, I will test the real-world performance of both these cards to demonstrate the performance of Nvidia cards in the lower-end market segment. Both cards will be tested in several games at high to ultra settings. 

Key Takeaways

• The RTX 3060 performs about 41% better than the RTX 3050 at 1080p.
• The RTX 3050 consumes about 45% less power than the RTX 3060 at 1080p.
• The RTX 3050 is about 32% cheaper than the RTX 3060.

RTX 3050 Vs RTX 3060

Comparison Table

Power 

The difference in power budget between these two cards is about 50 watts. This is a substantial delta and might warrant buying a newer power supply for the RTX 3060, adding cost to your upgrade.

Core Count

Though both these graphics cards utilize the same GPU die (GA106), the RTX 3050 has 30% fewer cores than the RTX 3060.

Also Read: RTX 3050 Vs 2060

This difference decreases the power of the 3050 compared to the 3060 but also allows it to consume significantly less power.

Size

Though the board length of these cards is the same, the smaller power requirement of the RTX 3050 allows GPU manufacturers to get away with using a smaller cooler, thus substantially decreasing the volume of the 3050 compared to the 3060.

If you are concerned about how your casing fits into your PX build, check out our article on what to consider when buying a PC case.

Gaming Benchmarks

In this section of the RTX 3050 vs RTX 3060 comparison, I will demonstrate the performance of each card in various games. Specifically, these games were tested at the 1080p screen resolution on a controlled test bench. The specifications of the test bench are listed below:

• CPU – Intel Core I5-13600K @ 5.10Ghz Stock Speed
• CPU Cooler – Cooler Master Liquid ML240L V2 RGB
• GPU 1 – Inno3D GeForce RTX 3050 8GB GDDR6 Twin X2 OC
• GPU 2 – Aorus GeForce RTX 3060 Elite 12GB GDDR6 OC
• PSU – Deepcool PM750D 750 Watt 80+ Gold
• RAM – HyperX Fury Beast 32GB (4x8GB) DDR4 3200Mhz
• Motherboard – MSI PRO Z690-A Gaming DDR4
• OS – Windows 10 Pro (x64) Build 22H2
• SSD – Crucial P3 Plus 1TB NVMe M.2 5000MBps
• HDD – Seagate Barracuda Internal 4TB 5400RPM

The Last Of Us (High Settings)

• The honor of being the first game in the benchmark tests goes to The Last Of Us, a particularly demanding game to run, even for high-end GPUs. In this game, the RTX 3050 averaged 47 FPS, whereas the RTX 3060 had a noticeably smoother performance of 65 FPS.
• The 1% lows also provided a better experience on the RTX 3060. It had 1% lows of about 51 FPS, while the RTX 3050 managed to get about 38 FPS.
• Power consumption was, as expected, much lower on the RTX 3050. It pulled 115 watts from the wall, whereas the RTX 3060 consumed 169 watts.
• Temperatures in this game were much higher on the weaker card. The RTX 3050 had a peak temperature of 64,°C whereas the RTX 3060 was noticeably cooler with a peak temperature of 60°C.

Atomic Heart (Max Settings)

• When running Atomic Heart at maximum settings and 1080p resolution, the RTX 3050 and the RTX 3060 showcased impressive performance. The RTX 3060 achieved a higher average of around 97 FPS, surpassing the RTX 3050’s average of 70 FPS.
• Regarding 1% lows, the RTX 3060 also outperformed the RTX 3050, outputting 81 FPS compared to the RTX 3050’s 57 FPS.
• Power consumption was noticeably different between the two cards, with the RTX 3050 consuming 116 watts and the RTX 3060 consuming a higher 169 watts.
• Regarding temperatures, the RTX 3050 reached a peak of 64°C, while the RTX 3060 maintained a slightly lower peak temperature of 62°C.

Also Check: RTX 3050 Vs RX 6600

Dead Space Remake (Ultra Settings)

• In the Dead Space Remake, the RTX 3060 showcased commendable performance at ultra settings and 1080p resolution, whereas the 3050 was a bit of a letdown. The RTX 3060 offered a significant boost in average frame rate, reaching around 84 FPS, compared to the RTX 3050’s average of 58 FPS.
• When looking at 1% lows, the RTX 3060 demonstrated a substantial improvement over the RTX 3050, delivering 68 FPS compared to the RTX 3050’s 37 FPS.
• Switching gears to power consumption, the RTX 3050 drew 118 watts, while the RTX 3060 consumed a higher 169 watts. The RTX 3060’s higher power consumption is expected, given its superior performance.
• Both cards maintained similar temperature levels during gameplay, with the RTX 3050 peaking at 64°C and the RTX 3060 slightly lower at 63°C. 

