NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 SUPER Comparison

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 SUPER

The database records two GeForce 50-series graphics cards with very different positioning. The RTX 5050 is an entry-level Blackwell 2.0 part built on the GB207 chip, while the RTX 5080 SUPER is a high-end Blackwell 2.0 part built on the GB203 chip. Both use TSMC’s 5 nm process, but their specifications and recorded benchmark results diverge sharply. The RTX 5050 has a 66th percentile ranking among all GPUs, while the RTX 5080 SUPER sits at the 19th percentile. These percentile figures indicate that the RTX 5050 outperforms a larger share of the GPU population than the RTX 5080 SUPER does, despite the latter’s far higher raw specifications. The available head-to-head benchmark data is limited to a single DirectX 12 test, which shapes the comparison.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark comparison recorded in the database is the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test. In this test, the RTX 5080 SUPER scores 3075, while the RTX 5050 scores 2502. The delta is 18.6% in favor of the RTX 5080 SUPER, which is recorded as the winner. This single result shows that the RTX 5080 SUPER holds a clear performance advantage in a modern DirectX 12 workload, but the margin is not overwhelming given the massive difference in silicon. The RTX 5050 delivers 2502 points, which is 81.4% of the RTX 5080 SUPER’s score. That is a substantial gap, but it also means the smaller card is not far off in this particular test.

The RTX 5050 has a much richer benchmark history in the database. It records scores across multiple tests, including 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 at 2502, Geekbench OpenCL at 90334, Geekbench Vulkan at 89381, Passmark DirectX 10 at 103, Passmark DirectX 11 at 150, Passmark DirectX 12 at 66, Passmark DirectX 9 at 186, Passmark G2D at 1113, Passmark G3D at 17326, and Passmark GPU Compute at 9184. Its average benchmark score is 21035. The RTX 5080 SUPER, by contrast, has only the single 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 result, giving it an average benchmark score of 3075. This disparity in recorded data means the RTX 5050’s average score is significantly higher than the RTX 5080 SUPER’s, but that is due to the different test suites, not necessarily raw capability.

The nearest rival data reinforces the split. The RTX 5050’s closest competitors in the database are the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL with an average score of 21153 and a delta of -0.6%, the AMD Radeon HD 8970M with 21237 and -1%, the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT with 20713 and 1.6%, and the NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile with 21379 and -1.6%. These deltas are all within roughly 2% of the RTX 5050, indicating that it competes with a cluster of mid-range and older mobile parts. The RTX 5080 SUPER’s nearest rivals are the NVIDIA Quadro P1000 with 3163 and -2.8%, the NVIDIA GeForce 820A with 2983 and 3.1%, the Intel Arc Pro B60 with 3182 and -3.4%, and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 860M with 2967 and 3.6%. These are much older or lower-end parts, which suggests the RTX 5080 SUPER’s recorded score places it in a strange company in the database, likely due to the sparse benchmark coverage.

Where Each One Wins

The RTX 5080 SUPER wins the only recorded head-to-head test, the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, by 18.6%. This indicates that in a pure DirectX 12 gaming workload, the larger card delivers higher performance. The RTX 5080 SUPER also brings significantly more memory and bandwidth: 24 GB of GDDR7 on a 256-bit bus with 1.02 TB/s bandwidth, compared to the RTX 5050’s 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus with 320.0 GB/s. The RTX 5080 SUPER has 10752 shading units, 336 TMUs, 112 ROPs, 84 RT cores, and 336 tensor cores, versus the RTX 5050’s 2560 shading units, 80 TMUs, 32 ROPs, 20 RT cores, and 80 tensor cores. These figures point to the RTX 5080 SUPER being the superior choice for workloads that scale with raw compute and memory capacity.

The RTX 5050 wins on the basis of relative efficiency and portability. Its 130 W TDP is far lower than the RTX 5080 SUPER’s 415 W TDP. It uses a single 8-pin power connector, while the RTX 5080 SUPER requires a 16-pin connector. The RTX 5050 has a smaller die at 149 mm² with 16,900 million transistors, versus the RTX 5080 SUPER’s 378 mm² die with 45,600 million transistors. The RTX 5050 also has a higher base clock at 2317 MHz versus 2295 MHz, though the RTX 5080 SUPER boosts higher at 2617 MHz versus 2572 MHz. In the recorded Geekbench and Passmark tests, the RTX 5050 shows strong compute scores, such as 90334 in OpenCL and 9184 in Passmark GPU Compute, which are not matched by any RTX 5080 SUPER data in the database.

The RTX 5050 also carries a higher percentile ranking at 66 versus the RTX 5080 SUPER’s 19. This means that in the database’s overall GPU population, the RTX 5050 outperforms more than half of all GPUs, while the RTX 5080 SUPER’s single score places it below the majority. The RTX 5050’s average benchmark score of 21035 dwarfs the RTX 5080 SUPER’s 3075, but that is a function of the number of tests recorded, not a direct performance claim. The RTX 5050’s nearest rivals are all within 2% of its average score, indicating it sits in a competitive mid-range bracket, while the RTX 5080 SUPER’s rivals are far older parts with lower scores.

