Nvidia GeForce RTX 5050 review: Starting, and finishing, at the bottom

Even in what passes for the current “budget” market, there are stronger graphics cards than this

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Zotac Gaming GeForce RTX 5050 Twin Edge OC: CUDA Cores: 2560 Base Clock Speed: 2.32GHz Boost Clock Speed: 2.6GHz VRAM: 8GB GDDR7 Power: 130W Recommended System Power: 550W Price: From £248 / $270

There was a time when I’d be chuffed to bits to be clicking a new entry-level graphics card into its PCIe home. Think back to the GTX 1050 Ti or the Radeon RX 570 – these weren’t just great GPUs because they were accessible, but because you could practically feel the scrappiness bouncing off their circuitry. Like barking little chihuahuas, throwing down against a pack of mastiffs. You can see they’re no match for the bigger boys. But you kind of love them for not caring.

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5050 is no such card. It is the most affordable of the RTX 50 series, undercutting the RTX 5060 by about £40 / $50, and it does come with a full set of DLSS 4 tools including Multi Frame Generation (MFG) support. Its performance, sadly, leans more slow than scrappy, and it isn’t even really that cheap. Prices start around £220 / $250 and this overclocked Zotac model I’ve tested is £248 / $270, so it’s still going to be by far the priciest component in any budget PC build.

It’s not entirely useless – for those with specific tastes in lightweight, esports-scented multiplayer games, the RTX 5050 will do the trick at 1080p. Yet for tougher fare, there are other GPUs that come better equipped to deal with those tricky quality settings, even without needing to spend much more.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5050 review: 1440p benchmarks

Unsurprisingly, given its 8GB of VRAM runs at an even thinner bandwidth than the RTX 5060’s, the RTX 5050 struggles to rise above its 1080p station. Only in Assassin’s Creed Mirage and the nearly seven-year-old Shadow of the Tomb Raider did it climb beyond 60fps, and in both cases, it’s beaten by both the 12GB Intel Arc B580 – which is currently going for around £240, making it a direct budget rival. Nvidia’s previous generation didn’t include an XX50 desktop GPU, but it bodes poorly for the RTX 5050 that it also gets repeatedly pipped by the RTX 4060 .

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DLSS helps, and indeed, higher resolutions are always a better fit for deploying upscalers without a distinct cut to visual niceness. Cyberpunk 2077 certainly benefitted, jumping from 48fps to a smooth 64fps with DLSS on Quality mode. Others, unfortunately, still fell short. Horizon Forbidden West – which, it must be said, was largely cured of the steep framerate drops I experienced on the RTX 5060 – only improved to 54fps with Quality DLSS, while F1 24’s equivalent settings only pushed it to 47fps. Just a single frame more than what the B580 can do at native rez, alas.

This level of frameweaving effectively yanks premium path tracing features off the table, and although the RTX 5050 can apply standard ray tracing without completely coughing itself to death, you’re still looking at big slowdowns. Metro Exodus fell from 59fps to 42fps with the addition of Ultra RT effects, and Cyberpunk 2077 – bracing itself with DLSS – could only average 34fps with Psycho RT enabled, nearly half what it was pulling before.

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Nvidia GeForce RTX 5050 review: 1080p benchmarks

Inside the warmer embrace of 1080p, the RTX 5050 has far less trouble keeping up. Of my usual Ultra-quality, native resolution benchmark games, only F1 24 averaged below 60fps, and that particular Ultra preset included some ray tracing effects. Adding Quality DLSS was enough to get it up to 61fps, too. Occasionally, the RTX 5050 also manages to close the gap with Arc B580, especially in Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Assassin’s Creed Mirage (the two games that, perhaps prophetically, ran best at 1440p).

Still, Intel’s GPU remains the faster cheapo card overall, and the RTX 5050 is still haunted by the ghost of the RTX 4060. The RTX 5060, meanwhile, consistently lands far, far ahead – if you’ve got (or are getting) a monitor with any refresh rate above 60Hz, you wouldn’t have trouble seeing the difference.

