The Issues with the RTX 4050 Mobile

Summary

The RTX 4050 mobile graphics card offers a significant performance boost over its predecessor, with six gigabytes of VRAM and improved efficiency, making it suitable for gaming and graphic design tasks. However, the card's limited VRAM may struggle with future games, suggesting caution for gamers planning to play the latest AAA titles. Despite its drawbacks, the RTX 4050 performs well in Adobe apps and 3D rendering, making it a viable option for work-related tasks. Consider alternatives like AMD's RX 6600 M or 7600 M series for better VRAM if gaming is a priority.

Takeaways

• 💻 The RTX 4050 mobile is suitable for gaming on laptops, but its performance should be weighed against its cost-effectiveness.
• 📊 Nvidia's 50 series GPUs are popular but often lack the performance and value that gamers and hardware enthusiasts seek.
• 🆕 The RTX 4050 mobile is closer in performance to the RTX 4060 mobile than previous 50 series GPUs were to their 60 series counterparts.
• 🔋 The RTX 4050 mobile is more energy-efficient than its predecessors, using significantly less power for comparable performance.
• 🚀 Nvidia has increased the VRAM from 4GB in previous mobile GPUs to 6GB in the RTX 4050 mobile, but this might still not be sufficient for future games.
• 🎮 The RTX 4050 mobile can leverage DLSS 3.0 and frame generation to outperform the GTX 1080 TI in supported games.
• 📉 Some games already struggle with the 6GB VRAM of the RTX 4050, indicating that this might become a common issue in the future.
• 💾 The small memory bus of the RTX 4050 can cause performance issues at higher resolutions, especially when VRAM is maxed out.
• 💰 RTX 4050 laptops are currently overpriced considering the cost per FPS ratio, and there may be better deals with previous generation GPUs.
• 🖥 For work-related tasks, the RTX 4050 mobile performs well in applications like Photoshop and Premiere Pro, making it a viable option for professionals.

Q & A

What is the RTX 4050 mobile's performance compared to its predecessors?

The RTX 4050 mobile is about 30 to 50 percent faster than its predecessor, the RTX 3050, which is a significant improvement.

How does the RTX 4050 mobile's popularity compare to AMD GPUs according to the March 2023 Steam survey?

According to the March 2023 Steam survey, Nvidia's 50 Series GPUs have a total market share of around 15 percent, which is almost five percent more than the combined total of all AMD GPUs.

Why might the RTX 4050 mobile not be ideal for gamers?

While the RTX 4050 mobile is a strong GPU for a 50 Series card, it may not be ideal for gamers due to its limited VRAM, which could soon be too small for new and upcoming titles.

What is the RTX 4050 mobile's VRAM capacity and how does it compare to previous models?

The RTX 4050 mobile comes with six gigabytes of VRAM, which is an increase from the four gigabytes in previous models like the 3000 Series, 1650 Series, and 1050 Series for laptop models.

How does the RTX 4050 mobile's power consumption compare to the GTX 1080 TI?

The RTX 4050 mobile consumes significantly less power than the GTX 1080 TI. It won't draw more than 75 to 95 watts in games, whereas the GTX 1080 TI used up to 250 watts.

What features of the RTX 4050 mobile allow it to potentially outperform the GTX 1080 TI?

The RTX 4050 mobile can take advantage of features like DLSS 3.0 and frame generation, which are only available on the RTX 4000 series. When these features are activated, it can outperform the GTX 1080 TI in supported games.

What are the potential issues with the RTX 4050 mobile's VRAM in newer games?

Even with six gigabytes of VRAM, the RTX 4050 mobile may struggle with newer games, as some titles are already pushing the limits of this capacity, leading to crashes or performance issues.

Is the RTX 4050 mobile suitable for work-related tasks such as graphic design?

Yes, the RTX 4050 mobile is suitable for work-related tasks like graphic design in Adobe apps such as Photoshop or Premiere Pro, where VRAM is less critical and the GPU performs well.

What is the author's recommendation for gamers looking to play the latest AAA games in the next two to three years?

The author recommends that gamers looking to play the latest AAA games for the next two to three years should consider GPUs with at least eight gigabytes of VRAM or more, as the RTX 4050's VRAM may become insufficient.

How does the RTX 4050 mobile perform at 1440p resolution?

