NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data is unambiguous: the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti wins all 11 recorded head-to-head tests against the GTX 1050. No test in the database favors the non-Ti model. The margin varies widely, from a near-tie in one API to a massive gap in modern DirectX 12 workloads.

The largest single delta appears in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, where the GTX 1050 Ti scores 305 against the GTX 1050's 122. That is a 150% advantage, the most decisive result in the entire comparison. This test is particularly demanding on modern rendering paths, and the gap suggests the Ti's additional hardware resources scale strongly under DX12. The PassMark DirectX 12 test reinforces this pattern: 26 versus 20, a 30% lead for the Ti.

Compute workloads also favor the Ti substantially. In Geekbench OpenCL, the Ti records 18129 points versus 15233, a 19% advantage. PassMark GPU Compute shows 2652 against 2091, a 26.8% lead. These results indicate the Ti's larger shader array translates directly into higher raw compute throughput, not just rasterization gains.

The DirectX 9 and DirectX 11 legacy tests show consistent, moderate leads. PassMark DirectX 9: 104 versus 83, a 25.3% delta. PassMark DirectX 11: 45 versus 38, an 18.4% delta. The Ti also leads in PassMark DirectX 10 by 29.2% (31 versus 24). These older API results are closer than the DX12 gap, but the Ti still holds a comfortable edge in every generation of DirectX tested.

The narrowest win is in Geekbench Metal, where the Ti scores 7834 and the GTX 1050 scores 7823. That is a 0.1% delta, effectively a statistical tie. This is notable because Metal is Apple's graphics API, and the near-identical scores suggest both cards are limited by similar factors in that specific environment, likely memory bandwidth or driver overhead rather than shader count.

Geekbench Vulkan shows an 11.2% lead for the Ti (10001 versus 8995). Vulkan is a low-overhead API, and the Ti's advantage here is smaller than in DX12, which may reflect how the two architectures allocate work across their different shader configurations.

The 2D test is worth separate attention. PassMark G2D gives the Ti 651 points versus 457 for the GTX 1050, a 42.5% delta. This is the second-largest percentage gap in the dataset after the 3DMark result. Since both cards share the same memory bus width and type, the G2D difference likely stems from the Ti's higher pixel rate: 44.54 GPixel/s versus 46.56 GPixel/s for the GTX 1050, which is actually lower. That inversion is curious, but the G2D score includes more than raw fill rate, and the recorded data shows a decisive Ti win.

PassMark G3D, the overall 3D composite, gives the Ti 6340 versus 5028, a 26.1% lead. This is the headline number for general gaming performance. The Ti's average benchmark score across all tests is 4193, while the GTX 1050 averages 3629, a difference of 564 points or roughly 15.5%.

Architecture Differences

Both cards are built on the same GP107 chip, use the Pascal architecture, and are fabricated on Samsung's 14 nm process. The die size is identical at 132 mm², and both pack 3,300 million transistors, yielding a transistor density of 25.0M per mm². The foundry, process node, and chip design are shared, so the performance gap comes entirely from how NVIDIA configured the silicon.

The critical difference is the shader configuration. The GTX 1050 Ti has 768 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. The GTX 1050 has 640 shading units, 40 TMUs, and the same 32 ROPs. That means the Ti has 128 more shaders and 8 more TMUs, a 20% increase in both counts. The ROP count is identical, which explains why the pixel rate difference is small: 44.54 GPixel/s for the Ti versus 46.56 GPixel/s for the GTX 1050. The GTX 1050 actually has a higher pixel rate because its boost clock is higher.

Clock speeds differ in an interesting way. The GTX 1050 runs at a 1354 MHz base and 1455 MHz boost, while the Ti runs at 1291 MHz base and 1392 MHz boost. The non-Ti card is clocked about 4.9% higher at base and 4.5% higher at boost. Despite this clock disadvantage, the Ti's extra shaders and TMUs more than compensate. The texture rate tells the story: the Ti achieves 66.82 GTexel/s versus 58.20 GTexel/s for the GTX 1050, a 14.8% advantage. FP32 compute is 2.138 TFLOPS versus 1.862 TFLOPS, a 14.8% lead for the Ti. FP16 rates are 33.41 GFLOPS versus 29.10 GFLOPS, both at a 1:64 ratio to FP32.

Memory is a major differentiator. The Ti has 4 GB of GDDR5, while the GTX 1050 has 2 GB. Both use a 128-bit bus and run at 1752 MHz with 7 Gbps effective, so bandwidth is identical at 112.1 GB/s. The capacity difference does not affect raw throughput, but it affects which workloads can fit in VRAM at all. This is likely why the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 gap is so large: that test can exceed 2 GB of usage, forcing the GTX 1050 to spill or stall.

Where Each One Wins

The GTX 1050 Ti wins everywhere in the recorded data, but the magnitude of its wins varies by workload type. The biggest advantages are in modern, low-level APIs and compute-heavy tasks. The 150% lead in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 and the 26.8% lead in PassMark GPU Compute suggest the Ti is the stronger choice for DX12 titles and GPU compute workloads such as rendering, physics simulations, or machine learning inference.

The Ti also dominates in the 2D test with a 42.5% lead in PassMark G2D. This matters for desktop compositing, video playback, and multi-monitor setups, where the Ti's higher texture rate and larger frame buffer help. For users who run multiple displays or use GPU-accelerated desktop environments, the Ti has a clear edge.