The Verdict

The data indicates that the RTX 5080 SUPER is the faster card in the single recorded DirectX 12 benchmark, with an 18.6% lead over the RTX 5050. Its 24 GB memory capacity, 1.02 TB/s bandwidth, and 56.28 TFLOPS FP32 throughput are all substantially higher than the RTX 5050’s 8 GB, 320.0 GB/s, and 13.17 TFLOPS. For users prioritizing raw performance in modern gaming or compute workloads that use the full GPU, the RTX 5080 SUPER is the clear choice from the recorded measurements.

The RTX 5050, however, offers a more favorable balance in other respects. Its 130 W TDP and single 8-pin connector make it compatible with a 300 W suggested PSU, while the RTX 5080 SUPER’s 415 W TDP and 16-pin connector imply a more demanding power setup. The RTX 5050’s higher percentile ranking and broader benchmark coverage suggest it is a more established performer in the database’s historical tests. Its average score of 21035, driven by multiple Passmark and Geekbench results, shows consistent performance across a range of APIs, including DirectX 9, 10, 11, 12, OpenCL, and Vulkan.

For users who need maximum throughput in heavy workloads, the RTX 5080 SUPER is the better pick based on the head-to-head result. For users who prioritize lower power draw and a smaller physical footprint, the RTX 5050 is the more practical option. The RTX 5080 SUPER carries a launch MSRP of 999 USD, while the RTX 5050 carries a launch MSRP of 249 USD, but the database does not provide any performance-per-dollar analysis. The RTX 5080 SUPER also has a longer physical profile at 304 mm, 137 mm height, and 40 mm width, whereas the RTX 5050’s dimensions are not recorded.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU wins the recorded head-to-head benchmark?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 SUPER wins the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test with a score of 3075, versus the RTX 5050’s 2502, a delta of 18.6%.

Q: How much memory does each card have?

A: The RTX 5050 has 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus with 320.0 GB/s bandwidth. The RTX 5080 SUPER has 24 GB of GDDR7 on a 256-bit bus with 1.02 TB/s bandwidth.

Q: What is the transistor count difference?

A: The RTX 5050 uses 16,900 million transistors on a 149 mm² die, while the RTX 5080 SUPER uses 45,600 million transistors on a 378 mm² die.

Q: Which card has a higher boost clock?

A: The RTX 5080 SUPER boosts to 2617 MHz, while the RTX 5050 boosts to 2572 MHz. The RTX 5050 has a higher base clock at 2317 MHz versus 2295 MHz.

Q: What are the power requirements?

A: The RTX 5050 has a 130 W TDP and uses a single 8-pin connector with a 300 W suggested PSU. The RTX 5080 SUPER has a 415 W TDP and uses a single 16-pin connector, with no suggested PSU recorded.

Q: How do their nearest rivals compare in the database?

A: The RTX 5050’s closest rival is the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL with an average score of 21153, a 0.6% difference. The RTX 5080 SUPER’s closest rival is the NVIDIA Quadro P1000 with 3163, a 2.8% difference.

Architecture Differences

Both cards are built on NVIDIA’s Blackwell 2.0 architecture and use TSMC’s 5 nm process, but they are distinct chips. The RTX 5050 uses the GB207 chip, while the RTX 5080 SUPER uses the GB203 chip. The GB203 is a far larger and more complex design, with 45,600 million transistors on a 378 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 120.6M per mm². The GB207 is smaller at 16,900 million transistors on a 149 mm² die, with a density of 113.4M per mm². The RTX 5080 SUPER has 10752 shading units, 336 TMUs, 112 ROPs, 84 RT cores, and 336 tensor cores. The RTX 5050 has 2560 shading units, 80 TMUs, 32 ROPs, 20 RT cores, and 80 tensor cores.

Memory architecture differs as well. The RTX 5080 SUPER uses GDDR7 memory with 24 GB capacity, a 256-bit bus, and 1.02 TB/s bandwidth. The RTX 5050 uses GDDR6 with 8 GB capacity, a 128-bit bus, and 320.0 GB/s bandwidth. The memory clock is 2000 MHz with 32 Gbps effective for the RTX 5080 SUPER, while the RTX 5050 runs at 2500 MHz with 20 Gbps effective. Both support PCIe 5.0, but the RTX 5050 uses an x8 interface, while the RTX 5080 SUPER uses x16.

Compute throughput is substantially higher on the RTX 5080 SUPER. Its FP32 rating is 56.28 TFLOPS, with FP16 also at 56.28 TFLOPS (1:1). The RTX 5050 delivers 13.17 TFLOPS for both FP32 and FP16. Pixel and texture rates follow the same pattern: the RTX 5080 SUPER reaches 293.1 GPixel/s and 879.3 GTexel/s, while the RTX 5050 reaches 82.30 GPixel/s and 205.8 GTexel/s.

Both cards support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. Display outputs are identical in type: 1x HDMI 2.1b and 3x DisplayPort 2.1b. The RTX 5080 SUPER is a dual-slot card with recorded dimensions of 304 mm length, 137 mm height, and 40 mm width. The RTX 5050 is also dual-slot, but its dimensions are not recorded. The RTX 5080 SUPER uses a 16-pin power connector, while the RTX 5050 uses an 8-pin connector. Both cards are listed as Active in production status, with the RTX 5050 released on 2025-06-30 and the RTX 5080 SUPER on 2025-12-31.