The RTX 4050 mobile can struggle at 1440p resolution, especially with its small memory bus causing issues and potentially leading to lower frame rates and blurry textures.

What alternatives does the author suggest for gamers with a tight budget?

For gamers with a tight budget, the author suggests considering AMD's RX 6600 M, 7600 M, or 7600 S, which come with eight gigabytes of VRAM and are weaker in ray tracing but offer better value for money.

Outlines

00:00

💻 RTX 4050 Mobile GPU Overview

The paragraph introduces the RTX 4050 mobile GPU for laptops, discussing its potential for gaming and graphic design tasks. It highlights the GPU's popularity, comparing it to AMD GPUs, and notes that while not favored by gamers and hardware enthusiasts due to its smaller VRAM and slower speed compared to the 60 series, the 50 series GPUs are often a first gaming PC for many. The RTX 4050 mobile is noted to be close in performance to the RTX 4060 mobile, which is a significant improvement over previous models. The paragraph also mentions the increased VRAM from 4GB to 6GB, a first since the GTX 900 series in 2014, and compares the power efficiency of the RTX 4050 mobile to the GTX 1080 TI, emphasizing the former's lower energy consumption for similar performance.

05:01

🎮 RTX 4050 Mobile: Gaming Performance and VRAM Limitations

This section delves into the gaming performance of the RTX 4050 mobile, noting that while it performs similarly to high-end desktop GPUs like the GTX 1080 TI, it does so with much less power consumption. However, the paragraph points out that the GPU's 6GB VRAM might not be sufficient for newer games, which could lead to crashes or performance issues. It contrasts the RTX 4050's VRAM with that of the GTX 1060 and GTX 1080 TI, which had more VRAM for their time. The paragraph also discusses the impact of VRAM on graphical settings and the potential for future games to require more than 6GB, suggesting that the RTX 4050 may not be future-proof for gaming. It mentions specific games that struggle with 6GB VRAM and the potential risks of investing in a laptop with this GPU for gaming in the next few years.

10:01

🖥️ RTX 4050 Mobile for Work and Higher Resolutions

The final paragraph addresses the suitability of the RTX 4050 mobile for work-related tasks, such as video editing and 3D rendering in applications like Adobe Premiere Pro and Blender. It suggests that the GPU performs well for these tasks and that VRAM is less of a concern in such scenarios. The paragraph also touches on the GPU's performance at higher resolutions like 1440p, noting potential issues with the memory bus and the native resolution of new laptops. It advises against purchasing an RTX 4050 laptop for gaming if the user intends to play the latest AAA titles in the next few years due to the potential VRAM limitations. Instead, it recommends considering GPUs with at least 8GB of VRAM or alternatives like AMD's RX 6600 M or 7600 M series. The paragraph concludes with a reminder to subscribe and engage in the comments for further assistance with laptop decisions.

Keywords

💡RTX 4050

The RTX 4050 is a mobile graphics card designed for laptops, as discussed in the video. It represents an advancement in the 50 series of Nvidia's GPU lineup, offering improved performance and efficiency. The video compares its capabilities with previous models and other GPUs, emphasizing its potential for gaming and graphic design tasks. For instance, it's noted that the RTX 4050 is close in performance to the RTX 4060 and is more efficient than older models like the GTX 1080 TI, drawing significantly less power.

💡VRAM

VRAM, or Video Random Access Memory, is a type of memory used by a computer's graphics card. The video discusses the RTX 4050's VRAM as a critical factor in its performance. It mentions that the RTX 4050 comes with 6GB of VRAM, an increase from previous models, but raises concerns about whether this amount will be sufficient for future games, which may demand more memory for higher graphical fidelity.

💡DLSS 3.0

DLSS, or Deep Learning Super Sampling, is a technology developed by Nvidia that uses AI to enhance the performance of games on compatible GPUs. The video highlights that the RTX 4050 supports DLSS 3.0, which can improve frame rates in supported games by using AI to render fewer pixels and upscale them to the screen resolution. This feature is significant as it allows the RTX 4050 to potentially outperform older, more powerful GPUs like the GTX 1080 TI in certain scenarios.

💡Frame Generation

Frame generation is a feature that works in tandem with DLSS to create additional frames, effectively increasing the frame rate of games. The video script mentions that the RTX 4050 can take advantage of frame generation, which, when combined with DLSS, can lead to significant performance improvements in supported games. However, this feature can also increase VRAM usage, which could be problematic given the RTX 4050's 6GB limit.

