GeForce RTX 3050 OEM vs Radeon Sky 500

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3050 OEM

2022Core: 1515 MHzBoost: 1755 MHz

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

Radeon Sky 500

2013Core: 950 MHz

Popular choices:

Performance Spectrum - GPU

About G3D Mark

G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, raw graphics performance, VRAM, feature set, power efficiency, pricing context, and long-term value so you can see which GPU actually makes more sense.

GeForce RTX 3050 OEM

2022

Why buy it

  • 119.4% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Costs $251 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $500 MSRP).
  • Delivers 405.6% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 47.8 vs 9.4 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $500 MSRP).
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • 300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 2 GB).

Trade-offs

  • Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.

Radeon Sky 500

2013

Why buy it

  • Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3050 OEM across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
  • Very weak future-proofing: 2013-era hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
  • 100.8% HIGHER MSRP
    $500 MSRPvs$249 MSRP

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3050 OEM better than Radeon Sky 500?
Yes. GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is clearly the better overall GPU here. GeForce RTX 3050 OEM averages 119.4% more FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 11,892 vs 4,723 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is a 2022 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while Radeon Sky 500 is a 2013 model from an older generation with FSR upscaling. So this is not really a tight same-tier comparison. It is more a modern card against an older, weaker alternative.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2022 generation instead of 2013, 151.8% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 8 GB instead of 2 GB, and the stronger feature stack with DLSS Super Resolution instead of FSR upscaling. That leaves it with more room for heavier textures, tougher ray tracing loads, and higher-end 1440p or 4K gaming over the next few years.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?
GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is about $251 cheaper on MSRP at $249 MSRP versus $500 MSRP, and you are getting 119.4% more estimated average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and 151.8% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 405.6%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.
Is Radeon Sky 500 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?
Yes. Radeon Sky 500 is still a strong modern gaming GPU: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It remains a good buy when you can get it meaningfully cheaper than the alternative around $500 MSRP, even if GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is still the cleaner recommendation on overall value today.

Games Benchmarks

Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 9800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.

Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetGeForce RTX 3050 OEMRadeon Sky 500
1080p
low130 FPS80 FPS
medium113 FPS65 FPS
high99 FPS51 FPS
ultra83 FPS33 FPS
1440p
low119 FPS67 FPS
medium96 FPS55 FPS
high81 FPS39 FPS
ultra69 FPS25 FPS
4K
low64 FPS24 FPS
medium57 FPS23 FPS
high39 FPS15 FPS
ultra33 FPS13 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce RTX 3050 OEMRadeon Sky 500
1080p
low239 FPS119 FPS
medium206 FPS89 FPS
high164 FPS68 FPS
ultra128 FPS43 FPS
1440p
low163 FPS66 FPS
medium135 FPS45 FPS
high112 FPS33 FPS
ultra92 FPS23 FPS
4K
low88 FPS24 FPS
medium74 FPS17 FPS
high62 FPS13 FPS
ultra49 FPS9 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce RTX 3050 OEMRadeon Sky 500
1080p
low535 FPS213 FPS
medium428 FPS170 FPS
high357 FPS142 FPS
ultra268 FPS106 FPS
1440p
low401 FPS159 FPS
medium321 FPS128 FPS
high268 FPS106 FPS
ultra201 FPS80 FPS
4K
low268 FPS106 FPS
medium214 FPS85 FPS
high178 FPS71 FPS
ultra134 FPS53 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce RTX 3050 OEMRadeon Sky 500
1080p
low467 FPS144 FPS
medium414 FPS113 FPS
high335 FPS97 FPS
ultra268 FPS80 FPS
1440p
low372 FPS105 FPS
medium321 FPS85 FPS
high236 FPS73 FPS
ultra197 FPS56 FPS
4K
low199 FPS61 FPS
medium175 FPS46 FPS
high150 FPS36 FPS
ultra125 FPS25 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3050 OEM and Radeon Sky 500

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3050 OEM

The GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 4 2022. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1515 MHz to 1755 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 130W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 20 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 11,892 points.

AMD

Radeon Sky 500

The Radeon Sky 500 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in March 27 2013. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 950 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,723 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM scores 11,892 versus the Radeon Sky 500's 4,723 — the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM leads by 151.8%. The GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is built on Ampere while the Radeon Sky 500 uses GCN 1.0, both on 8 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM) vs 1,280 (Radeon Sky 500). Raw compute: 8.986 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM) vs 2.432 TFLOPS (Radeon Sky 500).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 OEMRadeon Sky 500
G3D Mark Score
11,892+152%
4,723
Architecture
Ampere
GCN 1.0
Process Node
8 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
2560+100%
1280
Compute (TFLOPS)
8.986 TFLOPS+269%
2.432 TFLOPS
ROPs
32
32
TMUs
80
80
L1 Cache
2.5 MB+706%
0.31 MB
L2 Cache
2 MB+300%
0.5 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3050 OEM gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Radeon Sky 500 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 OEMRadeon Sky 500
Upscaling Tech
DLSS 2 Super Resolution
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
AMD Anti-Lag
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 3050 OEM comes with 8 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon Sky 500 has 2 GB. The GeForce RTX 3050 OEM offers 300% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 64-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM) vs 0.5 MB (Radeon Sky 500) — the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 OEMRadeon Sky 500
VRAM Capacity
8 GB+300%
2 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR5
Bus Width
128-bit+100%
64-bit
L2 Cache
2 MB+300%
0.5 MB
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3050 OEM draws 130W versus the Radeon Sky 500's 150W — a 14.3% difference. The GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 450W (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM) vs 350W (Radeon Sky 500). Power connectors: 8-pin vs PCIe-powered.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 OEMRadeon Sky 500
TDP
130W-13%
150W
Recommended PSU
450W
350W-22%
Power Connector
8-pin
PCIe-powered
Length
235mm
Height
124mm
Slots
2
Temp (Load)
75°C
Perf/Watt
91.5+190%
31.5
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3050 OEM launched at $249 MSRP, while the Radeon Sky 500 launched at $500. The GeForce RTX 3050 OEM costs 50.2% less ($251 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 47.8 (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM) vs 9.4 (Radeon Sky 500) — the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM offers 408.5% better value. The GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is the newer GPU (2022 vs 2013).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 OEMRadeon Sky 500
MSRP
$249-50%
$500
Performance per Dollar
47.8+409%
9.4
Codename
GA106
Pitcairn
Release
January 4 2022
March 27 2013
Ranking
#224
#455