The Nvidia GTX 1650 is the latest entry-level graphics card from Nvidia. It is designed to replace the GTX 1050 and is aimed at budget-conscious gamers. So, is the GTX 1650 a good option for gaming? Let’s take a look at its specs and performance to find out!
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Is the GTX 1650 good for gaming?
Yes, the GTX 1650 is a great option for budget-conscious gamers looking for a graphics card that can handle most games at 1080p. It has a better gaming performance than the GTX 1050 and is on par with the RX 570.
Pros and Cons of the Nvidia GTX 1650
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Very power-efficient | Struggles in more demanding games |
| Great for small cases such as laptops | Not the best value for the money |
| Significant performance improvement compared to the GTX 1050 |
Design and Architecture
The GTX 1650 is based on Nvidia’s TU117 architecture and is manufactured using the cutting-edge 12nm process. It features 896 CUDA cores, 32 ROPs, and a 128-bit memory interface. In addition, the GTX 1650 is equipped with 4GB of GDDR5 memory and has a boost clock of 1665MHz.
The mobile version of the GTX 1650 is very similar to its desktop counterpart. However, it is slightly less powerful, with a boost clock of 1560MHz and a reduced TDP of 50W.
Performance and Benchmarks
The GTX 1650 is a great performer for its price point. It is able to play most games at 1080p on medium to high settings. However, it does struggle in more demanding games such as Witcher III and Cyberpunk 2077.
Gamers that want to run the latest games at ultra settings will be disappointed with the 4GB VRAM of the GPU. Having just 4GB of VRAM is becoming increasingly common with budget graphics cards, but it is still a limiting factor for many games. In addition, if you try to run games at higher resolutions or with higher quality textures, you will likely see stuttering and frame rate drops.
Compared to its predecessor, the GTX 1050, it’s about 52% faster. It is also about 25% slower than the GTX 1660 Ti, which is to be expected given the price difference.
In terms of benchmarks, the laptop version of the GTX 1650 scores an average of 49fps in Shadow of the Tomb Raider at 1080p on high settings. When you push it to ultra settings, that number drops to a still playable 43fps.
In the latest Cyberpunk 2077 update (1.5), it is possible to play the game on high settings at 1080p with around 30-35fps, though you may need to lower a few settings to get a stable frame rate.
In Far Cry New Dawn, it averages 55fps on high settings at 1080p and 50fps on ultra. And in Witcher III, it gets an acceptable 36fps on ultra settings at 1080p.
It can handle less demanding games such as Dota 2 and CS: GO, both of which are easily playable with over 60fps on ultra settings.
Value
In terms of value, the GTX 1650 is a good option if you’re looking to get into PC gaming and don’t want to spend a lot of money. For example, many of these products for under $700 comes with the Nvidia GTX 1650. It’s also a good upgrade from an older GPU such as the GTX 1050 Ti.
However, if you can afford to spend a bit more, you’ll get a significant performance bump with the GTX 1660 Ti or RTX 2060.
Does The GTX 1650 Support VR?
Yes, the GTX 1650 supports VR. However, since it’s an entry-level GPU, it won’t be able to handle the most demanding VR games. To fully enjoy VR, you’ll need a high and consistent frame rate, which the GTX 1650 can’t always provide in the latest VR games. If you try to use the GTX 1650 for VR, you’ll likely have to lower the resolution and/or graphics settings in order to maintain a consistent frame rate which can cause nausea and issues with the immersion of VR.
Is The GTX 1650 Good For Streaming?
The GTX 1650 is good for streaming. It has the power to encode and decode video streams at high quality without impacting game performance too much. Some demanding games may require you to lower the resolution and/or bitrate of your stream in order to maintain a consistent frame rate, but overall the GTX 1650 is a good GPU for streaming.
What Games Can The GTX 1650 Run?
The GTX 1650 can run most games at 1080p with medium to high settings. However, you may have to lower some settings in more demanding games such as Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Metro Exodus.
Does the GTX 1650 Support 4K Gaming?
Yes, the GTX 1650 supports 4K gaming. However, the GTX 1650 is not powerful enough to run most games in full detail at this resolution. Therefore, you will likely have to lower the settings and/or resolution in order to maintain a consistent frame rate. If you have a screen that supports 4K gaming, it might be time to consider if you should go for a gaming laptop or a Playstation 5.
Conclusion
The Nvidia GTX 1650 is a good GPU for gaming. It has a simple design, good performance, and can run most games at 1080p on medium to high settings. However, it is not powerful enough for full-detail gaming at resolutions higher than 1080p. Therefore, if you are looking for a GPU that can handle gaming at resolutions higher than 1080p, you should consider a more powerful GPU such as the GTX 1660 Ti or RTX 2060.
Finding the right graphics card is only part of the equation when it comes to getting the right gaming laptop. You’ll also need a good CPU, plenty of RAM, and a fast storage solution. If you’re looking for a complete guide on everything you need to buy the best gaming laptop, check out our gaming laptop buyer’s guide.