The VENTUS design philosophy is about delivering the essentials — a capable dual fan arrangement in a rigid industrial design that fits into any build. Under the hood, it’s the same NVIDIA Ampere architecture found in higher-end RTX 30-series cards: 2,304 CUDA cores, a 1492 MHz boost clock, 6GB of GDDR6 at 14 Gbps across a 96-bit interface. Second-generation RT Cores and third-generation Tensor Cores bring hardware ray tracing and DLSS AI upscaling to the entry-level segment, along with NVIDIA Reflex for reduced system latency in competitive titles.

Compact Cooling for Compact Builds

The card measures just 189 × 109 × 42 mm, making it one of the shorter dual-fan RTX options available. The twin TORQUE fans use a double-ball bearing design for longevity, and the heatsink covers the full PCB length for consistent thermal coverage. There’s no RGB lighting and no backplate — MSI’s VENTUS line is deliberately minimal, keeping costs down and compatibility broad.

Power Requirements — Genuinely Accessible

Total board power sits at just 70W, with a recommended PSU of only 300W, and no external power connector is required — the card draws everything it needs directly from the PCIe slot. It gets power entirely from the PCIe slot on the motherboard, making it a straightforward drop-in upgrade for office desktops and older systems with modest power supplies that can’t accommodate a 6- or 8-pin cable.

Software and Connectivity

MSI Center software provides real-time monitoring, tweaking, and OC Scanner for automated stable overclock detection, along with an on-screen display overlay. Display outputs cover 2× HDMI 2.1 (supporting 4K@120Hz) and 1× DisplayPort 1.4a, with support for up to 3 simultaneous displays at a maximum resolution of 7680×4320. The dual HDMI outputs make it particularly useful for multi-monitor office setups using HDMI screens without needing an adapter.

PCIe lane note: This card uses a PCIe Gen 4 x16 slot but operates electrically at x8. It will fit and function in any PCIe x16 slot, including Gen 3, but is not recommended for motherboards with only a single x8 electrical slot shared with other devices — check your board’s specifications if bandwidth is a concern. MSI

Memory bus and VRAM: The 96-bit bus and 6GB of VRAM position this card squarely for 1080p. Texture-heavy AAA titles at high settings may exceed available VRAM; keeping textures at medium-high will deliver the smoothest experience.

Key Highlights

• NVIDIA Ampere architecture — 2,304 CUDA cores
• 6GB GDDR6, 96-bit bus, 14 Gbps memory speed
• 1492 MHz boost clock
• Dual TORQUE fans — double-ball bearing
• No external power connector required
• 70W TDP — 300W PSU recommended
• 2nd Gen RT Cores + 3rd Gen Tensor Cores (ray tracing + DLSS)
• NVIDIA Reflex support
• 2× HDMI 2.1, 1× DisplayPort 1.4a — up to 3 displays / 8K output
• PCIe 4.0 x16 slot (x8 electrical)
• 189 mm length, 2-slot design
• MSI Center software with OC Scanner

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Built on NVIDIA’s Ampere architecture, the RTX 3050 OC Edition is designed for the demands of Full HD 1080p gaming, with 2,304 CUDA cores, a 1537 MHz boost clock in OC mode and 1507 MHz in Default mode, 6GB of GDDR6 at 14 Gbps across a 96-bit interface. Second-generation RT Cores and third-generation Tensor Cores bring hardware-accelerated ray tracing and DLSS support to an accessible price point — useful for both gaming and GPU-accelerated creative work. At just 201 mm long in a 2-slot form factor, it fits builds where larger cards simply won’t.

Axial-Tech Dual-Fan Cooling with IP5X Rating

The card carries IP5X dust resistance certification, meaning the fan housings are protected against particle ingress — a practical advantage in South African environments where dust accumulation is a real concern. The dual Axial-tech fans feature 0dB technology, stopping completely during light loads for silent operation. A carefully designed shroud, heatsink, and heatpipe layout allows the two fans to leverage chassis side-panel ventilation and deliver thermal performance that belies the card’s size.

