The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 has been making waves in the gaming world for its ability to deliver an excellent performance at a budget-friendly price. EVGA, a well-known manufacturer of graphics cards, has released its own iteration of the card, the EVGA GeForce RTX 3050 XC Black Gaming 8G. In this review, we’ll take a closer look at this GPU to determine if it lives up to the hype and is worth your investment.

Design and Features

Aesthetically, the XC Black Gaming stands out with its sleek black shroud and minimalist design. Measuring just 7.94 inches in length, this compact card can easily fit into smaller PC cases without compromising performance. Dual fans with optimized airflow technology keep the GPU cool while taking on demanding games.

The main highlight of the EVGA GeForce RTX 3050 XC Black Gaming 8G is NVIDIA’s Ampere architecture, which promises improved performance and efficiency compared to previous generations. This GPU also comes with 8 GB GDDR6 memory, a 128-bit memory interface, and a base clock of 1552 MHz that can be boosted up to 1740 MHz.

EVGA’s Precision X1 software allows users to tweak GPU settings such as fan curves, power limits, and clock speeds. In addition, it also features real-time ray tracing and NVIDIA’s DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) technology for better image quality without sacrificing performance.

Gaming Performance

In terms of gaming performance, the EVGA GeForce RTX 3050 XC Black Gaming 8G does not disappoint. The card has been tested on popular games like Cyberpunk 2077, Call of Duty: Warzone, and Red Dead Redemption 2 in various settings.

With ray tracing enabled, the RTX 3050 delivers impressive visuals, showcasing realistic reflections, shadows, and lighting. DLSS technology allows the card to maintain a smooth frame rate even when pushing the graphics settings to their limits. While it may not reach the performance levels of higher-end GPUs like the RTX 3060 or RTX 3070, it’s still more than capable of handling modern games at 1080p and some titles at 1440p.

Thermal and Acoustic Performance

One of the key aspects of a graphics card is its thermal and acoustic performance. The EVGA GeForce RTX 3050 XC Black Gaming 8G manages to keep temperatures under control even during intense gaming sessions. Its dual-fan cooling solution effectively dissipates heat, maintaining an average temperature of around 70 degrees Celsius under load. The fans also remain relatively quiet, ensuring that your gaming experience remains immersive without any distracting noises.

Conclusion

The EVGA GeForce RTX 3050 XC Black Gaming 8G proves that you don’t have to break the bank to enjoy a high-quality gaming experience. With its blend of compact design, impressive gaming performance, and affordable price tag, this GPU is an excellent choice for budget-conscious gamers who want an entry into the world of ray tracing and DLSS without sacrificing too much performance. Though more powerful options are available for those looking to push beyond 1080p gaming, the RTX 3050 XC Black Gaming delivers solid bang for your buck within its target audience.