Legacy DirectX performance is solidly in the Ti's favor but with smaller margins. DirectX 9, 10, and 11 all show deltas between 18.4% and 29.2%. Older games that rely on these APIs will run faster on the Ti, but the difference is less dramatic than in DX12. This is consistent with the architecture: older APIs are often draw-call limited, and both cards share the same ROP count, so the Ti's shader advantage matters less.

The GTX 1050's only comparative bright spot is Geekbench Metal, where it trails by just 0.1%. In that specific environment, the two cards are effectively interchangeable. For macOS users or workloads that run through Metal, the choice between the two makes almost no measurable difference.

The GTX 1050 also holds a small clock advantage. Its base and boost clocks are higher than the Ti's, which gives it a higher pixel rate. In fill-rate-bound scenarios that do not use many shaders, the GTX 1050 could theoretically keep pace, but no benchmark in the database shows this happening. Every recorded test favors the Ti.

FAQ

Q: How much faster is the GTX 1050 Ti than the GTX 1050 in the overall 3D benchmark?

A: In PassMark G3D, the Ti scores 6340 versus 5028 for the GTX 1050, a 26.1% lead. The Ti's average benchmark score across all tests is 4193, compared to 3629 for the GTX 1050.

Q: Is the GTX 1050 Ti better for DirectX 12 games?

A: Yes. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test shows the Ti at 305 versus 122 for the GTX 1050, a 150% advantage. PassMark DirectX 12 also favors the Ti, 26 versus 20, a 30% lead.

Q: Do the two cards have the same memory bandwidth?

A: Yes. Both use GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus at 1752 MHz with 7 Gbps effective, giving both exactly 112.1 GB/s. The Ti has 4 GB of capacity while the GTX 1050 has 2 GB.

Q: Which card has higher clock speeds?

A: The GTX 1050. It runs at 1354 MHz base and 1455 MHz boost, while the Ti runs at 1291 MHz base and 1392 MHz boost. Despite this, the Ti wins every benchmark in the database.

Q: Are there any tests where the GTX 1050 wins?

A: No. Across all 11 head-to-head benchmarks, the GTX 1050 Ti wins every single test. The closest result is Geekbench Metal, where the Ti leads by only 0.1% (7834 versus 7823).

Q: What is the architectural difference that explains the performance gap?

A: The Ti has 768 shading units and 48 TMUs, versus 640 shading units and 40 TMUs for the GTX 1050. Both have 32 ROPs. The Ti also has twice the VRAM capacity at 4 GB versus 2 GB.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ in the following recorded specifications:

• Shading units: 768 (Ti) versus 640 (GTX 1050)
• TMUs: 48 (Ti) versus 40 (GTX 1050)
• Base clock: 1291 MHz (Ti) versus 1354 MHz (GTX 1050)
• Boost clock: 1392 MHz (Ti) versus 1455 MHz (GTX 1050)
• Memory size: 4 GB (Ti) versus 2 GB (GTX 1050)
• Pixel rate: 44.54 GPixel/s (Ti) versus 46.56 GPixel/s (GTX 1050)
• Texture rate: 66.82 GTexel/s (Ti) versus 58.20 GTexel/s (GTX 1050)
• FP32 compute: 2.138 TFLOPS (Ti) versus 1.862 TFLOPS (GTX 1050)
• FP16 compute: 33.41 GFLOPS (Ti) versus 29.10 GFLOPS (GTX 1050)
• Launch MSRP: 139 USD (Ti) versus 109 USD (GTX 1050)

Identical specifications include the GP107 chip, Pascal architecture, 14 nm Samsung process, 3,300 million transistors, 132 mm² die size, 32 ROPs, 128-bit memory bus, 112.1 GB/s bandwidth, 75 W TDP, dual-slot design, no power connectors, 250 W suggested PSU, PCIe 3.0 x16 interface, and the same display outputs (1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0, 1x DisplayPort 1.4a). Both support DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. Both are 145 mm long and 111 mm tall, are end-of-life, released on 2016-10-24, and belong to the GeForce 10 generation with GeForce 900 as predecessor and GeForce 20 as successor.

The Verdict

The data supports only one conclusion for most users: choose the GTX 1050 Ti. It wins all 11 benchmarks in the database, with an average score of 4193 against 3629 for the GTX 1050. The Ti's 26.1% lead in PassMark G3D and its 150% advantage in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 make it the stronger card for modern gaming workloads. The 4 GB frame buffer is a decisive advantage for any application that exceeds 2 GB of VRAM, and the 26.8% lead in compute performance matters for GPU-accelerated tasks beyond gaming.

The GTX 1050 is not without a rationale. Its launch MSRP is 109 USD versus 139 USD for the Ti, and it has higher clock speeds. In Geekbench Metal, the two cards are effectively tied, so users whose primary workload runs through Metal will see no practical difference. The GTX 1050 also has a higher pixel rate, which could matter in fill-rate-bound scenarios, though no benchmark in the database reflects that advantage.

The percentile data places the Ti at the 25th percentile of all GPUs, while the GTX 1050 sits at the 21st percentile. The Ti's nearest rival is the AMD Radeon R5 M330, which scores 4170 and trails by 0.6%. The GTX 1050's nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce GT 735M at 3616, a 0.4% gap. These positions confirm that both cards are entry-level by modern standards, but the Ti sits meaningfully higher in the distribution.

For a user choosing between these two specific cards, the Ti's 4 GB of VRAM and 20% more shaders justify its higher launch MSRP. The GTX 1050 is only preferable in the narrow case where Metal performance is the sole criterion, or where the lower launch MSRP is the deciding factor. In every recorded benchmark, the GTX 1050 Ti is the faster card.