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Frame generation is, at least, more viable a helper here than it is at 1440p – you always want a healthy base of regular frames with tools like MFG (or FSR 3 or 4, or Intel’s XeSS 2) to counteract its added input lag. On the RTX 5050 specifically, mind, it’s still best applied with a light touch. In Cyberpunk 2077, this GPU averaged 48fps on a combination of Ultra settings, Quality DLSS, and Psycho RT, which then rose to 89fps with MFG set to 2x. This was playable, latency-wise, and looked visibly smoother: a frame gen success. Except switching to 4x mode noticeably cranked up the lag to the point where Night City may as well have been flooded with custard, for all the responsiveness of the driving controls and camera movements. That just wasn’t worth the 113fps, which you’ll note isn’t even close to what 4 x 48 actually is.

Alan Wake 2 had a similar problem, even without any ray tracing. On High with Quality DLSS, 48fps became 78fps with 2x MFG, and was more or less snappy enough to get by. 4x mode then juiced it all the way up 144fps, but again, the extra lag made aiming feel floaty and imprecise. I still think DLSS 4 is the best of the current upscaling/frame gen combos, especially on per-frame visual quality, but when it’s this risky to go above 2x mode, MFG doesn’t offer much that DLSS 3 can’t. And that’s supported in a wider selection of games than DLSS 4’s MFG, as well as on price-cut RTX 40 GPUs like the 4060.

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Not to overdo the dog analogy but if the RTX 5050 was a pup, it’s probably more the kind that prefers to cut its walks short so it can curl up on a discarded towel back home. Because in its true comfort zone, it does begin to show flashes of being a loyal companion, and that zone overlaps neatly with the competitive shooter-and-or-MOBA field. Counter-Strike 2? Most maps will do 100fps or more at Very High, easily. Dota 2? Across an entire match I averaged 114fps on max settings. And Apex Legends, on High, had no trouble at all filling out a 144fps limit. It’s true that basically any desktop GPU launched in the last three years will pull similar numbers or better, but even discounting the mahoosive ones that would be pure overkill for these at 1080p, the RTX 5050 will work out cheaper than most.

Outside this multiplayer niche, however, there are simply better options. The Arc B580 might lack the same degree of frame gen sophistication, but its straight performance advantage makes it less in need of help – and it’s generally better equipped for higher resolutions, in case you ever want to upgrade to a 1440p or 1080p ultrawide screen. Stretch your budget just a little bit further, and you could alternatively nab a base-price RTX 5060, which is faster than both and keeps you from missing out on any DLSS 4 features.

Then there’s the RTX 4060. As often as I’ve brought it up, I wouldn’t actually suggest this over the RTX 5050 to any readers joining us from the States, where it’s weirdly staying above the $300 line despite its age. Fellow Brits, on the other hand, should be able to find one new between £250 and £260: a little extra cash for a little extra performance.

The review is based on a retail sample provided by the manufacturer.

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All 75 Arc Raiders Blueprints and where to get them

These areas have the highest chance of giving you Blueprints

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Looking for more Arc Raiders Blueprints? It’s a special day when you find a Blueprint, as they’re among the most valuable items in Arc Raiders. If you find a Blueprint that you haven’t already found, then you must make sure you hold onto it at all costs, because Blueprints are the key to one of the most important and powerful systems of meta-progression in the game.

This guide aims to be the very best guide on Blueprints you can find, starting with a primer on what exactly they are and how they work in Arc Raiders, before delving into exactly where to get Blueprints and the very best farming spots for you to take in your search.

We’ll also go over how to get Blueprints from other unlikely activities, such as destroying Surveyors and completing specific quests. And you’ll also find the full list of all 75 Blueprints in Arc Raiders on this page (including the newest Blueprints added with the Cold Snap update , such as the Deadline Blueprint and Firework Box Blueprint), giving you all the information you need to expand your own crafting repertoire.

In this guide:

• What are Blueprints in Arc Raiders?
• Full Blueprint list: All crafting recipes
• Where to find Blueprints in Arc Raiders Blueprints obtained from quests Blueprints obtained from Trials Best Blueprint farming locations

What are Blueprints in Arc Raiders?

Blueprints in Arc Raiders are special items which, if you manage to extract with them, you can expend to permanently unlock a new crafting recipe in your Workshop. If you manage to extract from a raid with an Anvil Blueprint, for example, you can unlock the ability to craft your very own Anvil Pistol, as many times as you like (as long as you have the crafting materials).

