OVERALL
ALTERNATIVES
SPECS
VS AVERAGE
REVIEWS
Scored using Graphics cards Methodology v3.0
Graphics cards Methodology v3.0
Mathematical & Unbiased Scoring
Products in this category are scored under Frontum Graphics cards Methodology v3.0: the technical score from the specifications is the base, and independent expert and video reviews (up to ±0.5 points), owner opinions (up to ±0.3) and best-of lists (up to +0.3) move it up or down.
Explore Graphics cards Methodology v3.0

MSI GeForce RTX 5050 Gaming review: 117 specs compared

Avg. price:~£250VRAM:8 GBMemory bus width:128 bitThermal Design Power (TDP):130 W

MSI GeForce RTX 5050 Gaming Review: Compare 117 technical specifications to see how this product ranks in the Graphics cards category and whether it is worth buying.

MSI GeForce RTX 5050 Gaming
6.9/10

Overall score

Score
6.9/ 10
✕
What it is
Our main score for this model, 1–10. It combines specs, expert reviews, best-of lists and owners.
How we count it
Parts: Technical score 40%, Reviews score 25%, List score 25%, Sentiment score 10%
Marks: Each part gets a mark out of 10. For reviews, lists and owners, a typical model in this category gets about 8 and the best one gets 10.
No data yet: A part with no data shows "?". It counts as the mark of a weaker model in this category (4 in 5 models with data score higher). This way, models with reviews, lists and owners usually come out ahead.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 71% of models
Score components

40%

6.2

Technical score

25%

?

Reviews scoreNot enough data yet, so we use 7.6, the mark of a weaker model in this category

25%

?

List scoreNot enough data yet, so we use 7.5, the mark of a weaker model in this category

10%

6.2

Sentiment score

â–¼Worse than 71% of graphics cards
7.6

Value for money

Value for money
7.6/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the graphics card's overall rating with its cost.
When it matters
When you are looking for a graphics card that offers a strong balance of performance, features, and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–² Better than 62% of models
Score components

70%

6.9

Overall score

30%

9.2

Price

â–²Better than 62%
6.2

Technical score

Technical score
6.2/ 10
✕
What it is
How good the specs are compared with the other models in this category, 1–10.
How we count it
Areas: We rate the specs in each area against the other models in this category.
Weighting: The areas that matter most to buyers count more. The shares are shown under Score components.
Share: The technical score is 40% of the overall score.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 67% of models
Score components

44%

4.9

Performance

24%

4.4

Memory

12%

8.9

Power

11%

9.8

Features

5%

9.0

Design

4%

10

Connectivity

â–¼Worse than 67%
?

Reviews score

Reviews score
✕
What it is
Average grade from independent test sites, magazines and video reviewers, 1–10.
How we count it
Grades: Each review's own score is converted to 1–10; without one, we grade the review ourselves. Big test sites count more, short reviews half as much as full tests. A video review counts half.
Score: The average grade is 80% of the review mark; the number of reviews is the other 20% (1 review = 5, the typical number in this category = 8, the most-reviewed model = 10).
Enough data: With few reviews, the average grade is pulled toward the typical grade of this category. No reviews yet: 7.6 for now.
Share: Reviews count 25% of the overall score.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Grades by review (0)
We have not found an independent test of this model yet. Until we do, its review part counts as 7.6.
User ratings collected online are not part of this score.
No expert tests yet
?

List score

List score
7.5/ 10
✕
What it is
How often independent test sites, magazines and video reviewers put this model in their best-of lists for this category.
How we count it
Points: The model in the most lists of this category gets 10; the others get 8 to 10 in proportion. In no list yet: 7.5. Lists count 25% of the overall score.
Enough data: Every list counts, even a single one. With fewer than 5 best-of lists in the category, this part is left out.
Lists with this model (0)
Not in any best-of list yet, so this part counts as 7.5. Models in a list get 8 to 10.
Not in any best-of list yet
  • msi-geforce-rtx-5050-gaming
msi-geforce-rtx-5050-gaming
Where to buy
    N/A~ £250
Best rankings
Available: ranking among products currently available (including other versions of this product).All: ranking among all products in the database.

