After much anticipation and months of rumors, NVIDIA has finally made the GeForce RTX 5050 official. This marks the return of the popular xx50 series to desktop systems after the RTX 4050 skipped the desktop entirely. Set to arrive in July 2025, the RTX 5050 will be available in both desktop and laptop variants, with Game Ready Driver support rolling out earlier in the same month.

If you've been holding out for an affordable yet capable GPU upgrade, this might be the card you've been waiting for.

Desktop Version: Blackwell-Powered and Ready to Roll

The desktop version of the RTX 5050 is built on NVIDIA's latest Blackwell architecture, featuring:

Despite having the same memory size and CUDA core count as the previous RTX 3050, NVIDIA says the RTX 5050 delivers a massive 60% performance improvement in raster workloads. That's thanks to the architectural improvements and faster clock speeds.

DLSS 4 Comes to Entry-Level

One of the major highlights is that the RTX 5050 brings DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation (MFG) to the entry-level market. This feature enables smoother gameplay and higher frame rates, even in graphically demanding games.

According to NVIDIA, in supported titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and the upcoming Avowed, gamers can expect frame rates over 150 fps using 4x MFG settings.

GDDR6 vs GDDR7: A Mixed Bag

Interestingly, the desktop version uses GDDR6 memory, while the laptop variant features newer GDDR7. While GDDR6 is slightly older tech, the desktop card is still expected to outperform the laptop version due to its higher power budget and cooling potential.

For comparison, the RTX 5050 has 1,280 fewer CUDA cores than the RTX 5060, but it still holds its own due to architectural enhancements and better efficiency.

Laptop Variant: Efficient and Sleek

The laptop version of the RTX 5050 carries the same 2,560 CUDA cores and 8GB of GDDR7 VRAM, with power consumption ranging from 35W to 100W depending on how thin or powerful the laptop is.

This opens up the possibility for RTX gaming in ultra-portable notebooks, without sacrificing too much on thermal or battery performance.

Price and Availability

The desktop RTX 5050 will launch at US$249 (around RM1,054). Expect factory overclocked models from ASUS, Gigabyte, MSI, and Zotac, with pricing varying by model and region.

For laptops, pricing will depend on the brand and configuration, but you can expect announcements from Acer, Zotac, and others soon.

Although the card launches globally in July 2025, availability in Malaysia hasn't been confirmed yet. More localized pricing and availability details are expected closer to launch.

Final Thoughts: A Solid Entry-Level Option

The RTX 5050 is shaping up to be a great value GPU for gamers who want solid performance without going over budget. With DLSS 4, high frame rates in modern games, and laptop-friendly efficiency, NVIDIA is clearly looking to dominate the entry-level segment once again.

If you've been stuck on older cards or skipped the RTX 30 series altogether, the RTX 5050 might just be the sweet spot for your next upgrade.