Black Friday Deal: MSI RTX 5050 GPU Hits Record Low at $219.99
▼ Summary
– MSI has reduced the price of its RTX 5050 Shadow 2X GPU to $219.99, a 21% discount saving $60 from its regular price.
– The RTX 5050 offers performance comparable to the RTX 4060 but at a much lower cost, making it suitable for budget and casual gamers.
– It has 8GB of VRAM, which may limit performance in the latest games at 1080p, but is adequate for leisure gaming.
– The GPU delivers decent 1080p gaming performance with an average of 67.5 FPS in rasterization, but struggles with ray tracing and 4K gaming.
– At the sale price, it is considered a good value for upgrading from integrated graphics or older GPUs like the GTX 16-series or RTX 20-series.
Gamers on a budget have a compelling new option to consider this season. The MSI Gaming RTX 5050 Shadow 2X graphics card has just hit a record-low price of $219.99, representing a substantial $60 discount from its typical $279.99 cost. This new price point even undercuts Nvidia’s own suggested retail price by thirty dollars, positioning it as one of the most accessible modern GPUs currently available.
While it sits at the entry-level of Nvidia’s RTX 50-series lineup, this card offers a fantastic entry point for casual and budget-conscious players. It delivers performance that is comparable to the RTX 4060 but at a significantly more attractive price. The primary compromise is its 8GB of VRAM, which may cause it to struggle with the most demanding new titles at 1080p resolution. However, for those who enjoy older games or less graphically intensive experiences, it provides more than enough power for a smooth and enjoyable session.
This new sale price fundamentally changes the value proposition of the GPU. Initial reviews, including one from Tom’s Hardware, criticized the card for being overpriced relative to its capabilities, awarding it only three and a half stars. At $220, however, it now falls below the price point many experts believed was fair. This makes it a strong competitor against other budget options like the Intel Arc B580, though the limited video memory remains a consideration for potential buyers.
In terms of real-world performance, the card manages a respectable average of 67.5 frames per second across a dozen popular games at 1080p resolution with Ultra settings, with its 1% low performance sitting at 49 FPS. Activating ray tracing naturally reduces these figures to averages of 36.7 FPS and lows of 28 FPS, which is still playable but noticeably less fluid. Moving up to 1440p gaming is feasible for non-ray-traced titles, with averages around 41.3 FPS, but 4K gaming is beyond its capabilities.
The MSI Gaming RTX 5050 Shadow 2X might not top any lists of the absolute best gaming graphics cards, but its new price makes it an incredibly tempting purchase. It is an ideal upgrade for anyone looking to make the jump from integrated graphics or to replace an older GTX 16-series or RTX 20-series card without breaking the bank.
For those seeking other component deals, a wide array of options is available. You can explore comprehensive PC hardware sales or browse specialized pages for SSDs, hard drives, gaming monitors, other graphics cards, gaming chairs, Wi-Fi routers, and CPUs.
(Source: Tom’s Hardware)