What owners say about the MSI GeForce RTX 5050 Gaming

Based on 182 owners sharing their experience in online comments

75%positive4%mixed21%negative

Owners praise its strong, affordable gaming performance, though limited VRAM, instability, and inconsistent results hold it back.

What owners dislike

  • Some owners get freezes, crashes or restarts, linked to newer drivers, GTA 5 with DLSS, or heavy GPU tasks.11
  • Owners find it struggles with the most demanding AAA titles and 4K, often reaching only around 60 fps in some games.8
  • Some owners feel the card is expensive for an entry-level part, saying it costs about as much as older complete builds.5
  • Under gaming loads it runs hot, with memory reaching about 80 degrees and laptops hitting 90 degrees or more in Minecraft.4
  • The 8GB of video memory fills up in some games, causing lag and stutter, and limits larger AI image or video generation.3

Points mentioned by at least 3 owners, most mentioned first.

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Technical Specifications of graphics card MSI GeForce RTX 5050 Gaming

Technical score
Technical score
6.2/ 10
✕
What it is
How good the specs are compared with the other models in this category, 1–10.
How we count it
Areas: We rate the specs in each area against the other models in this category.
Weighting: The areas that matter most to buyers count more. The shares are shown under Score components.
Share: The technical score is 40% of the overall score.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 67% of models
Score components:

44%

4.9

Performance

24%

4.4

Memory

12%

8.9

Power

11%

9.8

Features

5%

9.0

Design

4%

10

Connectivity

6.2
Reviews score
7.6
List score
?
Value for money
Value for money
7.6/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the graphics card's overall rating with its cost.
When it matters
When you are looking for a graphics card that offers a strong balance of performance, features, and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–² Better than 62% of models
Score components:

