Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti – Performance and Benchmarks

I tested the GTX 1050 Ti  in our in-house test rig. It represents a fairly typical gaming PC and consists of the following components:

• Motherboard: Asus Z170-Deluxe
• Processor: Intel Core i5-6600K (not overclocked)
• RAM: Corsair Vengeance 2,666MHz, 16GB DDR4
• Cooler: Corsair H60 liquid cooler
• PSU: Corsair CX750M
• SSD: Samsung 850 EVO
• OS: Windows 10 Pro 64-bit

The results graphs show comparison benchmarks between the closest-priced rivals: the RX 470 and 460. This will prove useful if the GTX 1050 Ti receives a discount or the price increases. But right now, since the three are priced so differently, it’s really just proof that paying more gets you better performance.

Dirt Rally

As always, TrustedReviews‘ easiest benchmark is Dirt Rally. Even at maximum settings, this is a relatively simple rendering task thanks to there being only one vehicle on-screen at any one time. There are fast-moving objects and textures and a stream of lighting and particle effects, but Dirt Rally represents simpler gaming titles that won’t tax modern hardware.

In my tests, the GTX 1050 Ti managed 65.5fps at Ultra settings and Full HD resolution. That puts it slap-bang in the middle of the RX 470 and 460, and is a very playable frame rate. Dropping the presets by a notch would guarantee a stable 60+fps, but this is only for those who prioritise frame rates above all else.

Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor

Shadow of Mordor is a tough cookie at its maximum settings and Full HD resolution. This short benchmark chucks explosion effects, weather and plenty of NPCs at our test system.

Our standard test is run at maximum settings and the GTX 1050 Ti managed an average output of 58.3fps, which is playable without having to make any changes to graphics settings.

Hitman

Hitman has always been an odd duck in our suite of benchmarks. It’s a tough test with lots of detailed NPCs milling around. What’s most frustrating about the test is how massively it favours AMD graphics cards, which can really skew the numbers when running benchmarks. Nowhere more clearly can this be seen than with the GTX 1050 Ti.

Managing a result of 43fps is perfectly respectable, but compared to the much cheaper AMD Radeon RX 460 it was just 3fps ahead. The RX 470 stretches its lead even further with a huge 67.1fps.

Hitman is always the exception, but if you’re an avid assassin then this might play into your buying decision. Dropping settings to Very High improved things significantly to 65.2fps.

Rise of the Tomb Raider

Our final benchmark in this review is Rise of the Tomb Raider. It’s a very pretty game and its varied benchmark has lots of lighting and weather effects with which to contend.

In this test, the 1050 Ti managed a playable 40.5fps, which isn’t as smooth as many would like. Dropping down to Medium settings improved performance to 58fps, which makes for a much more consistent experience.

Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti – Heat, noise and power consumption

Drawing power only from the PCI-E connector, it isn’t surprising to see that the 1050 Ti is the least power-hungry GPU we’ve tested so far this year. Measuring its peak power consumption during the Hitman benchmark, it drew – at most – 140W.

This is reflected in its heat and noise stats, too. I didn’t see it go beyond 50^oC during my testing, and the single fan on the MSI unit under review spun quietly throughout my testing.

Should I buy the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti?

The 1050 Ti is a triumph of gaming grunt and power consumption. You won’t find a more powerful card that’s smaller and quieter. It will handle the latest games at Full HD resolutions at Medium and High settings, and with 4GB of memory on board it’s unlikely that you’ll bump up against its capacity when playing in Full HD.

As ever, you should always buy the most expensive GPU you can afford, and for just £24 extra – at the time of writing – you can get your hands on the more powerful AMD Radeon RX 470, which comfortably handles our benchmark games at maximum settings at around 60fps. How long that special offer lasts remains to be seen, however, so you should remain vigilant when price checking both cards.

Since this review went live, the RX 470 mentioned is no longer available for £164, so it appears it was a very short-time offer. The more powerful 3GB Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 sits in the same price bracket, making it an attractive alternative for £180 if you have extra cash. It’s worth keeping an eye on price fluctuations on both cards in case they fall within your absolute maximum spend.

The only reservation I have is future games. While most GPUs typically have a pretty long shelf life, the less you spend, the shorter that life will be. Two years from now, you might think about replacing your 1050 Ti with whatever comes next to ensure your Full HD gaming experience remains top-notch.

Related: Best graphics cards

Verdict

A great-value card for budget HD gaming builds.

Trusted Score