GeForce RTX 5050 vs Radeon RX 6650 XT

Speed and memory

The GeForce RTX 5050 and the Radeon RX 6650 XT are within a few percent of each other for gaming in our model, so you will not see a difference in play.

Both cards have 8 GB of video memory, so memory will not separate them.

In our estimates for popular games at 1080p on High, the biggest gap is in Fortnite (265 against 265 fps), and the smallest is in ELDEN RING (60 against 60 fps). Games that are light enough to run above 200 fps on both cards show little difference at all.

Power and value

The GeForce RTX 5050 is rated at 130 W and the Radeon RX 6650 XT at 180 W. With a mid-range processor that means a power supply of about 450 W for the first and 550 W for the second. The power draw is close enough that cooling and noise will be similar.

At launch the GeForce RTX 5050 cost $249 and the Radeon RX 6650 XT $399. Per dollar, the GeForce RTX 5050 gave more performance (10.4 points per $100 against 6.5). Current prices differ, so run the same sum on what you can actually buy today.

Which one to buy

Choose the GeForce RTX 5050 if you want the faster card, and it also has at least as much memory. It makes the most sense at 1440p and above, or on a monitor with a high refresh rate.

Choose the Radeon RX 6650 XT if the price gap matters more than the small speed difference. Whichever you pick, check reviews for the games you play, because two cards with similar scores can differ in individual titles.