70%

6.9

Overall score

30%

9.2

Price

7.6
3DMark Time Spy benchmark score
9,954 points
Market range: <4.1k points – >30.1k points
This graphics card scores 9,954 points in 3DMark Time Spy, which is lower than 71.7% of graphics cards and equal to 0.3% of graphics cards.
3DMark Port Royal score
6,124 points
Market range: <0 points – >22.4k points
This graphics card scores 6,124 points in 3DMark Port Royal, which is lower than 65.4% of graphics cards and equal to 0.4% of graphics cards.
PassMark (G3D) result
17,060 points
Market range: <7.7k points – >36k points
This graphics card scores 17,060 points in PassMark G3D, which is lower than 68.9% of graphics cards.
PassMark (DirectCompute) result
8,525 points
Market range: <3.1k points – >26.3k points
This graphics card scores 8,525 points in PassMark DirectCompute, which is lower than 68% of graphics cards and equal to 0.3% of graphics cards.
FP32 performance
13.17 TFLOPS
Market range: <3.94 TFLOPS – >56.3 TFLOPS
This graphics card delivers 13.17 TFLOPS FP32 performance, which is lower than that of 67.8% of graphics cards and equal to that of 1.1% of graphics cards.
Show more
VRAM
8 GB
Market range: <4 GB – >16 GB
This graphics card has 8 GB of VRAM, which is less than 56.8% of graphics cards and equal to 25.7% of graphics cards.
Memory type
GDDR7
This graphics card uses GDDR7 memory, which is newer than on 79.6% of graphics cards and equal to 20.4% of graphics cards.
Memory bus width
128 bit
Market range: <128 bit – >384 bit
This graphics card uses a 128 bit memory bus, which is narrower than that of 68.6% of graphics cards and equal to that of 26.7% of graphics cards.
Maximum memory bandwidth
320 GB/s
Market range: <168 GB/s – >960 GB/s
This graphics card reaches 320 GB/s memory bandwidth, which is lower than that of 66.5% of graphics cards and equal to that of 3.2% of graphics cards.
Effective memory speed
20,000 MHz
Market range: <7k MHz – >28k MHz
This graphics card reaches an effective memory speed of 20,000 MHz, which is faster than that of 53.4% of graphics cards and equal to that of 7.5% of graphics cards.
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PCI Express (PCIe) version
5
This graphics card supports PCIe 5, which is newer than on 73% of graphics cards and equal to 27% of graphics cards.
PCIe lanes
x8
This graphics card uses x8 PCIe lanes, which is fewer than 75.9% of graphics cards and equal to 22.9% of graphics cards.
DirectX version
12 Ultimate
This graphics card supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, which is more advanced than on 22.8% of graphics cards and equal to 77.2% of graphics cards.
Vulkan version
1.4
This graphics card supports Vulkan 1.4, which is more advanced than on 20.8% of graphics cards and equal to 79.2% of graphics cards.
OpenGL version
4.6
This graphics card supports OpenGL 4.6, which is more advanced than on 2% of graphics cards and equal to 98% of graphics cards.
Show more
Max displays supported
4
Market range: <4 – >4
This graphics card supports up to 4 displays, which is more than 9% of graphics cards and equal to 88.2% of graphics cards.
Max digital resolution
7680x4320
This graphics card supports a maximum digital resolution of 7680x4320, which is higher than that of 9.2% of graphics cards and equal to that of 90.9% of graphics cards.
DisplayPort outputs
3
Market range: <1 – >3
This graphics card offers 3 DisplayPort outputs, which is more than 21.7% of graphics cards and equal to 76% of graphics cards.
DisplayPort version
2.1b
This graphics card supports DisplayPort 2.1b, which is more advanced than on 77.8% of graphics cards and equal to 22.2% of graphics cards.
DisplayPort link rates
80 Gbps
Market range: <5.4 Gbps – >80 Gbps
This graphics card supports DisplayPort link rates up to 80 Gbps, which is faster than on 84.9% of graphics cards and equal to 14.9% of graphics cards.
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Thermal Design Power (TDP)
130 W
Market range: <86 W – >360 W
This graphics card has a TDP of 130 W, which is lower than that of 79.2% of graphics cards and equal to that of 3.1% of graphics cards.
Power consumption while under peak load
130 W
Market range: <106 W – >365 W
This graphics card draws 130 W under peak load, which is lower than 81% of graphics cards and equal to 3.3% of graphics cards.
Recommended PSU wattage
550 W
Market range: <450 W – >850 W
This graphics card recommends a 550 W PSU, which is lower than that of 61.8% of graphics cards and equal to that of 13.3% of graphics cards.
Board power limit
130 W
Market range: <107 W – >400 W
This graphics card has a board power limit of 130 W, which is lower than that of 81.9% of graphics cards and equal to that of 3.3% of graphics cards.
PCIe power spec
130 W
Show more
Size
202x 120x 41 mm
Length
202 mm
Market range: <200 mm – >337 mm
This graphics card is 202 mm long, which is shorter than 88.8% of graphics cards and equal in length to 0.3% of graphics cards.
Height
120 mm
Market range: <109 mm – >146 mm
This graphics card is 120 mm tall, which is shorter than 59.3% of graphics cards and equal in height to 5.3% of graphics cards.
Slot width
2.5 slot/s
Market range: <2 slot/s – >3.25 slot/s
This graphics card occupies 2.5 slot/s, which is slimmer than 35.4% of graphics cards and equal in width to 14.7% of graphics cards.
Weight
497 g
Market range: <541 g – >2k g
This graphics card weighs 497 g, which is lighter than 91.1% of Graphics cards and equal to 0.1% of Graphics cards.
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MSI GeForce RTX 5050 Gaming vs the average graphics card

