NVIDIA likes to shake things up sometimes. They take their graphics cards and give them a fresh look with newer, better parts inside. Word on the street is they’re about to do this again with their laptop version of the GeForce RTX 3050.
Here’s the scoop: someone spotted a clue in a list of computer parts on Thursday. Then, a tech website called Videocardz dug up more info from a new NVIDIA driver. Both hints point to the same thing – the laptop RTX 3050 might be getting a big upgrade.
Instead of using the older Ampere chip, this new RTX 3050 could be packing the same AD106 chip found in the desktop RTX 4060 Ti. That’s a pretty big deal! It means this “3050” might actually be stronger than some of the 4000-series laptop cards, like the 4050 and 4060. It could even match up with some desktop cards.
If this is true, it’s kind of like putting a sports car engine in a regular car. The name might say 3050, but what’s inside could be way more powerful than you’d expect.
RTX 3050 with more performance
Currently, the RTX 3050 mobile with GA107 has 2,048 CUDA cores. In contrast, the RTX 4060 (AD106) starts with 3,072 cores and can go up to 4,352 cores in its highest version (RTX 4060 Ti).
While it would be exciting to see such a significant performance boost in the mobile GeForce RTX 3050, NVIDIA will unlikely make that move. Doing so could overshadow two of their current-generation graphics cards with an entry-level model from the previous generation.
Therefore, it’s reasonable to expect that the new RTX 3050 mobile will have more than 2,048 CUDA cores but fewer than 3,072.
Earnings on other resources
Even if we’re not sure about the exact number of those little workers (CUDA cores) in the new RTX 3050 for laptops, one thing’s for sure: using this newer AD106 chip would bring some cool upgrades.
Think of it like getting a newer, smarter brain for the graphics card. This new brain is better at handling fancy lighting effects (that’s the ray tracing stuff) and it’s got some nifty tricks up its sleeve for making games look better without working as hard (that’s what DLSS does).
In simple terms, this means games could run smoother and look prettier, especially when you turn on certain graphics options.
This upgrade would help the RTX 3050 keep up with the competition. It’s like NVIDIA is giving its card an energy drink to help it race against the built-in graphics from other companies like Intel and AMD, which have been getting stronger lately.
Now, NVIDIA hasn’t said a word about this new RTX 3050 for laptops. They’re keeping quiet, which isn’t unusual. When they do these upgrades, they often don’t make a big fuss about it.
So, while this all sounds exciting, remember it’s still not official. We’ll have to wait and see if NVIDIA confirms it or if these souped-up RTX 3050 laptops start showing up in stores.
