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Graphics cards are one of the most important pieces of hardware for gamers. Because most PC enthusiasts are gamers, we must discuss graphics cards from time to time. Also, even though most computer tech channels usually discuss high-end graphics cards, lower-end GPUs are important. Therefore, today, let’s examine the RTX 3050 vs RX 6600 graphics cards.

Key Takeaways

• The RX 6600 had a 37% performance advantage over its Nvidia rival during our testing at 1080p.
• Despite its lower performance, the RTX 3050 consumed around 16% more power than the RX 6600 on average.
• As the final nail in the coffin, the current price of the RX 6600 is around $30 lower than that of the RTX 3050.

Comparison Table

Name	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050	AMD RX 6600
Node	Samsung 8nm	TSMC 7nm
Architecture	Ampere	RDNA 2.0
CUDA Cores/Stream Processors	2560	1792
Memory Clock	14 Gbps	14 Gbps
Memory Bandwidth	224 GB/s	224 GB/s
RT Cores	20	28
Tensor Cores	80	N/A
TDP	130W	132W
Power Connector	1 x 8 pin	1 x 8 pin
Launch Year	January 27, 2022	October 13, 2021
Best Variants	Best RTX 3050 Cards	-

Architectural Differences

1. Core Clocks: Starting off with the frequency of both GPUs, the RX 6600 seems to be in a substantial lead in this area. The RTX 3050 has a base clock of 1552MHz, while the RX 6600’s base is around 1626MHz. Similarly, the 1777MHz boost clock of the 3050 is lower than the 2491MHz boost of the 6600.
2. VRAM: Both processors provide 8GB of video memory, which is cutting on the bare minimum for today’s day and age.
3. Process Node: The 8nm Samsung manufacturing nodes on the RTX 3050 are slightly less advanced than the 7nm TSMC nodes on the RX 6600, making us speculate that the 3050 will be a little less efficient.
4. TDP: The TDP is also very similar between these two processors, with the RTX 3050 being rated for 130 watts of power, while the AMD RX 6600 is rated for two watts higher.

RX 6600 VS RTX 3050 Gaming Benchmarks

In any case, after looking at the on-paper specifications, let’s get ready for the real deal. Because we’re comparing two graphics cards, the best way to compare their performance is through multiple games. This is why we fixed up a test bench to show you the strengths and weaknesses of both GPUs.

Testing Rig

• Processor: Intel Core i9 12900K
• Motherboard: MSI MPG Z690 Force
• RAM: XPG Lancer 5200 MHz 32 GB DDR5
• CPU Cooler: Be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4
• Storage: Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus G 2TB
• Resolution: 1080p

God Of War

• Right off the rib, the RTX 3050 was significantly slower than the RX 6600, with an average performance of 35 FPS, while the Radeon card gave an average of 57 FPS. Our testing starts off with an incredible 62% advantage for the RX 6600.
• The 1% lows were around 32 FPS for the 3050 in our test of God Of War, while the 6600 managed a much smoother minimum of 50 FPS.

Cyberpunk 2077

• Our test of Cyberpunk proves that the previous test was not a fluke, with the 3050 getting an average framerate of 56 FPS, while the RX 6600 had an average of 76 FPS, which equates to the Radeon card getting around 35% higher performance.
• The 1% lows were also better on the 6600, hanging around 58 FPS. The 3050, in contrast, had lows of around 47 FPS.

Control

• The advantage of the RX 6600 became a relatively modest 20% in our test of Control with an average framerate of 84 FPS, while the RTX 3050 averaged a framerate of around 70 FPS.
• The 1% lows, felt smoother on the RX 6600 at around 70 FPS, as opposed to the 59 FPS minimum of the RTX 3050.

Days Gone

• When testing Days Gone on both processors, we witnessed a 40% performance uplift on the Radeon card with an average framerate of 100 FPS, while the RTX 3050 had an average framerate of around 71 FPS.
• The 1% lows were also falling behind on the RTX 3050 at around 52 FPS, while the RX 6600 had lows closer to 74 FPS.