To use a Blueprint, simply open your Inventory while in the lobby, then right-click on the Blueprint and click “Learn And Consume” . This will permanently unlock the recipe for that item in your Workshop. As of the Stella Montis update, there are allegedly 75 different Blueprints to unlock - although only 68 are confirmed to be in the game so far. You can see all the Blueprints you’ve found and unlocked by going to the Workshop menu, and hitting “R” to bring up the Blueprint screen.

It’s possible to find duplicates of past Blueprints you’ve already unlocked. If you find these, then you can either sell them, or - if you like to play with friends - you can take it into a match and gift it to your friend so they can unlock that recipe for themselves. Another option is to keep hold of them until the time comes to donate them to the Expedition.

Full Blueprint list: All crafting recipes

Below is the full list of all the Blueprints that are currently available to find in Arc Raiders, and the crafting recipe required for each item:

Note: The missing Blueprints in this list likely have not actually been added to the game at the time of writing, because none of the playerbase has managed to find any of them. As they are added to the game, I will update this page with the most relevant information so you know exactly how to get all 75 Arc Raiders Blueprints.

Where to find Blueprints in Arc Raiders

Below is a list of all containers, modifiers, and events which maximise your chances of finding Blueprints:

• Certain quests reward you with specific Blueprints .
• Completing Trials has a high chance of offering Blueprints as rewards.
• Surveyors have a decent chance of dropping Blueprints on death.
• High loot value areas tend to have a greater chance of spawning Blueprints.
• Night Raids and Storms may increase rare Blueprint spawn chances in containers.
• Containers with higher numbers of items may have a higher tendency to spawn Blueprints. As a result, Blue Gate (which has many “large” containers containing multiple items) may give you a higher chance of spawning Blueprints.
• Raider containers (Raider Caches, Weapon Boxes, Medical Bags, Grenade Tubes) have increased Blueprint drop rates. As a result, the Uncovered Caches event gives you a high chance of finding Blueprints.
• Security Lockers have a higher than average chance of containing Blueprints.
• Certain Blueprints only seem to spawn under specific circumstances: Tempest Blueprint only spawns during Night Raid events. Vulcano Blueprint only spawns during Hidden Bunker events. Jupiter and Equaliser Blueprints only spawn during Harvester events.

Raider Caches, Weapon Boxes, and other raider-oriented container types have a good chance of offering Blueprints. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Blueprints have a very low chance of spawning in any container in Arc Raiders, around 1-2% on average. However, there is a higher chance of finding Blueprints in particular container types. Specifically, you can find more Blueprints in Raider containers and security lockers.

Beyond this, if you’re looking for Blueprints you should focus on regions of the map which are marked as having particularly high-value loot. Areas such as the Control Tower in Dam Battlegrounds, the Arrival and Departure Buildings in Spaceport, and Pilgrim’s Peak in Blue Gate all have a better-than-average chance of spawning Blueprints somewhere amongst all their containers. Night Raids and Electromagnetic Storm events also increase the drop chances of certain Blueprints .

In addition to these containers, you can often loot Blueprints from destroyed Surveyors - the largest of the rolling ball ARC. Surveyors are more commonly found on the later maps - Spaceport and Blue Gate - and if one spawns in your match, you’ll likely see it by the blue laser beam that it casts into the sky while “surveying”.

Surveyors are quite well-armoured and will very speedily run away from you once it notices you, but if you can take one down then make sure you loot all its parts for a chance of obtaining certain unusual Blueprints.

Blueprints obtained from quests

One way in which you can get Blueprints is by completing certain quests for the vendors in Speranza. Some quests will reward you with a specific item Blueprint upon completion, so as long as you work through all the quests in Arc Raiders, you are guaranteed those Blueprints.

Here is the full list of all Blueprints you can get from quest rewards:

• Trigger Nade Blueprint: Rewarded after completing “Sparks Fly”.
• Lure Grenade Blueprint: Rewarded after completing “Greasing Her Palms”.
• Burletta Blueprint: Rewarded after completing “Industrial Espionage”.
• Hullcracker Blueprint (and Launcher Ammo Blueprint): Rewarded after completing “The Major’s Footlocker”.

Alas, that’s only 4 Blueprints out of a total of 75 to unlock, so for the vast majority you will need to find them yourself during a raid. If you’re intent on farming Blueprints, then it’s best to equip yourself with cheap gear in case you lose it, but don’t use a free loadout because then you won’t get a safe pocket to stash any new Blueprint you find. No pain in Arc Raiders is sharper than failing to extract with a new Blueprint you’ve been after for a dozen hours already.

