What just happened? Nvidia is reportedly planning to launch a new variant of the entry-level RTX 3050 graphics card with just 6GB of memory. The new card is likely to be more affordable than the company’s existing offerings, which include the original RTX 3050 with 8GB of VRAM.
A report cites an unnamed source claiming that the new card will feature the GA107-325-Kx GPU and be based on the PG173 SKU 16 PCB board. This is in contrast with the existing RTX 3050 8GB model that features the GA106-150-KA-A1 GPU with 2,560 cores.
Apart from the lower memory configuration, the new RTX 3050 variant will also reportedly have other reduced specifications, including a 1,470 Mhz clock speed and a 96-bit wide bus. Both of those are lower than the current RTX 3050, which has a 1,777 MHz boost clock (reference model) and 128-bit bus. Of course, there are a ton of OC models available from various OEMs with higher clock speeds.
The report also claims that the lower specifications would lead to lower power requirements, and the card will have a rated TGP of just 70W, meaning it may not even require an external power connector. For the sake of comparison, the original RTX 3050 has a 115W TGP and requires 8-pin connectors to draw power from the PSU.
RX 6600 / RTX 3050 pic.twitter.com/7MdJJO3rEW
– 188å· (@momomo_us) October 4, 2023
Meanwhile, a new leaked slide (via @momomo_us) from Intel once again confirms that its Arc A580 graphics card is still in the works. It is expected to compete against the GeForce RTX 3050 and the Radeon RX 6600, but is yet to be officially launched despite being announced last year. The leaked slide reveals that some of the specifications of the card have changed since its official announcement, including the TBP (Total Board Power), which is now expected to be 185W instead of the previously announced 175W.
It’s not immediately clear why Intel increased the power requirements for the upcoming card, but the 10 additional watts could be crucial in helping it compete on even terms against the entry-level offerings from Nvidia and AMD. A report from VideoCardz also claims that at least two OEMs, viz. ASRock and Sparkle, are planning to release their versions of the Arc A580, although the exact launch date and other related details remain a mystery for now. While the leaks suggest that a launch could be imminent, the pricing could eventually decide its success in a market dominated by two players for years.