NVIDIA Prepares to Challenge Intel and AMD in the Sub-$300 Segment

Mentions of previously unannounced NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050, RTX 5060, and RTX 5060 Ti graphics cards have surfaced in the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) database. Documents filed on February 12, 2025, by NVIDIA’s partner ZOTAC confirm that the company is developing not only flagship GPUs but also budget-friendly models.

The RTX 5050 is particularly intriguing, as it will reportedly be released as a desktop version—something that wasn’t expected. NVIDIA previously skipped a desktop RTX 4050, limiting it to mobile variants. The registration of the RTX 5050 suggests a strategic shift, likely signaling the company’s return to the affordable GPU market, which is currently dominated by Intel ARC and older AMD models.

Specifications remain uncertain. While rumors suggest the mobile RTX 5050 could feature GDDR7 memory, the desktop version might use GDDR6 to keep costs down. An 8GB VRAM configuration is expected, though this has sparked debate, given that Intel’s ARC B580 is rumored to have 12GB. Analysts predict that NVIDIA will price the RTX 5050 around $250–$300, emphasizing energy efficiency and support for DLSS 4.0.

The RTX 5050 is unlikely to launch before late 2025, following the release of the RTX 5060 Ti and RTX 5060 in April. This puts NVIDIA in a challenging position, as Intel may have solidified its foothold in the budget segment by then. However, the very fact that these GPUs have been registered suggests that NVIDIA is not willing to concede this market space. If NVIDIA follows through with this strategy, it could revitalize the sub-$300 GPU market by introducing modern technologies at an accessible price. There’s no official statement from the company yet, but insiders suggest keeping an eye on the RTX 5070 Ti announcement on February 20 — it might reveal more hints about NVIDIA’s next moves.