246810TotalPerformanceMemoryFeaturesConnectivityPowerDesign
  • 20.7% higher base clock speed
    This graphics card has a higher base GPU clock than the average graphics card (2,317 MHz vs 1920 MHz). The average graphics card has a base GPU clock of 1920 MHz.
    2,317 MHz vs 1,920 MHz
  • 42.9% faster VRAM clock
    This graphics card has a higher VRAM clock than the average graphics card (2,500 MHz vs 1,750 MHz). The average graphics card runs its VRAM at 1,750 MHz.
    2,500 MHz vs 1,750 MHz
  • 39.5% lower TDP
    This graphics card has a lower TDP than the average graphics card (130 W vs 215 W). The average graphics card has a TDP of 215 W.
    130 W vs 215 W
  • 2.7% higher boost clock speed
    This graphics card has a higher boost GPU clock than the average graphics card (2,572 MHz vs 2,505 MHz). The average graphics card has a boost GPU clock of 2,505 MHz.
    2,572 MHz vs 2,505 MHz
  • Newer PCIe version
    This graphics card supports a newer PCIe version than the average graphics card (5 vs 4).
    5 vs 4
  • 80.2 mm shorter card length
    This graphics card is shorter than the average graphics card (202 mm vs 282.2 mm). The average graphics card has a length of 282.2 mm.
    202 mm vs 282.2 mm
  • Newer DisplayPort version
    This graphics card supports a newer DisplayPort version than the average graphics card (2.1b vs 1.4a).
    2.1b vs 1.4a
  • 15.4% lower PSU requirement
    This graphics card has a lower PSU requirement than the average graphics card (550 W vs 650 W). The average graphics card has a PSU requirement of 650 W.
    550 W vs 650 W
  • 2.08x cheaper
    MSI GeForce RTX 5050 Gaming is cheaper than the average graphics card (£250 vs £520).
    £250 vs £520
  • 20.7% higher base clock speed
    This graphics card has a higher base GPU clock than the average graphics card (2,317 MHz vs 1920 MHz). The average graphics card has a base GPU clock of 1920 MHz.
    2,317 MHz vs 1,920 MHz
  • 2.7% higher boost clock speed
    This graphics card has a higher boost GPU clock than the average graphics card (2,572 MHz vs 2,505 MHz). The average graphics card has a boost GPU clock of 2,505 MHz.
    2,572 MHz vs 2,505 MHz
  • 2 years newer
    This graphics card was released more recently than the average graphics card (2025 vs 2023).
    July 2025
    2025 vs 2023
  • 42.9% faster VRAM clock
    This graphics card has a higher VRAM clock than the average graphics card (2,500 MHz vs 1,750 MHz). The average graphics card runs its VRAM at 1,750 MHz.
    2,500 MHz vs 1,750 MHz
  • Newer GDDR version
    This graphics card uses a newer GDDR version than the average graphics card (GDDR7 vs GDDR6).
    GDDR7 vs GDDR6
  • 8x more Infinity Cache
    This graphics card has more Infinity Cache than the average graphics card (32 MB vs 4 MB). The average graphics card has 4 MB Infinity Cache.
    32 MB vs 4 MB
  • Newer PCIe version
    This graphics card supports a newer PCIe version than the average graphics card (5 vs 4).
    5 vs 4
  • 49.3% smaller GPU die
    This graphics card has a lower GPU die size than the average graphics card (149 mm² vs 294 mm²). The average graphics card has a GPU die size of 294 mm².
    149 mm² vs 294 mm²
  • Newer DisplayPort version
    This graphics card supports a newer DisplayPort version than the average graphics card (2.1b vs 1.4a).
    2.1b vs 1.4a
  • 4x higher HDMI bandwidth
    This graphics card has a higher HDMI bandwidth than the average graphics card (48 Gbps vs 12 Gbps). The average graphics card has HDMI bandwidth of 12 Gbps.
    48 Gbps vs 12 Gbps
  • Newer HDMI version
    This graphics card supports a newer HDMI version than the average graphics card (2.1b vs 2.1a).
    2.1b vs 2.1a
  • 3.7x higher DisplayPort bandwidth
    This graphics card has a higher DisplayPort bandwidth than the average graphics card (80 Gbps vs 21.6 Gbps). The average graphics card has DisplayPort bandwidth of 21.6 Gbps.
    80 Gbps vs 21.6 Gbps
  • 39.5% lower TDP
    This graphics card has a lower TDP than the average graphics card (130 W vs 215 W). The average graphics card has a TDP of 215 W.
    130 W vs 215 W
  • 15.4% lower PSU requirement
    This graphics card has a lower PSU requirement than the average graphics card (550 W vs 650 W). The average graphics card has a PSU requirement of 650 W.
    550 W vs 650 W
  • 8 °C higher thermal ceiling
    This graphics card has a higher thermal ceiling than the average graphics card (87 °C vs 95 °C). The average graphics card has a thermal ceiling of 95 °C.
    87 °C vs 95 °C
  • 40.9% lower board power limit
    This graphics card has a lower board power limit than the average graphics card (130 W vs 220 W). The average graphics card has a board power limit of 220 W.
    130 W vs 220 W
  • 80.2 mm shorter card length
    This graphics card is shorter than the average graphics card (202 mm vs 282.2 mm). The average graphics card has a length of 282.2 mm.
    202 mm vs 282.2 mm
  • 51% lighter
    This graphics card is lighter than the average graphics card (497 g vs 1,014 g). The average graphics card weighs 1,014 g.
    497 g vs 1,014 g
