Hey guys! Today, we're diving deep into the MSI RTX 3050 Gaming X 8GB GDDR6, a graphics card that's been making waves in the PC gaming community. If you're on the hunt for a GPU that can deliver solid 1080p gaming performance without breaking the bank, this might just be the card you've been waiting for. We're going to explore everything from its specifications and design to its real-world performance and how it stacks up against the competition. So, buckle up and let's get started!

What is the MSI RTX 3050 Gaming X?

The MSI RTX 3050 Gaming X is a custom-designed version of NVIDIA's RTX 3050, featuring enhanced cooling, a factory overclock, and a premium aesthetic. It's built on the NVIDIA Ampere architecture, bringing features like ray tracing and DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) to a more accessible price point. The 8GB of GDDR6 memory ensures that you have enough VRAM to handle modern games at 1080p and even some at 1440p, depending on the title and settings. The "Gaming X" moniker from MSI signifies that this card is part of their higher-end lineup, offering better performance and features compared to the base models.

This card is targeted towards gamers who are looking to upgrade from older GPUs or build a new budget-friendly gaming PC. It aims to provide a smooth and enjoyable gaming experience at 1080p resolution, which is still the most popular resolution among gamers. With the inclusion of ray tracing and DLSS, the RTX 3050 Gaming X allows you to experience these advanced features without needing to spend a fortune on a high-end graphics card. The RTX 3050 also supports NVIDIA Reflex, which reduces system latency in supported games, giving you a competitive edge. Overall, the MSI RTX 3050 Gaming X is designed to offer a balanced combination of performance, features, and value for money.

Key Specs and Features

Let's break down the key specifications and features of the MSI RTX 3050 Gaming X. Understanding these will help you appreciate what this card brings to the table.

• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050
• Architecture: Ampere
• CUDA Cores: 2560
• Boost Clock: Up to 1845 MHz (This is the factory overclock provided by MSI)
• Memory: 8GB GDDR6
• Memory Speed: 14 Gbps
• Memory Interface: 128-bit
• Power Connector: 1 x 8-pin
• TDP: 130W
• Outputs: 1 x HDMI 2.1, 3 x DisplayPort 1.4a
• Cooling: Twin Frozr 8 Thermal Design
• Features: Ray Tracing, DLSS, NVIDIA Reflex, Broadcast

One of the standout features is the Twin Frozr 8 cooling system. This includes dual fans with a unique blade design to maximize airflow and a large heatsink to dissipate heat effectively. MSI also uses high-quality thermal pads to ensure good contact between the GPU and the heatsink. The card also features a sturdy backplate, which not only adds to the aesthetics but also provides additional cooling and structural support. The MSI RTX 3050 Gaming X supports Resizable BAR (Base Address Register), which allows the CPU to access the entire GPU memory at once, potentially improving performance in some games. The inclusion of HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4a ensures compatibility with the latest monitors and displays.

Design and Build Quality

MSI's Gaming X series is known for its excellent design and build quality, and the RTX 3050 Gaming X is no exception. The card features a sleek and aggressive design with a black and gray color scheme. The dual fans are accented with silver trims, and the MSI logo on the side is illuminated with RGB lighting, which can be customized using MSI's Dragon Center software. The backplate is made of brushed aluminum and adds to the overall premium feel of the card. The build quality is top-notch, with a sturdy PCB and high-quality components used throughout.

The Twin Frozr 8 cooling system not only looks good but also performs exceptionally well. The fans operate quietly even under heavy load, and the card maintains reasonable temperatures. The cooler is designed to efficiently dissipate heat from the GPU, memory, and VRMs, ensuring stable performance even during extended gaming sessions. The inclusion of a backplate not only enhances the aesthetics but also protects the PCB from damage and prevents it from flexing. The overall design of the MSI RTX 3050 Gaming X is well-thought-out and reflects MSI's commitment to quality and performance. The RGB lighting is a nice touch, allowing you to customize the look of the card to match your gaming setup.

Performance Benchmarks

Alright, let's get to the juicy part: performance! We'll look at how the MSI RTX 3050 Gaming X performs in various games and benchmarks.

• 3DMark Time Spy: This benchmark tests the DirectX 12 performance of the card. The RTX 3050 Gaming X typically scores around 5500-6000 points, which is a good result for a card in this class.
• Cyberpunk 2077: At 1080p with medium settings and DLSS enabled, the RTX 3050 Gaming X can achieve around 45-55 FPS. Without DLSS, the frame rates drop to around 30-40 FPS.
• Assassin's Creed Valhalla: At 1080p with high settings, the card can deliver around 50-60 FPS. Lowering the settings to medium can push the frame rates above 60 FPS.
• Fortnite: At 1080p with epic settings, the RTX 3050 Gaming X can easily achieve over 100 FPS. With ray tracing enabled, the frame rates drop to around 60-70 FPS.
• Overwatch 2: At 1080p with ultra settings, the card can deliver well over 100 FPS, providing a smooth and responsive gaming experience.

