MSI has officially introduced what is probably the most compact RTX 5050 card on the market right now: the GeForce RTX 5050 INSPIRE ITX. It comes in two variations that appear to be identical apart from a small difference in boost clocks.
What matter here, though, is size – this card is small enough to fit into all but the tiniest ITX cases, meaning that small form factor PC builders looking for above-average GPU horsepower (versus iGPUs) are the target audience.
Specifications
| MSI RTX 5050 INSPIRE ITX | |
|---|---|
| Model | RTX 5050 INSPIRE ITX / RTX 5050 INSPIRE ITX OC |
| GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 (GB207-300) |
| Architecture | Blackwell |
| CUDA Cores | 2,560 |
| Base Clock | 2,310 MHz |
| Boost Clock | 2,572 MHz (Standard) / 2,602 MHz (OC) |
| Extreme Mode | 2,587 MHz (Standard) / 2,617 MHz (OC) |
| VRAM | 8GB GDDR6 |
| Memory Speed | 20 Gbps |
| Memory Interface | 128-bit |
| Memory Bandwidth | 320 GB/s |
| Interface | PCIe Gen 5 x16 (operates at x8) |
| Display Outputs | 3x DisplayPort 2.1b, 1x HDMI 2.1b |
| Maximum Resolution | 7680 x 4320 (8K) |
| Power Consumption | 130W TDP |
| Power Connector | 1x 8-pin PCIe |
| Recommended PSU | 550W |
| Cooling | Single TORX Fan 5.0 with ZERO FROZR |
| Dimensions | 147 × 120 × 45 mm |
| Weight | 551g (card) / 869g (package) |
| DLSS Support | DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation |
| G-SYNC | Yes |
| MSRP | $249 (Expected premium for OC model) |
The standard RTX 5050 Inspire ITX (G5050-8II) runs at a boost clock of 2,572 MHz, while the OC edition (G5050-8IIC) pushes this slightly to 2,602 MHz. In MSI’s Extreme Performance mode, these frequencies reach 2,587 MHz and 2,617 MHz respectively, but this difference us unlikely to translate into meaningful real-world performance gains.
Both cards share an identical cooling design featuring MSI’s TORX Fan 5.0 technology with a single fan and heat pipe configuration. The dual-slot design measures 147 × 120 × 45 mm and weighs approximately 551 grams, which is genuinely compact compared to just about any other GeForce RTX or Radeon graphics card in the current generation.
The cooling solution uses MSI’s Zero Frozr technology, meaning the fan completely stops during low-load scenarios for silent operation. When active cooling kicks in, the TORX Fan 5.0 design claims to increase airflow by 23% compared to traditional axial fans, though the limited 130W power budget means thermal management shouldn’t be particularly challenging even in an ITX case.
In any event, these cards make the most sense for very specific scenarios. They’re ideal for ultra-compact builds, or upgrading older small form factor systems still running GTX 1650 or RTX 3050 cards, where the combination of better efficiency and DLSS 4 support can breathe new life into 1080p gaming. They should also be perfect for compact emulation rigs, or for creative professionals needing CUDA acceleration in space-constrained workstations.
However, if you’re building a new system with room for standard-sized components, the math is harder to justify. The RTX 5060 is around 25-30% faster and can be found for under $300, so the relatively small price difference makes the higher-tier card a more sensible choice for most users. In this price range, you will also find some Radeon RX 9060 XT cards, which are slightly faster still.
The RTX 5050 Inspire ITX cards nevertheless excel in their niche and don’t compromise on any of the essentials. They arguably look great as well with the champagne gold color scheme atop metal shrouds, making these cards suitable for visible installations.