Nvidia’s decision to use older GDDR6 memory with its RTX 5050 desktop GPU has taken some by surprise, given that its laptop counterpart features newer and faster GDDR7 memory. Nvidia’s director of global PR, Ben Berraondo, responded to Hardware Cannuck’s on X, defending Nvidia’s usage of GDDR6 in the RTX 5050 desktop card, claiming GDDR7 is the “…best choice for laptops.”
Bernado says that the RTX 5050 series presents a special case where GDDR6 is more beneficial on the desktop version, and GDDR7 is more beneficial on the laptop version, rather than having both powered by GDDR7. He explained that the memory type’s lower thermals and greater power efficiency are why the mobile RTX 5050 features GDDR7, while the desktop version does not.
For those not up to speed, the desktop and laptop variants of the RTX 5050 feature largely identical hardware specifications, featuring 2,560 CUDA cores, 8GB of memory capacity, and a 128-bit memory interface. Where they differ is in the use of different generation GDDR memory, clock speeds, and power targets.
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Berraondo neglected to share any advantages GDDR6 offers to the desktop version of the RTX 5050 (if any). Only mentioning that “…G6 is the best choice for desktops”. GDDR6 has no apparent advantage over GDDR7 in terms of raw specs, so it would be interesting to hear more of Berraondo’s thoughts on the matter. It’s fair to assume that cost would also weigh into this decision.