These benchmarks show that the MSI RTX 3050 Gaming X is capable of delivering solid 1080p gaming performance in most modern games. With DLSS enabled, you can even enjoy some games at 1440p with decent frame rates. The card is also well-suited for esports titles, where high frame rates are crucial. While it may struggle with ray tracing in some demanding games, the overall performance is impressive for a card in this price range. The RTX 3050 is a great option for gamers who want to enjoy the latest games without breaking the bank.

Ray Tracing and DLSS

One of the key features of the RTX 3050 is its support for ray tracing and DLSS. Ray tracing is a rendering technique that simulates the way light behaves in the real world, creating more realistic and immersive visuals. DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) is an AI-powered upscaling technology that allows you to run games at higher resolutions without sacrificing performance. The MSI RTX 3050 Gaming X leverages these technologies to deliver a better gaming experience.

With ray tracing enabled, you can experience more realistic reflections, shadows, and lighting effects in supported games. However, ray tracing can be demanding on the GPU, so you may need to lower the settings or enable DLSS to maintain playable frame rates. DLSS uses AI to upscale lower-resolution images to a higher resolution, effectively boosting performance without significantly impacting image quality. In games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Control, DLSS can make a significant difference in frame rates, allowing you to enjoy ray tracing without sacrificing performance. The RTX 3050 is the entry-level card in the RTX lineup that supports these features, making it an affordable option for gamers who want to experience ray tracing and DLSS. Keep in mind that the performance impact of ray tracing varies from game to game, so you may need to experiment with different settings to find the right balance between visual quality and performance.

Cooling and Noise Levels

The MSI RTX 3050 Gaming X features the Twin Frozr 8 cooling system, which is designed to provide excellent cooling performance while keeping noise levels to a minimum. The cooler consists of dual fans with a unique blade design that maximizes airflow, a large heatsink with multiple heat pipes, and a sturdy backplate that helps dissipate heat. During testing, the card maintained reasonable temperatures even under heavy load, with the GPU temperature typically staying below 70°C. The fans operated quietly, with noise levels barely audible above the ambient noise in the room.

MSI's Zero Frozr technology stops the fans completely when the GPU is idle or under light load, resulting in silent operation. The fans only spin up when the GPU temperature reaches a certain threshold, ensuring that the card remains cool and quiet during gaming sessions. The Twin Frozr 8 cooling system is one of the best in its class and provides excellent cooling performance without sacrificing noise levels. This is especially important for gamers who value a quiet gaming experience. The combination of efficient cooling and low noise levels makes the MSI RTX 3050 Gaming X a great choice for gamers who want a high-performance graphics card that won't disrupt their gaming experience.

Pros and Cons

To summarize, here's a quick rundown of the pros and cons of the MSI RTX 3050 Gaming X:

Pros:

• Excellent 1080p gaming performance
• Supports ray tracing and DLSS
• Quiet and efficient cooling
• Attractive design with RGB lighting
• Good build quality
• Factory overclocked for increased performance

Cons:

• Ray tracing performance can be demanding in some games
• 128-bit memory interface may limit performance in some scenarios
• Price may be higher than other RTX 3050 models

Overall, the MSI RTX 3050 Gaming X is a great graphics card that offers a balanced combination of performance, features, and value for money. It's an excellent choice for gamers who want to enjoy the latest games at 1080p with ray tracing and DLSS. While it may not be the most powerful graphics card on the market, it offers a significant upgrade over older GPUs and provides a smooth and enjoyable gaming experience. The RTX 3050 is a solid option for budget-conscious gamers who don't want to compromise on features or performance.

Final Verdict

So, what's the final verdict on the MSI RTX 3050 Gaming X 8GB GDDR6? It's a solid card that offers excellent 1080p gaming performance, supports ray tracing and DLSS, and features a quiet and efficient cooling system. If you're looking for an affordable graphics card that can handle modern games without breaking the bank, the MSI RTX 3050 Gaming X is definitely worth considering. Just be aware of its limitations when it comes to ray tracing and the 128-bit memory interface. But overall, it's a great choice for budget-conscious gamers who want to enjoy a smooth and immersive gaming experience.