Build Quality and Software

The mounting bracket is made from 304 stainless steel, which is harder and more resistant to corrosion than standard steel. ASUS Auto-Extreme manufacturing technology uses automated assembly processes to improve soldering reliability and reduce the chance of component defects over time. GPU Tweak III provides manual control over clocks, voltages, and fan curves with real-time monitoring, and GeForce Game Ready and Studio drivers are available directly from ASUS’s support site.

Power and Connectivity

One of this card’s most practical features: it requires no external power connectors, with a recommended PSU of just 450W. This makes it an easy drop-in upgrade for office PCs and budget builds with modest power supplies. Outputs cover 1× DVI-D, 1× HDMI 2.1, and 1× DisplayPort 1.4a, supporting up to 3 displays simultaneously at up to 7680×4320. The DVI-D port is particularly useful for older monitor setups common in business environments.

Memory bus note: The 96-bit memory interface is narrower than higher-tier RTX cards. This card is optimised for 1080p; performance at 1440p and above will be limited compared to cards with wider buses.

6GB VRAM: While sufficient for most 1080p titles today, some modern AAA games with high-texture settings can push past 6GB. Keep texture quality settings moderate for a consistently smooth experience.

Key Highlights

• NVIDIA Ampere architecture — 2,304 CUDA cores
• 6GB GDDR6, 96-bit bus, 14 Gbps memory speed
• 1537 MHz boost clock (OC mode) / 1507 MHz (Default mode)
• Dual Axial-tech fans with 0dB silent-idle technology
• IP5X dust resistance certification
• 2nd Gen RT Cores + 3rd Gen Tensor Cores (ray tracing + DLSS)
• No external power connector required
• 450W PSU recommended
• 1× HDMI 2.1, 1× DisplayPort 1.4a, 1× DVI-D — up to 3 displays / 8K output
• PCIe 4.0 x16 interface
• 201 mm length, 2-slot design
• 304 stainless steel bracket
• GPU Tweak III software included

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Within GIGABYTE’s RTX 5060 family, the WINDFORCE OC sits at the base of the stack — but that’s purely in terms of cooler size and price, not GPU performance. It carries the same RTX 5060 silicon clocked to 2512 MHz, with 8GB of GDDR7 at 28 Gbps on a 128-bit bus, delivering 448 GB/s of memory bandwidth and the full Blackwell feature set: DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation, NVIDIA Reflex 2 with Frame Warp, fourth-generation RT Cores, and fifth-generation Tensor Cores. The difference versus the Eagle MAX OC and Gaming OC variants is simply the cooler footprint and the resulting PSU requirement — not the silicon.

WINDFORCE Dual-Fan Cooling

The WINDFORCE OC’s cooling solution is one of the more compact full-height RTX 5060 designs on the market, using two alternate-spinning Hawk fans and server-grade thermal conductive gel as the thermal interface material. The Hawk Fan blade design increases air pressure by 53.6% over conventional axial fans, and graphene nano lubricant on the sleeve bearings extends their lifespan by 2.1× while running quieter. The broader WINDFORCE system adds composite copper heat pipes, a copper plate with direct GPU contact, 3D active fan technology for silent semi-passive idle, and screen cooling fins to push heat away from the heatsink efficiently. A reinforced PCB structure prevents sag over time without adding unnecessary bulk.

Power Efficiency — The Lowest PSU Requirement in the Range

The WINDFORCE OC carries a recommended PSU of just 450W — meaningfully lower than the Eagle MAX OC and Gaming OC variants which require 550W. This makes it the most upgrade-accessible RTX 5060 option for systems built around budget or compact power supplies, including many pre-built desktops. The card measures 199 × 116 × 40 mm, fitting easily into mid-tower and micro-ATX builds where space near the GPU bay is constrained, and connects via a single 8-pin PCIe power cable.

Connectivity

Display outputs include 3× DisplayPort 2.1b and 1× HDMI 2.1b, supporting up to 4 simultaneous displays at up to 7680×4320. The interface is PCIe 5.0, fully backwards compatible with PCIe 4.0 and 3.0 motherboards. GIGABYTE Control Center software provides monitoring, fan control, and clock adjustment.

