MSI GeForce RTX 5050 Shadow 2X Evaluation: Price range Blackwell Gaming Examined

	MSI GeForce RTX 5050 Shadow 2X 8GB: $249 The GeForce RTX 5050 is the most-affordable graphics card primarily based on NVIDIA’s Blackwell structure that targets mainstream avid gamers, and is the primary RTX XX50 sequence GPU for the desktop in years.
	Blackwell Structure Energy Environment friendly Smaller Kind Issue Cool And Quiet DLSS4 And RTX Neural Rendering Newest Media Engine	Trails 5060 By A Massive Margin 8GB Will Restrict Future Efficiency Unexciting Efficiency

Though up to date fashions and a few new Tremendous playing cards will doubtless be coming to the GeForce RTX 50 sequence for desktops, at this cut-off date, NVIDIA is completed constructing out its main GeForce RTX 50 sequence product stack. We’ve taken a have a look at each mannequin so far, from the flagship GeForce RTX 5090 on all the way down to the mainstream GeForce RTX 5060. At this time although, we’re testing the entry-level GeForce RTX 5050, with a card from MSI. In case you recall, there was no RTX 4050 sequence desktop GPU with the earlier technology. With the RTX 50 sequence, nevertheless, as a consequence of its expanded characteristic set, up to date core architectures, and enhanced media engine, NVIDIA thought a GeForce RTX 5050 was warranted – so, right here we’re.

The precise card we’ll be testing is the MSI GeForce RTX 5050 Shadow 2X. The branding offers away a lot of the story – the Shadow 2X is a dual-slot, dual-fan design — however right here’s a fast have a look at the primary options and specs, earlier than we get extra up shut and private and dive into some benchmarks…

MSI GeForce RTX 5050 Specs

In case you haven’t already completed so, we advocate testing our Blackwell structure protection and a few earlier GeForce RTX 50 sequence opinions. There are numerous extra GPU particulars we’ve coated beforehand that we received’t re-hash once more right here. To shortly reiterate, GeForce RTX 5050 playing cards are constructed round NVIDIA’s GB207 GPU, which is the smallest, most power-friendly Blackwell-based GPU within the present RTX 50-series line-up.

The GB207 GPU powering the MSI GeForce RTX 5050 Shadow 2X is equivalent to its bigger siblings when it comes to it characteristic assist. It affords the whole thing of options inherent to the Blackwell structure, like DLSS 4 with multi-frame-gen, the newest NVENC/NVDEC encoders and decoders, and assist for different NVIDIA applied sciences like NVIDIA Reflex, to call only a few. Nevertheless, NVIDIA’s GB207 is scaled down to deal with decrease energy and efficiency targets with a lower cost level.

The GB207 as configured on the GeForce RTX 5050 has 20 SMs, 2,560 CUDA cores, 80 Tensor cores, and 20 RT cores, with a 128-bit reminiscence interface. NVIDIA’s reference specs name for a typical increase clock within the 2,460MHz vary (this MSI card runs quicker, although) and the 8GB of GDDR6 reminiscence on the cardboard operates at an efficient information price of 20Gbps, which equates to only over 320GB/s of reminiscence bandwidth over the cardboard’s 128-bit reminiscence interface. The bigger L2 cache in Blackwell GPUs (32MB within the GB207) versus previous-gen choices, nevertheless, leads to extra environment friendly use of that reminiscence bandwidth as properly.

The MSI GeForce RTX 5050 Shadow 2X

When it comes to its options and specs, the MSI GeForce RTX 5050 Shadow 2X intently matches NVIDIA’s reference spec save for its max increase frequency. Clearly, all GeForce RTX 5050s are powered by the identical GPU, however additionally they have equivalent reminiscence configurations. Coolers and PCB designs will differ from card to card and amongst board companions, nevertheless.

Getting again to the MSI GeForce RTX 5050 Shadow 2X, it affords two modes of operation, and “Excessive Efficiency” mode with a 2,617MHz increase clock and a normal mode with a 2,610MHz increase clock. Notice, nevertheless, that to allow Excessive Efficiency, you need to set up the MSI Heart utility.

The MSI GeForce RTX 5050 Shadow 2X incorporates a extra traditional-looking dual-fan cooler setup, with each followers mounted on the identical aspect. And total, the graphics card is considerably compact at about 7.75”. In case you look intently on the photos, nevertheless, you’ll be aware that the MSI GeForce RTX 5050 Shadow 2X’s PCB is far shorter than the cooler. The PCB truly ends proper alongside the PCIe energy connector. Notice, there’s no 12HPWR connector on this card, in favor of a normal 8-pin PCIe connector.

The principle heatsink on the cardboard is all aluminum, with a dense array of fins that primarily covers your complete entrance aspect of the board. That heatsink is mounted on to the GPU and makes contact with the VRM and reminiscence, and there’s a heatpipe that helps wick warmth away from the GPU straight, and route it to the far edges of the heatsink.

The followers on the cardboard blow straight onto the heatsink, the place a few of the air might be exhausted from the chassis by the case bracket, and the remainder travels by the heatsink, much like different graphics playing cards with pass-through cooling designs.

The bottom of the MSI GeForce RTX 5050 Shadow 2X is roofed with a stylized plate, which is fabricated from steel, not like some low-priced playing cards that use plastic. The whole fan shroud is fabricated from plastic composite materials, and the cardboard is comparatively light-weight and received’t want the identical type of structural assist of heavier, higher-end playing cards.

The MSI GeForce RTX 5050 Shadow 2X is simply two slots broad and makes use of a normal 8-pin PCI Categorical energy connector. Whole board energy is 130W, in order that one PCIe 8-pin connector (150W) plus the 75W accessible from the slot, is a lot and affords a ton of headroom, although there’s not numerous wiggle room for overclocking, as you’ll see later.

As for its output configuration, the MSI GeForce RTX 5050 Shadow 2X is equivalent to most different mainstream designs, with three DisplayPorts (DP 2.1b) and a single HDMI (additionally 2.1b) output.

And with that, let’s get to some benchmarks…