One of the best ways to get Blueprints is by hitting three stars on all five Trials every week. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Blueprints obtained from Trials

One of the very best ways to get Blueprints is as rewards for completing Trials in Arc Raiders. Trials are unlocked from Level 15 onwards, and allow you to earn rewards by focusing on certain tasks over the course of several raids. For example, one Trial might task you with dealing damage to Hornets, while another might challenge you to loot Supply Drops.

Trials refresh on a weekly basis, with a new week bringing five new Trials. Each Trial can offer up to three rewards after passing certain score milestones, and it’s possible to receive very high level loot from these reward crates - including Blueprints. So if you want to unlock as many Blueprints as possible, you should make a point of completing as many Trials as possible each week.

Best Blueprint farming locations

The very best way to get Blueprints is to frequent specific areas of the maps which combine high-tier loot pools with the right types of containers to search. Here are my recommendations for where to find Blueprints on every map, so you can always keep the search going for new crafting recipes to unlock.

Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Dam Battlegrounds

The best places to farm Blueprints on Dam Battlegrounds are the Control Tower, Power Generation Complex, Ruby Residence, and Pale Apartments . The first two regions, despite only being marked on the map as mid-tier loot, contain a phenomenal number of containers to loot. The Control Tower can also contain a couple of high-tier Security Lockers - though of course, you’ll need to have unlocked the Security Breach skill at the end of the Survival tree.

There’s also a lot of reporting amongst the playerbase that the Residential areas in the top-left of the map - Pale Apartments and Ruby Residence - give you a comparatively strong chance of finding Blueprints. Considering their size, there’s a high density of containers to loot in both locations, and they also have the benefit of being fairly out of the way. So you’re more likely to have all the containers to yourself.

Buried City

The best Blueprint farming locations on Buried City are the Santa Maria Houses, Grandioso Apartments, Town Hall, and the various buildings of the New District . Grandioso Apartments has a lower number of containers than the rest, but a high chance of spawning weapon cases - which have good Blueprint drop rates. The others are high-tier loot areas, with plenty of lootable containers - including Security Lockers.

Spaceport

The best places to find Blueprints on Spaceport are the Arrival and Departure Buildings, as well as Control Tower A6 and the Launch Towers . All these areas are labelled as high-value loot regions, and many of them are also very handily connected to one another by the Spaceport wall, which you can use to quickly run from one area to the next. At the tops of most of these buildings you’ll find at least one Security Locker, so this is an excellent farming route for players looking to find Blueprints.

The downside to looting Blueprints on Spaceport is that all these areas are hotly contested, particularly in Duos and Squads. You’ll need to be very focused and fast in order to complete the full farming route.

Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Blue Gate

Blue Gate tends to have a good chance of dropping Blueprints, potentially because it generally has a high number of containers which can hold lots of items; so there’s a higher chance of a Blueprint spawning in each container. In my experience, the best Blueprint farming spots on Blue Gate are Pilgrim’s Peak, Raider’s Refuge, the Ancient Fort, and the Underground Complex beneath the Warehouse .

All of these areas contain a wealth of containers to loot. Raider’s Refuge has less to loot, but the majority of the containers in and around the Refuge are raider containers, which have a high chance of containing Blueprints - particularly during major events.

Stella Montis

On the whole, Stella Montis seems to have a very low drop rate for Blueprints (though a high chance of dropping other high-tier loot). If you do want to try farming Blueprints on this map, the best places to find Blueprints in Stella Montis are Medical Research, Assembly Workshop, and the Business Center . These areas have the highest density of containers to loot on the map.

In addition to this, the Western Tunnel has a few different Security Lockers to loot, so while there’s very little to loot elsewhere in this area of the map, it’s worth hitting those Security Lockers if you spawn there at the start of a match.

That wraps up this primer on how to get all the Blueprints in Arc Raiders as quickly as possible. With the Expedition system constantly resetting a large number of players’ Blueprints, it’s more important than ever to have the most up-to-date information on where to find all these Blueprints.

While you’re here, be sure to check out our Arc Raiders best guns tier list , as well as our primers on the best skills to unlock and all the different Field Depot locations on every map.

ARC Raiders

PS5 , Xbox Series X/S , PC

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