BenchPair

GeForce RTX 3050 bottleneck & FPS

Ranked 84 of 126 desktop graphics cards in our database (33th percentile). Paired with a Core i3-8100F it lands near 33 fps at 1080p and 10 fps at 4K in a typical AAA title at high settings.

SpecificationsAmpere · 2022
ArchitectureAmpere
Shading units2,560
Boost clock1,777 MHz
Memory8 GB
Memory bandwidth224 GB/s
Board power115 W
Released2022
Frame rate by resolutionwith Core i3-8100F, high
ResolutionEst. FPSGPU loadLimited by
1920 x 1080 33 99% Graphics card
2560 x 1440 22 99% Graphics card
3440 x 1440 18 98% Graphics card
3840 x 2160 10 99% Graphics card
Best CPU for the GeForce RTX 30501080p, high

Ranked by how little performance the pairing wastes, not by which processor is fastest. The fastest chip pairs well with everything, which makes it a useless recommendation.

ProcessorEst. FPSUnused
Core i3-8100F 33 37.4%
Core i3-8100 33 37.4%
Core i3-8300 33 39.1%
Core i3-8350K 33 43.7%
Core i3-9100 33 46.3%
Core i3-9100F 33 46.3%
Estimated FPS by game1440p, high, Core i3-8100F
GameEst. FPSVRAM
Cyberpunk 2077 11 9.8 GB needed
Fortnite 30 OK
Counter-Strike 2 78 OK
Baldur's Gate 3 22 OK
Red Dead Redemption 2 17 8.1 GB needed
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 15 9.2 GB needed
Against its closest neighbours1080p, high
PartEst. FPSDifference
GeForce GTX 1070 GDDR5X 34 fps +3%
GeForce GTX 1070 34 fps +3%
GeForce RTX 3050 33 fps this part
GeForce RTX 2060 33 fps 0%
Radeon RX 5500 24 fps -27%

Every row measured against the same processor, so the difference shown comes from the parts themselves rather than from unrelated systems.

What CPU should I pair with a GeForce RTX 3050?

At 1080p the best match from our database is the Core i3-8100F, which leaves only 37.4% of the combined potential unused and lands around 33 fps in a typical AAA title. The table above lists five more, ranked by how little each pairing wastes rather than by raw speed.

Bear in mind that the right processor depends on the resolution you play at. At 1440p and 4K the card does proportionally more of the work, so a cheaper chip than the one listed will keep up — the pairing only gets tighter as resolution falls. At 4K this card is 99% utilised, so almost any modern processor is sufficient.

What to expect from a GeForce RTX 3050

This card sits in the lower part of the range we model. It will run modern titles at 1080p with settings turned down, and it will be the limiting component in almost any pairing — which means there is no sense pairing it with an expensive processor.

If frame rates are disappointing, the card is where an upgrade will help. Nothing else in the system is holding it back.

8 GB is this card's real limit

6 of the 16 titles we model exceed 8 GB at 1440p and high settings. On this card memory, not shader throughput, is the thing that will make modern games stutter. Texture quality is the setting to lower first, and it usually costs less visual fidelity than the alternatives.

Is 8 GB of VRAM enough for the GeForce RTX 3050?

Not everywhere. At 1440p on the high preset, 8 GB falls short in 6 of the 16 titles we model. Running out of video memory causes frame time spikes rather than a smooth drop in the average, so it feels worse than the numbers suggest.

What bottlenecks a GeForce RTX 3050?

At 1080p this card is normally the limiting component itself. At 4K it is 99% utilised, meaning nearly all the work sits on the card and the processor barely matters.

Where it sits

Ranked 84 of 126 desktop cards we model. Nearest faster: GeForce GTX 1070 GDDR5X , GeForce GTX 1070 . Just below: GeForce RTX 2060 , Radeon RX 5500 . Full method on the methodology page.