WINDFORCE OC vs WINDFORCE MAX OC: Both cards boost to 2512 MHz. The difference is cooler size — the MAX OC uses a physically larger heatsink requiring 550W; this card runs the same clocks on a more compact cooler at 450W. No performance difference, smaller footprint and lower power requirement.

8GB GDDR7 note: Excellent at 1080p and strong at 1440p with DLSS enabled. The 128-bit bus and 8GB VRAM ceiling will limit native 4K performance at maximum settings in the most demanding titles — DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation is the recommended path to smooth 4K on this card.

PCIe compatibility: PCIe 5.0 card, fully backward compatible with PCIe 4.0 and 3.0 slots with no performance penalty at this tier.

Key Highlights

• NVIDIA Blackwell architecture — 3,840 CUDA cores
• 8GB GDDR7, 128-bit bus, 28 Gbps, 448 GB/s bandwidth
• 2512 MHz boost clock — same as WINDFORCE MAX OC
• Dual alternate-spinning Hawk fans — 53.6% higher air pressure
• Graphene nano lubricant bearings — 2.1× lifespan, quieter operation
• Copper plate + composite copper heat pipes + screen cooling fins
• 3D Active Fan — silent semi-passive idle
• Server-grade thermal conductive gel on GPU, VRAM and MOSFETs
• Reinforced PCB structure — no RGB
• DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation + NVIDIA Reflex 2 with Frame Warp
• 4th Gen RT Cores + 5th Gen Tensor Cores
• 3× DisplayPort 2.1b, 1× HDMI 2.1b — up to 4 displays / 8K output
• PCIe 5.0, backwards compatible with PCIe 4.0 / 3.0
• 199 mm length, 2-slot design
• Single 8-pin PCIe power connector
• 450W PSU recommended — lowest of the GIGABYTE RTX 5060 lineup
• GIGABYTE Control Center software

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The Gigabyte GeForce RTX 3050 Windforce OC 6G is a remarkable card for one very specific reason: it draws power exclusively from the PCIe slot with a maximum draw of only 70W and requires no additional power connection from the power supply — making it compatible with virtually any desktop system, including older prebuilts and small form factor machines with minimal PSU headroom.

NVIDIA Ampere — Real RTX Features

Built on the Ampere architecture and designed to handle the graphical demands of Full HD 1080p gaming, the RTX 3050 6G brings the power of real-time ray tracing and AI to PC games. With 2nd generation Ray Tracing Cores and 3rd generation Tensor Cores, it offers rich visuals and realistic renderings, bringing games and applications to life. DLSS 2 is supported for AI-powered upscaling in hundreds of supported titles.

WINDFORCE Cooling — Silent by Default

The WINDFORCE cooling system features two unique blade fans with alternate spinning and a 3D Active Fan mode, which together provide high efficiency heat dissipation while reducing turbulence and increasing airflow pressure. 3D Active Fan keeps fans completely off during idle and light loads — completely inaudible in everyday use.

Broad Display Support

Its connectivity options supporting up to 4 monitors with 2x DisplayPort 1.4a and 2x HDMI 2.1 outputs allow for a versatile and immersive multi-display setup.

Ideal for: SFF builds, older prebuilt upgrades, home office systems, and budget gaming setups where PSU capacity or physical card space is a constraint. This card will run from practically any power supply made in the last decade.

Key Highlights:

• NVIDIA Ampere Architecture | GeForce RTX 3050 GPU
• 2304 CUDA Cores | 6GB GDDR6 | 14 Gbps | 96-bit
• Boost Clock: 1477 MHz
• PCIe 4.0 | DirectX 12 Ultimate | DLSS 2 | Ray Tracing
• 2x HDMI 2.1 | 2x DisplayPort 1.4a | 4-Display Support
• WINDFORCE Dual Fan | 3D Active Fan (0dB)
• 70W TDP — No External Power Connector Required
• Recommended PSU: 300W minimum
• Card Dimensions: 191 × 111 × 36mm — Compact ATX
• 3-Year Warranty

Proudly sold by the Ringwood Digital Store.