Nvidia reportedly launching RTX 5050 GPU next month — but it may come with some disappointing upgrades

Tom's Guide

05-06-2025

Nvidia isn't done with its graphics card offerings just yet, it seems, as an RTX 5050 desktop GPU is now expected to launch over the coming weeks.
While lower-end RTX 5050 gaming laptops have been rumored for a while, Nvidia is reportedly planning to release a desktop model as soon as this July. This comes from sources speaking to VideoCardz, who confirm Team Green is gearing up for another GPU launch.
Leaked specs have also popped up, and there's some disappointing news. The RTX 5050 is tipped to use a GB207 die and 2,560 CUDA cores (for parallel processing). However, it's also rumored to use 8GB of GDDR6 VRAM (video memory).
While the amount of VRAM isn't surprising, seeing as RTX 5060 Ti and RTX 5060 models come with 8GB, coming with GDDR6 memory is a downgrade compared to the rest of the RTX 50-series family. This would be the same graphics memory as the RTX 40-series, albeit still an upgrade over the laptop-only RTX 4050 with its 6GB of GDDR6 VRAM.
Considering multiple laptop manufacturers have leaked RTX 5050-equipped notebooks, there's reason to believe that a desktop variant will now launch alongside them sometime next month. Of course, Nvidia has yet to officially announce its latest GPU, so we'll have to wait and see if this is accurate.
An RTX 5050 desktop GPU would be the first "50" variant since the RTX 3050, offering a new entry-level component for gaming PCs. Since the RTX 5060 already aims to be a pocket-friendly powerhouse for 1080p gameplay, it will be interesting to see where the RTX 5050 fits in — and how much it will cost.
From the specs we know, here's how the RTX 5050 compares to the RTX 5060:
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Nvidia GeForce RTX 5050
Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060
GPU Architecture
GB207
GB206
CUDA Cores
2560
3840
Video memory
8GB GDDR6
8GB GDDR7
TDP (Thermal Design Power)
130W
145W
Now, having 8GB GPUs has already caused a stir with many PC gamers, and now having a rumored RTX 5050 offering with last-gen graphics memory with 8GB isn't exactly ideal. However, we've seen how DLSS 4 can help the more affordably priced $299 RTX 5060 offer a boost in gaming performance.
If the RTX 5050 delivers Nvidia's DLSS 4 tech with multi-frame generation, it could still make for an interesting GPU for entry-level gaming. There's still no word on its price, but if the 5060 starts at $299, we can predict it may land at around the $199 mark.
With Nvidia's rumored APU for laptops sporting RTX 4070 performance, it appears Team Green has a lot in the works. That's not all it may have up its sleeve, as it's rumored to deliver RTX 5080 Super and 5070 Super GPUs this year, too.