Cyberpunk 2077 (High Settings)

• In Cyberpunk 2077, at high settings and 1080p resolution, the RTX 3050 and RTX 3060 demonstrated solid performance. The RTX 3060 outperformed the RTX 3050 with an average of 78 FPS compared to the RTX 3050’s 56 FPS.
• When considering 1% lows, the RTX 3060 showcased smoother gameplay with 66 FPS, surpassing the RTX 3050’s 41 FPS. The above 60 FPS experience given by the RTX 3060 always ensures a much smoother experience than the RTX 3050.
• Regarding power consumption, the RTX 3050 drew 116 watts, while the RTX 3060 had a slightly higher power draw of 171 watts.
• Both graphics cards maintained similar temperature levels during the gameplay session, with the RTX 3050 peaking at 63°C and the RTX 3060 at 62°C. The difference in thermals in this test can be marked up to the margin of error.

Also Check: AMD RX 6700 XT Vs Nvidia RTX 3060

Sons Of The Forrest (High Settings)

• In Sons Of The Forest, the RTX 3060 delivered an impressive performance at high settings and 1080p resolution, outperforming the RTX 3050. With an average of 79 FPS, the RTX 3060 showcased smoother gameplay compared to the RTX 3050’s average of 58 FPS.
• When examining the 1% lows, the RTX 3060 exhibited a significant improvement, providing a minimum frame rate of 65 FPS, while the RTX 3050 lagged with 44 FPS. 
• Coming to power consumption, the RTX 3050 drew 117 watts, while the RTX 3060 consumed 169 watts. 
• Both graphics cards maintained relatively similar temperature levels during gameplay, with the RTX 3050 peaking at 61°C and the RTX 3060 slightly higher at 63°C.

Red Dead Redemption 2 (High Settings)

• Red Dead Redemption, running at high settings and 1080p resolution, showcased notable performance differences between the RTX 3050 and the RTX 3060. The RTX 3060 stood out with its impressive average of 79 FPS, outperforming the RTX 3050’s average of 57 FPS.
• When considering the 1% lows, which represent minimum frame rates, the RTX 3060 exhibited a significant leap, delivering 71 FPS compared to the RTX 3050’s 46 FPS. This indicates much smoother and more consistent gameplay on the RTX 3060.
• In terms of power consumption, the RTX 3050 drew 116 watts, while the RTX 3060 consumed a slightly higher 168 watts.
• Both graphics cards maintained similar temperature levels during gameplay, with the RTX 3050 peaking at 62°C and the RTX 3060 at 63°C. Once again, these differences can be chalked up to the margin of error.

Similar Comparisons: RX 6600 XT Vs RTX 3050

Resident Evil 4 Remake (High Settings)

• When playing Resident Evil 4 Remake at high settings and 1080p resolution, the RTX 3050 and RTX 3060 graphics cards showcased impressive performance capabilities. The RTX 3060 stood out with its remarkable average of 92 FPS, surpassing the RTX 3050’s average of 62 FPS.
• Diving into the 1% lows, representing the minimum frame rates, the RTX 3060 exhibited a substantial improvement with 73 FPS, whereas the RTX 3050 lagged at 48 FPS. This translates to smoother and more consistent gameplay on the RTX 3060.
• Regarding power consumption, the RTX 3050 drew 117 watts, while the RTX 3060 required a slightly higher 172 watts. Considering its superior performance, this higher power demand on the RTX 3060 is expected.
• Both graphics cards maintained comparable temperature levels during gameplay, with the RTX 3050 peaking at 64°C and the RTX 3060 at 63°C.

Hogwarts Legacy (Ultra Settings)

• When embarking on the magical journey of Hogwarts Legacy at ultra settings and 1080p resolution, the RTX 3050 and RTX 3060 graphics cards demonstrated commendable performance. However, it was the RTX 3060 that truly shined, delivering an impressive average of 70 FPS, outperforming the RTX 3050’s average of 48 FPS.
• Delving into the 1% lows, which represent the minimum frame rates, the RTX 3060 exhibited a significant advantage with 59 FPS, providing better gameplay than the RTX 3050’s 32 FPS.
• In terms of power consumption, the RTX 3050 drew 118 watts, while the RTX 3060 required a slightly higher 168 watts.
• Both graphics cards maintained similar temperature levels, with the RTX 3050 peaking at 64°C and the RTX 3060 at 63°C. A temperature difference this small can be, once again, marked up to the margin of error.

Also Read: GTX 1650 vs RTX 3050

RTX 3060 Vs RTX 3050: Overall Performance

In this section of the RTX 3050 vs RTX 3060 comparison, I will talk about the average of the metrics that we discussed in the gaming benchmarks.