  • 20 fewer compute units
    This graphics card has fewer compute units than the average graphics card (20 vs 40). The average graphics card has 40 compute units.
    20 vs 40
  • 4 GB less VRAM
    This graphics card has fewer VRAM than the average graphics card (8 GB vs 12 GB). The average graphics card has 12 GB VRAM.
    8 GB vs 12 GB
  • 104 fewer TMUs
    This graphics card has fewer TMUs than the average graphics card (80 vs 184). The average graphics card has 184 TMUs.
    80 vs 184
  • 1 fewer fans
    This graphics card has fewer fans than the average graphics card (2 vs 3).
    2 vs 3
  • 20 fewer ray tracing cores
    This graphics card has fewer ray tracing cores than the average graphics card (20 vs 40). The average graphics card has 40 ray tracing cores.
    20 vs 40
  • 32 fewer ROPs
    This graphics card has fewer ROPs than the average graphics card (32 vs 64). The average graphics card has 64 ROPs.
    32 vs 64
  • 64 bit narrower memory bus
    This graphics card has a narrower memory bus than the average graphics card (128 bit vs 192 bit). The average graphics card has a memory bus width of 192 bit.
    128 bit vs 192 bit
  • 45.6% lower texture rate
    This graphics card has a lower texture rate than the average graphics card (205.8 GTexel/s vs 378 GTexel/s). The average graphics card has a texture rate of 378 GTexel/s.
    205.8 GTexel/s vs 378 GTexel/s
  • 20.5% lower sentiment score
    6.2 vs 7.8
  • 20 fewer compute units
    This graphics card has fewer compute units than the average graphics card (20 vs 40). The average graphics card has 40 compute units.
    20 vs 40
  • 104 fewer TMUs
    This graphics card has fewer TMUs than the average graphics card (80 vs 184). The average graphics card has 184 TMUs.
    80 vs 184
  • 20 fewer ray tracing cores
    This graphics card has fewer ray tracing cores than the average graphics card (20 vs 40). The average graphics card has 40 ray tracing cores.
    20 vs 40
  • 32 fewer ROPs
    This graphics card has fewer ROPs than the average graphics card (32 vs 64). The average graphics card has 64 ROPs.
    32 vs 64
  • 49% lower pixel rate
    This graphics card has a lower pixel rate than the average graphics card (82.3 GPixel/s vs 161.3 GPixel/s). The average graphics card has a pixel rate of 161.3 GPixel/s.
    82.3 GPixel/s vs 161.3 GPixel/s
  • 45.6% lower texture rate
    This graphics card has a lower texture rate than the average graphics card (205.8 GTexel/s vs 378 GTexel/s). The average graphics card has a texture rate of 378 GTexel/s.
    205.8 GTexel/s vs 378 GTexel/s
  • 64 fewer AI cores
    This graphics card has fewer AI cores than the average graphics card (80 vs 144). The average graphics card has 144 AI cores.
    80 vs 144
  • 41.7% lower FP32 performance
    This graphics card has a lower FP32 performance than the average graphics card (13.2 TFLOPS vs 22.6 TFLOPS). The average graphics card has FP32 performance of 22.6 TFLOPS.
    13.17 TFLOPS vs 22.6 TFLOPS
  • 24.6% lower PassMark score
    This graphics card has a lower PassMark score than the average graphics card (17,060 points vs 22,638 points). The average graphics card has a PassMark score of 22,638 points.
    17,060 points vs 22,638 points
  • 32.6% lower gaming score
    This graphics card has a lower gaming score than the average graphics card (9,954 points vs 14,779 points). The average graphics card has a gaming score of 14,779 points.
    9,954 points vs 14,779 points
  • 33.1% lower ray tracing score
    This graphics card has a lower ray tracing score than the average graphics card (6,124 points vs 9,148 points). The average graphics card has a ray tracing score of 9,148 points.
    6,124 points vs 9,148 points
  • 55.4% lower FP16 performance
    This graphics card has a lower FP16 performance than the average graphics card (13.2 TFLOPS vs 29.5 TFLOPS). The average graphics card has FP16 performance of 29.5 TFLOPS.
    13.17 TFLOPS vs 29.5 TFLOPS
  • 56.3% lower FP64 performance
    This graphics card has a lower FP64 performance than the average graphics card (0.2 TFLOPS vs 0.48 TFLOPS). The average graphics card has FP64 performance of 0.48 TFLOPS.
    0.21 TFLOPS vs 0.48 TFLOPS
  • 4 GB less VRAM
    This graphics card has fewer VRAM than the average graphics card (8 GB vs 12 GB). The average graphics card has 12 GB VRAM.
    8 GB vs 12 GB
  • 64 bit narrower memory bus
    This graphics card has a narrower memory bus than the average graphics card (128 bit vs 192 bit). The average graphics card has a memory bus width of 192 bit.
    128 bit vs 192 bit
  • 28.6% lower memory bandwidth
    This graphics card has a lower memory bandwidth than the average graphics card (320 GB/s vs 448 GB/s). The average graphics card has a memory bandwidth of 448 GB/s.
    320 GB/s vs 448 GB/s
  • Fewer PCIe lanes
    This graphics card has fewer PCIe lanes than the average graphics card (x8 vs x16). The average graphics card has x16 PCIe lanes.
    x8 vs x16
  • 1 fewer fans
    This graphics card has fewer fans than the average graphics card (2 vs 3).
    2 vs 3