💡GTX 1080 TI

The GTX 1080 TI is a high-end desktop graphics card from Nvidia, mentioned in the video as a benchmark for comparing the performance of the RTX 4050. It's noted that the RTX 4050's performance is almost identical to the GTX 1080 TI but with much better power efficiency. This comparison helps to illustrate the progress in GPU technology and the RTX 4050's capabilities relative to a well-regarded predecessor.

💡Steam Survey

The Steam Survey is a tool that collects data on the hardware used by Steam users to play games. The video references the March 2023 Steam Survey to highlight the popularity of Nvidia's 50 series GPUs, which account for around 15% of all graphics cards in the survey. This statistic is used to contextualize the RTX 4050's market position and the general reception of the 50 series GPUs.

💡Efficiency

In the context of the video, efficiency refers to the balance between a GPU's performance and its power consumption. The RTX 4050 is praised for its efficiency, drawing much less power than the GTX 1080 TI while delivering comparable performance. This is particularly relevant given current concerns about energy usage and environmental impact, making efficiency an important selling point for the RTX 4050.

💡Gaming Laptop

A gaming laptop is a type of laptop specifically designed for playing games, which typically requires more powerful hardware than a standard laptop. The video discusses the RTX 4050's suitability for gaming laptops, examining its performance in various games and its potential longevity in handling future game releases. The gaming laptop is central to the video's theme as it's the primary platform for the RTX 4050's use.

💡Graphic Design

Graphic design is a creative profession that involves the use of software to create visual content. The video touches on the RTX 4050's applicability for graphic design tasks, suggesting that its VRAM may not be as critical for these tasks as it is for gaming. This highlights the varied requirements of different use cases and how the RTX 4050 might perform in a professional context.

💡GPU

A GPU, or Graphics Processing Unit, is a specialized electronic circuit designed to rapidly manipulate and alter memory to accelerate the creation of images in a frame buffer intended for output to a display device. The video is primarily focused on the RTX 4050, a mobile GPU, discussing its performance, VRAM, and suitability for various tasks such as gaming and graphic design.

💡Optimization

In the context of the video, optimization refers to the process of improving the efficiency and performance of software, particularly games. The script mentions that some games struggle with the 6GB VRAM of the RTX 4050, suggesting that better optimization by developers could help alleviate this issue. This concept is important as it affects the user experience and the longevity of the GPU's ability to run new games smoothly.

Highlights

RTX 4050 mobile is suitable for gaming laptops and may be helpful for those considering this graphics card.

For work-related and graphic design tasks, the last dedicated section of the video provides specific insights.

Nvidia's 50 series graphic cards are popular, with a 15% market share according to the March 2023 Steam survey.

RTX 4050 mobile is closer in performance to the RTX 4060 mobile compared to previous 50 series cards.

RTX 4050 mobile comes with an additional 2 gigabytes of VRAM, totaling 6 gigabytes.

RTX 4050 mobile's power consumption is significantly lower than that of the GTX 1080 TI.

Despite lower power consumption, RTX 4050 mobile may have VRAM limitations for future games.

RTX 4050 mobile's VRAM is less than the GTX 1080 TI, which had 11 gigabytes.

The RTX 4050 mobile can utilize DLSS 3.0 and frame generation features, potentially outperforming the GTX 1080 TI.

Some games already struggle with 6 gigabytes of VRAM on the RTX 4050 mobile.

Nvidia may be reducing VRAM in their GPUs, which could impact the performance of new titles.

RTX 4050 mobile performs well in games like World of Warcraft and Forza Horizon.

The RTX 4050 mobile may not be suitable for gamers planning to play the latest AAA games in the next few years.

For those on a budget, AMD's RX 6600 M or 7600 M/S might be a better option with 8 gigabytes of VRAM.

RTX 4050 mobile is a strong GPU for 50 series but may have limitations for new and upcoming titles.

RTX 4050 mobile is suitable for work-related tasks such as Adobe apps and 3D rendering.

RTX 4050 laptops are currently overpriced considering the cost per FPS ratio.

For those looking for a laptop mostly for work tasks, the RTX 4050 mobile should perform well.