Frame Rate

When analyzing the cumulative averages of 8 games, the RTX 3050 and RTX 3060 showcase distinct performance characteristics. Regarding average FPS, the RTX 3050 delivers a respectable performance of 57 FPS, while the RTX 3060 takes the lead with an impressive average of 80.5 FPS. 

• We see a similar trend when examining the 1% lows, representing the minimum frame rates. The RTX 3050 demonstrates an average 1% low of 42 FPS, while the RTX 3060 exhibits a considerably higher 67 FPS. This indicates that the RTX 3060 provides smoother and more consistent gameplay, especially during intense and graphically demanding scenes.
• Since launch, the performance of these two GPUs has degraded substantially. However, I would attribute the sub-60 FPS performance of the RTX 3050 in the tests to the newer titles. On the other hand, slightly older titles should have no problem running at smooth FPS.
• Additionally, you can achieve great performance by turning down a few unnoticeable settings in modern titles. Furthermore, enabling DLSS also provides a noticeable boost in FPS, ensuring it won’t drop to 60 FPS below while playing at 1080p high. It’s worth noting that the performance delta remains the same, as DLSS can also be enabled on the RTX 3060.

Check out our list of the best GPU overclocking software if you wish to squeeze out all the performance your GPU offers.

Power Consumption 

Moving on to power consumption, the RTX 3050 has an average power draw of 116.6 watts, while the RTX 3060 consumes a higher average of 169.3 watts. 

• Examining the performance per watt metric, we observe that the RTX 3050 achieves a value of 0.488 frames/watt, while the RTX 3060 obtains a slightly lower value of 0.475 frames/watt.  The difference here is not substantial; the much higher performance of the RTX 3060 for a similar performance per watt sweetens the deal even further.
• The higher power draw of the RTX 3060 is backed up by its much better performance, though its lower power draw of the RTX 3050 has its own merits. The main merit is that the lower TDP might allow you to get away with a smaller power supply, making your total upgrade cost somewhat cheaper.
• A 50-watt lower power draw can also ease your power bill, giving back some of its costs over the long run.

If you want to match your power supply to the power target of the rest of your computer, read our article on how many watts a gaming PC consumes.

Also Read: RX 5700 XT Vs RTX 3060

Temperatures

• Regarding temperature, the RTX 3050 reaches an average peak temperature of 63.2°C, while the RTX 3060 maintains a slightly lower average temperature of 62.3°C. These temperature readings indicate effective cooling solutions for both graphics cards, ensuring stable and reliable performance during extended gaming sessions.
• In most games, the temperatures between these cards went back and forth a degree or two, which indicates identical thermal performance in most modern titles. Still, the thermals were different by a significant margin in some games, sometimes better for the RTX 3050 and sometimes better for the RTX 3060.

Temperatures are very important to keep in check if you want your GPU to reach its maximum lifespan. If you want to learn about safe GPU idle temperatures, read our guide on the topic.

Performance Per Dollar

Performance Per Dollar is another important metric to consider when purchasing.

• The RTX 3050 achieves a value of 0.228 frames/dollar, while the RTX 3060 offers a slightly higher value of 0.23 frames/dollar.
• This suggests that the RTX 3060 provides slightly better performance relative to its cost, making it a more cost-effective choice for gamers seeking high-quality visuals and smooth gameplay.

Also Check: RTX 3060 Vs 3060 Ti

If you want to learn the current market cost of your computer, check out our valuation guide.

Price And Availability

Being entry-level GPUs, both the GPUs in this comparison come in at a very affordable price. The RTX 3050 will cost you $250 if you buy at MSRP. The RTX 3060 is a different pricing tier at $330 but affordable nonetheless.

As for availability, you should be able to find both these cards at any brick-and-mortar store you choose. The age of these cards also allows you to snag them for cheap on sites like eBay, further lowering their costs.

RTX 3050 Vs RTX 3060: Which One Should You Go For?

The distinction between the demographics of these two cards seems convoluted at first, but it becomes very apparent after you do some digging. 

• The RTX 3060 is the better card overall. It has 41% better performance than the RTX 3050 at only 32% more cost.
• I strongly recommend getting this card over the RTX 3050 for these reasons.

Similar Comparisons: RX 6600 XT Vs RTX 3060

• Despite all this, the RTX 3050 does not provide a bad deal either. It has the same GPU die as the 3060, albeit with fewer cores and lesser VRAM.
• It also has a lower power draw and smaller size than the 3060, making it ideal for a low-power small form factor build.

Pros And Cons 

More From RTX 3060

• RTX 3060 Vs GTX 1660 Ti
• RTX 3060 Vs RTX 3070
• 2070 Super Vs 3060
• RTX 2060 Vs 3060
• RTX 3060 vs GTX 1080