RTX 5050 Laptop vs RTX 4050 Laptop: Which is the Better GPU?

RTX 5050 Laptop GPU stacked against an RTX 4050 Laptop GPU. Discover which option is best for your gaming or content creation needs.

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RTX 5050 is the latest entry-level GPU offering from Nvidia. It incorporates the Nvidia Blackwell GPU architecture and comes with 8GB of VRAM. The RTX 4050 is the newest generation entry-level offering, offering 6GB of VRAM. In terms of performance parity, the RTX 5050 is faster than its predecessor, mainly due to the added 2GB VRAM and architectural refinements.

Below is a guide comparing the differences and savings between the 4050 and 5050, given that the new laptops are currently overpriced.

Also Read: RTX 4060 Laptop vs RTX 5050 Laptop: Which Is the Better GPU?

RTX 5050 Laptop vs RTX 4050 Laptop: Detailed Comparison

An image of Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 10 gaming laptop — An image of the laptop as a reference (Image via Lenovo)

Specs Comparison

Here are the specs of RTX 5050 Mobile and the RTX 4050 Mobile:

Specifications	RTX 5050 Mobile	RTX 4050 Mobile
Architecture	Blackwell	Ada Lovelace
Lithography	5nm	5nm
Shading Units	2560	2560
TMUs	80	80
SM Count:	20	20
Tensor Cores:	80	80
RT Cores:	20	20
L1 Cache:	128 KB per SM	128 KB per SM
L2 Cache:	32 MB	12 MB
Memory Size	8 GB	6 GB
Memory Type	GDDR7	GDDR6
Memory Width	128-bit	96-bit
Memory Bandwidth	448 GB/s	192 GB/s
TDP (Configurable)	60-140 W	60-140 W

Spec-wise, the Blackwell 50 class GPU is almost identical to its 40 Series counterpart. That said, we see a massive increase in the L2 cache, from 12MB in 4050 to 32MB in 5050. Memory type and bandwidth have also seen a significant jump, from GDDR6 to GDDR7, providing a 133% increase over the 4050.

Synthetic Performance Comparison

An image showing the ROG laptop as a reference (Image via Best Buy)

For content creators and video editors, the RTX 5050 is the one to go for. Why? Because Blackwell supports newer codes, and it’s not only that, you get an extra 2GB VRAM, higher memory bandwidth, and at the same power budget, the laptop can make up for the runtime cost in the long run.

Benchmark	RTX 5050 Mobile	RTX 4050 Mobile
Blender (Optix)	~3000	2495
GeekBench Open CL	88727	74538
3D Mark TimeSpy	9950 (overall)	9379 (overall)
3D Mark Firestrike	27162 (overall)	14534 (overall)

Gaming Performance Comparison

The data is sourced from the Benchmark from StealthGamer SG’s channel, where the person tested two laptops with RTX 5050 and RTX 4050 with near identical specs, at 1080p ultra settings.

Games	RTX 5050 Mobile	RTX 4050 Mobile
God Of War Ragnarok	63 FPS	52 FPS
Horizon Forbidden West	57 FPS	45 FPS
Assassin’s Creed: Shadows	55 FPS	46 FPS
Alan Wake 2	38 FPS	32 FPS
Red Dead Redemption II	68 FPS	62 FPS
The Last of US II	58 FPS	60 FPS

The 5050 is a faster GPU for gaming. Considering the current price premium, it’s simply not worth it. Unless you need DLSS MFG or need to buy the best (technologically), then only make the choice. Otherwise, picking up a 4060 laptop, or even a 3060 one, makes more sense.

Final Verdict on RTX 5050 Laptop vs RTX 4050 Laptop

Suppose you are a content creator who needs the latest codecs for hardware-accelerated video playback and encoding. The 5050 is a great starting point, with its 8GB VRAM, although it’s not much, it will still get you through. However, if you are a gamer, then picking up a 4060 will yield identical performance, and sometimes even better framerates. If you need a supplement for MFG, Lossless Scaling is waiting for you at $7 on Steam.

Also Read: Save $170 on Lenovo Legion Pro 7i RTX 5080 Laptop on Amazon

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RTX 5050 Laptop vs RTX 4050 Laptop: Which is the Better GPU?