Transcripts

today we need to talk about the RTX 4050

mobile for laptops and if you're

thinking of purchasing a laptop with

this graphics card for gaming you might

find this video very helpful if you're

thinking about buying it for work

related and graphic design tasks you can

just jump right to the last dedicated

section of this video but before we

begin the vast majority of people

watching my videos aren't subscribers

yet so well you obviously know how it

works

okay in general nvidia's 50 serious

graphic cards have been quite successful

considering their popularity according

to the March 2023 steam survey the total

percentage of Nvidia 50 Series gpus

amounts to around 15 percent amongst all

graphic cards which is almost five

percent more than the combined total of

all AMD gpus despite their popularity

they're usually not very popular amongst

Gamers and Hardware enthusiasts I can

understand why as they are usually

having a smaller vram they are slower

than the next higher 60 series and the

60 series often offers better value in

terms of the dollar per FPS ratio

meaning that you would have to pay more

dollars per FPS on a 50 Series card but

for many people the 50 Series GPU is

their first access to a real gaming PC

and they tend to Value it for that and

make the best out of it however in this

year the RTX 4050 mobile was released

and for the first time since the GTX 900

series around 2014 the RTX 4050 is

pretty close to its faster neighbor the

RTX 4060 mobile and that's a good thing

right it's kind of common sense that

faster Hardware raises the price per FPS

ratio instead of lowering it meaning you

usually have to pay much more for only a

little more performance at least it's

usually been like that for CPUs and GPU

since I started PC gaming around 30

years ago additionally Nvidia finally

decided to support it with an extra 2

gigabyte of vram so now it provides six

gigabyte of vram instead of the four

gigabyte it had for the 3000 Series the

1650 series and even the 1050 series at

least for the laptop models finally our

players have been answered right well

yes and no I've been testing quite a few

RDX 4050 laptops in the last two months

and my initial enthusiasm has dropped by

a bit when we compare the RTX 4050

mobile raw power to a desktop GPU the

famous GTX 1080 TI or the rtx20 super

are almost identical in performance and

it achieves that with a lot less power

in fact the RTX 4050 mobile will not

draw more than 75 to around 95 watt in

games regardless of the version you're

using even the 130 watt version behaves

that way

in contrast the GTX 1080 TI was using up

to 250 watt in gaming which is three

times as much and that's great right

it's the third of the energy usage for

the same performance so the efficiency

is three times better especially today

with all the energy crisis and climate

change that's a good thing it's actually

amazing and I love the efficiency

however Nvidia chose to cut some Corners

in other aspects again as I've mentioned

the RTX 4050 mobile finally comes with

six gigabyte vram where its predecessor

only had four at least for the mobile

gpus but the desk version already had a

whopping 8 gigabyte and to be honest

with all my testing over the last two

months I have to admit that even 6

gigabyte vram isn't enough anymore in

the newest games even the GTX 1060 from

6 years ago had six gigabyte of vram

already which was absolutely fine back

then and the GTX 1080 TI desktop it had

the same performance like the RDX 4050

more while as mentioned before but it

had 11 gigabyte of vram which is almost

double the size so we are kind of

getting a GTX 1080 TI with only 6

gigabyte vram

the issue with the 50 Series gpus is

that they have the raw power to run

games and resolutions and frame rates

that actually would benefit from more

vram and the graphical settings too this

is especially true for the RDX 4050 and

the RDX 3050 from two years ago because

both of them would have benefited from

more vram clearly furthermore the 4050

can take advantage of the LSS 3.0 and

frame generation to graphic options only

available on the RTX 4000 series and

with these features activated the card

can even clearly outperform the GTX 1080

TI in supported games but using frame

generation usually actually even

increases the vram demand by a small

amount then unfortunately vram cannot be

downloaded or upgraded so you're totally

stuck with what you initially buy While

most games currently work with 6

gigabyte of vram this will definitely

change in the near future for example I

recently tested The Last of Us on the

Lenovo Legion Pro 5i in the RTX 4050 and

the game crashed after just a few

minutes of gameplay every time I tested

it additionally games like Hogwarts

Legacy struggle with 6 gigabyte vram

even on medium and high settings or let

alone Ultra in games like force Bolton

recommend 12 gigabyte vram even at full

HD some may argue that it's the

developer's responsibility to optimize

their games better and I kind of agree

but with more console ports from the PS5

they are being forced to completely

