MSI GeForce RTX 3050 Gaming X 6GB GDDR6 Black
ASRock Radeon RX 9070 Challenger 16GB GDDR6 Black
What Buyers Say
MSI GeForce RTX 3050 Gaming X 6GB GDDR6 Black
The RTX 3050 is widely praised as a budget-friendly card that runs on PCIe slot power alone, making it ideal for office PCs with low-wattage PSUs. Users highlight its solid 1080p gaming performance, DLSS 3 support, and quiet operation, though some note it's not a miracle worker and better options exist for a bit more money. Overall, it's seen as great value for entry-level builds.
Pros
- Runs on PCIe slot power only
- Low power draw (under 100W)
- Great 1080p gaming performance
- DLSS 3 support
- Quiet and cool operation
Cons
- Not a miracle worker
- Better options for slightly more money
- Fan noise after a year (one case)
- Price a bit steep vs used cards
ASRock Radeon RX 9070 Challenger 16GB GDDR6 Black
The ASRock Challenger RX 9070 is highly praised for its excellent 1440p gaming performance, often outperforming the RTX 5070 and offering great value at $549 or less. Users appreciate its quiet operation, low temperatures (staying under 50°C), and low power draw (around 160-220W), making it a solid choice for mid-range builds. However, a notable drawback is the non-customizable RGB light bar, which is static and can only be turned on or off, disappointing some buyers. Overall, it's recommended for gamers seeking strong performance without breaking the bank.
Pros
- Excellent 1440p gaming performance
- Outperforms RTX 5070
- Great value at $549 or less
- Quiet operation
- Low temperatures under 50°C
Cons
- Non-customizable RGB light bar
- Static RGB only on/off
- No bundled accessories
- Potential compatibility with older motherboards
Scores
Specifications
| MSI GeForce RTX 3050 Gaming X | ASRock Radeon RX 9070 Challenger | |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | ||
| GPU Chipset | GeForce RTX 3050 | Radeon RX 9070 |
| Brand | NVIDIA | AMD |
| Architecture | Ampere | RDNA 4 |
| Class | consumer | consumer |
| Process | 8 | 4★ |
| Memory | ||
| VRAM | 6 GB | 16 GB★ |
| Memory Type | GDDR6 | GDDR6 |
| Memory Bus | ||
| Bandwidth | ||
| Compute | ||
| CUDA Cores | No data | |
| Stream Processors | ||
| Tensor Cores | ||
| RT Cores | 16 | 56★ |
| Base Clock | ||
| Boost Clock | ||
| FP16 TFLOPS | 4.813000202178955 | 72.25★ |
| FP32 TFLOPS | 4.813000202178955 | 36.130001068115234★ |
| Performance | ||
| PassMark G3D | ||
| GPU Compute | ||
| Power & Cooling | ||
| TDP | 70★ | 220 |
| Recommended PSU | 550★ | 700 |
| Power Connectors | None | 2 x 8-Pin |
| Cooler | Dual Fan | Triple Fan★ |
| Fans | 2 | 3★ |
| Connectivity | ||
| Interface | PCI Express 4.0 x16 | PCI Express 5.0 x16 |
| DisplayPort | 1 | 3★ |
| HDMI | 2★ | 1 |
| Max Displays | 4 | 4 |
| Max Resolution | 7680 x 4320 | 7680 x 4320 |
| Physical | ||
| Length | 205★ | 290 |
| Slot Width | 2 | 2 |
| Form Factor | Full Height | ATX |
| Weight | 0.77 kg★ | 1.41 kg |
| Features | ||
| Ray Tracing | ✓ | ✓ |
| Upscaling | DLSS | DLSS 3 |
| AV1 Encode | ✓★ | — |
| VR Ready | — | ✓★ |
| DirectX | 12 Ultimate | 12 Ultimate |
| RGB | ✗ | ✓★ |
Pros & Cons
MSI GeForce RTX 3050 Gaming X 6GB GDDR6 Black
- Strong social proof (95th percentile)95th %ile
- Strong efficiency (91st percentile)91st %ile
- Strong affordability (81st percentile)81st %ile
- Strong feature (73rd percentile)
- Below average ai (19th percentile)19th %ile
- Below average compute (19th percentile)19th %ile
- Below average vram (23rd percentile)
- Below average raster (25th percentile)
ASRock Radeon RX 9070 Challenger 16GB GDDR6 Black
- Strong thermal (92nd percentile)92nd %ile
- Strong social proof (89th percentile)89th %ile
- Strong connectivity (82nd percentile)82nd %ile
- Strong efficiency (82nd percentile)82nd %ile
Pricing
Verdict
Scores 82 overall, wins 7 of 8 usage categories and 18 of 39 specs.