Forza Horizon 5

• There was a 50% advantage for the AMD card in our test of Forza Horizon 5, with an average framerate of around 154 FPS, while the RTX 3050 only managed a framerate of around 102 FPS.
• The 1% lows were also not great on the RTX 3050 at around 85 FPS, while the RX 6600 had a much better performance with lows around 128 FPS.

Hitman 3

• Hitman 3 saw a 33% improvement on the RX 6600, with averages of around 143 FPS, while the RTX 3050 had an average framerate of around 107 FPS.
• The 1% lows were around 86 FPS in this game on the RTX 3050, while the RX 6600 had lows of around 112 FPS.

Horizon Zero Dawn

• The winning streak for AMD continued in Horizon Zero Dawn, with the RX 6600 getting an average framerate of 78 FPS, which was around 26% greater than what we saw with the RTX 3050’s 62 FPS average.
• The 1% lows on the 3050 hit 60 FPS, whereas the RX 6600 was substantially smoother with lows of around 74 FPS.

Microsoft Flight Simulator

• Finally, the last game of our testing enjoyed a 30% boost on the RX 6600, with an average framerate of 66 FPS, while the RTX 3050 had an average framerate of only 51 FPS.
• The 1% lows were the closest we’ve seen between these two processors, with the RTX 3050 going down to a minimum of 33 FPS, while the RX 6600 had lows of around 38 FPS.

Overall Gaming Performance

Now that we have substantial data on the performance of both of these graphics card, the subsequent parts of this comparison will deal with the overall performance of these cards instead of on a game-to-game basis.

The average framerate of the RTX 3050 at 1080p through our testing was around 69 FPS, while the RX 6600 had an average that was closer to 95 FPS. This calculates to the RX 6600 being 37% faster than the GeForce card on average. The advantage of the RX 6600 is that it makes a night-and-day difference in gaming performance, and the gap will only grow wider as both cards age.

As for 1% lows, the RTX 3050 had a mediocre performance of around 57 FPS, while the RX 6600 managed to be much smoother with lows of 75 FPS. This contributed to the RX 6600 to have noticeably less stuttering than the RTX 3050.

Power Consumption

Despite the higher performance of the RX 6600, the RTX 3050 managed to pull more power from the wall on average, with a power consumption of 127 watts throughout the eight games we tested, while the RX 6600 only consumed around 107 watts of power. This cements the RX 6600 as being markedly more power efficient than its rival in this test.

Bear in mind that the power consumption of your GPU has a strong correlation with its cooling solution, so these numbers might vary according to the exact graphics card variant you have.

Price And Availability

The going price for an RX 6600 is $200, whereas the RTX 3050 is surprisingly more expensive at nearly $230. This situates both cards near each other in price as entry-level options.

As for availability, these cards should be stocked up everywhere you go, though you will get the best deal with them if you buy them on the used market.

What We Recommend

Now that we have skimmed the ins and outs of the RTX 3050 vs RX 6600, part of the comparison will highlight the strengths and weaknesses of each.

Starting with the RTX 3050, it seems to have no saving grace. It consumes more power, it is more expensive, and it performs worse than the RX 6600. You could get the performance of this card up with upscaling, but at that point, you could do the same with the Radeon card and keep the same ratio between the two.

The RX 6600, however, is an excellent performing card for its price segment. It gives Nvidia a run for its money in the entry-level market, promoting competition that ultimately benefits the consumer.

Pros And Cons

Nvidia Geforce RTX 3050		AMD Radeon RX 6600
Pros	Cons	Pros	Cons
- Better ray tracing performance	- Higher price -Lower Performance	- Lower Price -Higher Performance	-Not powerful enough to play at resolutions over 1080p

[wsfq]Do the RX 6600 and RTX 3050 need external power?[/wsfq] [wsfa]Yes, both cards need to be plugged in with an 8-pin power cable.[/wsfa] [wsfq]What architecture is the RTX 3050 based upon?[/wsfq] [wsfa]The RTX 3050 uses Nvidia’s Ampere architecture.[/wsfa] [wsfq]What architecture does the RX 6600 use?[/wsfq] [wsfa]The RX 6600 is based upon the RDNA 2.0 architecture.[/wsfa]

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