Nvidia launched the RTX 3050 at an MSRP of $249, but despite its modest credentials, the card flew off the shelves the moment it was put up for sale. As such, it is nowhere to be found in the U.S. even at twice its original asking price. Graphics cards have been in short supply, and with scalpers even struggling to get their hands on new GPUs, it's no wonder that genuine users are finding it impossible to get one for their gaming rigs or DIY PC builds.
The RTX 3050 is a budget graphics card that has already been launched at a significant markup over its last-generation sibling, considering the GTX 1050 Ti was priced at $139. Like the rest of the RTX 3000-series, it also comes with Ampere cores, but with 20 streaming multiprocessors and 2,560 CUDA cores. The RTX 3050 comes with a TGP of 130 watts and offers DLSS and ray tracing.
In terms of purchasing an RTX 3050, the latest Newegg Shuffle is now over but users can still try their luck with the next one. The Newegg mobile app notifies users of impending shuffles, so it is worth signing up prior to the next shuffle and waiting for the notification, as that might be a good way of nabbing an RTX 3050. To enter the shuffle, users will have to reserve the RTX 3050 models they're interested in, and if their ticket is chosen, they'll be invited to purchase the card. Buyers get a two-hour window in which to complete the purchase, and not completing the deal within the stipulated time will void the winning ticket. Some of the various options include the Asus ROG Strix GeForce RTX 3050, the MSI Ventus GeForce RTX 3050, the Zotac GAMING GeForce RTX 3050, the Asus Phoenix GeForce RTX 3050, the EVGA GeForce RTX 3050 XC, and the Gigabyte Eagle GeForce RTX 3050.
Other RTX 3050 Buying Options
Currently, there are no listed RTX 3050 cards on Amazon, but it's worth checking in with the world's largest online retailer over the coming days to see if things change soon. While the RTX 3050 is out-of-stock at BestBuy, there are a number of different cards listed through the retailer, so that might increase the chances of nabbing one once they're back in stock. It's also worth checking Adorama and B&H Photo Video as well, just in case something pops up.
Finally, it is always worth keeping an eye on the Nvidia partner stores, such as EVGA and Zotac, which might offer the best opportunities to get a card at their actual MSRP. Buyers can also sign up for alerts and notifications by subscribing to the various online tools and channels of preferred retailers. Staying on top of these alerts is likely to be one of the best ways to know when an Nvidia RTX 3050 restock happens, and especially considering timing will be of the essence if hoping to grab one before the GPU sells out again.