rework their code which can often cause

the high vram usage therefore it's

likely that soon you won't be able to

play new games

maybe not even a 1080P and low settings

on this GPU then I guess not a lot of

Gamers would want to lower their

resolution to 720p on a new 1500 laptop

and The Last of Us on no settings it

just looks really bad While most games

and especially esport titles or Games

like World of Warcraft Forza Horizon and

FIFA we're on just fine the majority of

Gamers don't know which games they'll be

playing in the next few years spending

so much money on a laptop that won't be

able to run upcoming games properly is a

risk you might not want to take Nvidia

is just once again cheaping out on vram

and it's not just this GPU that's a

factor and rumors have it that even the

desktop 4050 will be reduced to 6

gigabyte as well which is actually

outrageous and it would basically render

the GPU Dead on Arrival especially with

nvidia's price policy however I even

tested some games at 1440p on the 4050

mobile which is the next High resolution

after full HD AKA 1080p I've made a

dedicated video in which I compare both

resolutions on that CPU so if you're

interested in that you can watch it over

here or in the description

I actually think that the RTX 4050 small

memory bus is causing issues on higher

resolutions

and nowadays many new laptops with the

RTX 4050 already have 1440p as their

native resolution for the screen which I

find to be completely unnecessary and

actually counterproductive like for

example in Assassin's Creed Valhalla you

can clearly see here that at 44mp and

ultra settings the frame rate

drastically drops even though the vram

isn't displayed as full which is not

always 100 percent correct by the way

so what's happening is that the laptop

needs to access the regular Ram as

additional vram and the regular Ram of

the laptop is way slower than the vram

forcing the FPS down to a number it can

cope with this will usually also cause

muddy and blurry textures that GPU

doesn't manage to cope with reloading

the textures which is what happened in

Hogwarts Legacy at 1440p even on the

high settings as you can see here

without going into too many technical

details about the small memory bus and

bandwidth the RDX 4050 does have its

issues when people ask me if they should

buy an RTX 3060 mobile 3070 mobile or 40

50 laptop I always say it depends on

several factors including which games

they'll be playing their budget the cost

of the laptops they have in mind in

their country and the decision is almost

never easy I mean overall the RDX 4050

is a pretty strong GPU for a 50 Series

car then it's about 30 to 50 percent

faster than its predecessor the other X

3050 which is a big Improvement

however it's important to be aware that

the car's vram may very soon be too

small for new and upcoming titles making

it difficult or impossible to play them

therefore I cannot really recommend this

GPU unless you're fully aware of its

limitations and will likely only play

games that don't require much vram if

you're looking to play the latest AAA

games for the next two to three years I

must warn you not to get this GPU

Instead try to get at least eight

gigabyte of vram or even more if

possible

I mean if your budget is tight you

should consider an AMD RX 6600 M or 7600

M or 7600 s instead as they come with

eight gigabyte of vram

of course these cards are weaker in Ray

tracing but Ray tracing on a entry-level

GPU isn't the best idea anyways and on

the RTX 4050 it will instantly fill the

vram Beyond its size

and of course the budget definitely is a

topic for most people as well as all RTX

4050 laptops as of now are way too

expensive considering the cost per FPS

ratio you would most certainly get

better deals with last Generations RTX

3060 or even RDX 3070 laptops which on

the other hand don't have dlss 3.0 and

frame generation and they are usually

paired with slightly slower processors

but if you're looking for laptop that

you mostly plan on using for work

related tasks the other x450 mobile is

most likely fine the vram is definitely

less important in Adobe apps like

Photoshop or Premiere Pro and the car

will perform really pretty well in these

apps 4K video editing and big Photoshop

composings are perfectly doable you

could even use the RTX 4050 for blender

even though big and complex renderings

might fail to finish the final render

especially when you're using Optics as a

render

but everything before the final render

will be pretty fast so working with

blender will be fast and the car will

perform just fine in other 3D apps as

well okay so that's all for today I

really hope the video did help you a bit

in making a decision or maybe you're

even more confused now well let me know

in the comments and if you can't decide

between two laptops just post their

names their specs and price in the

comments and I'm pretty sure that either

me or some of my subscribers will help

you out with that question

thanks for watching don't forget to

subscribe see you next time bye bye and

cheers

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