Third-party reviews

What customers like about MSI GeForce RTX 5050 Gaming

  • Solid 1080p performance in popular titles like Starfield and Apex Legends
  • Access to next-gen NVIDIA features like DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation
  • Highly power-efficient with a low 130W board power, suitable for budget PSU builds
  • Users report it is straightforward to install and set up without issues
  • Compact dual-fan designs are ideal for small form factor (SFF) PC cases
  • Quiet operation under load, with fans often remaining inaudible over system noise

What customers don't like about MSI GeForce RTX 5050 Gaming

  • 8GB of VRAM is increasingly restrictive for 2025/2026 AAA titles with high settings
  • Uses older GDDR6 memory rather than the faster GDDR7 found in the RTX 5060 series
  • Price-to-performance value is often cited as poor compared to similarly priced rivals
  • Some budget MSI models feature basic cooling designs with a single heat pipe
  • Inconsistent performance in ray-tracing heavy scenarios without aggressive upscaling
  • Only utilizes a PCIe 5.0 x8 interface, which may limit bandwidth on older motherboards

Verdict

The MSI GeForce RTX 5050 Gaming is an entry-level graphics card built on NVIDIA's Blackwell architecture, featuring 2,560 CUDA cores and a 128-bit memory bus. It is equipped with 8GB of GDDR6 memory clocked at 20 Gbps, providing a bandwidth of 320 GB/s, and reaches an extreme performance boost clock of 2,587 MHz via MSI Center. Key characteristics include a power-efficient 130W TDP requiring only a single 8-pin connector, support for DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation, and a compact dual-slot design measuring 202mm in length. Its main pros are excellent 1080p gaming performance, low power requirements suitable for 550W PSUs, and advanced AI features like AV1 encoding and 5th-gen Tensor cores. However, notable cons include its reliance on older GDDR6 memory rather than the series-standard GDDR7, and the 8GB VRAM capacity which may struggle with high-resolution textures or 1440p gaming in demanding future titles.

Compare MSI GeForce RTX 5050 Gaming with other products in the Graphics cards category

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