If you‘re a budget-minded gamer or simply don‘t need an expensive, high-end GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 makes a ton of sense right now. This value-packed graphics card delivers excellent 1080p gaming speeds at a very wallet-friendly price.
Compared to previous generation entry-level cards like the GTX 1050 series, the GTX 1650 brings substantially improved performance thanks to NVIDIA‘s Turing architecture. You get GDDR5 memory, more CUDA cores, significantly enhanced shader capabilities, and better power efficiency.
Let‘s dive into the top 8 reasons why upgrading to a GTX 1650 or building a new system around one is a savvy move in 2022:
1. Great Value for Smooth 1080p Gaming
The GTX 1650 provides tremendous value, easily handing games at 1920 x 1080 resolution with smooth, high framerates. It‘s the card of choice if you play popular competitive eSports and multiplayer titles, offering 100+ fps performance in games like CS:GO, DOTA 2, Valorant, Rainbow Six Siege, and more.
Even in demanding AAA games like Elden Ring, you can expect very playable 40-60 fps speeds at High settings in 1080p. Here‘s a look at some average fps benchmarks with the GTX 1650 at 1080p:
| Game Settings | GTX 1650 FPS | GTX 1050 Ti FPS | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fortnite – Epic | 74 | 48 | 54% |
| Apex Legends – High | 68 | 43 | 58% |
| GTA V – Very High | 66 | 38 | 74% |
| Elden Ring – High | 48 | 32 | 50% |
| Horizon Zero Dawn – Ultimate | 48 | 28 | 71% |
As you can see, there are massive gains over previous generation cards like the GTX 1050 Ti, making this a fantastic budget upgrade.
2. Newer Turing Architecture Provides Better Performance
The GTX 1650 is built on NVIDIA‘s Turing GPU architecture which brings major improvements over the older Pascal design of cards like the 1050 Ti.
Turing introduces concurrent floating point and integer execution, a unified cache architecture, and upgraded shader model for more efficient processing. You also get dedicated RT and tensor cores which boost specialized workloads like ray tracing.
These enhancements give the GTX 1650 excellent speeds for a budget card, outdoing the prior GTX 1050 series by 50%+ despite having a lower 125W TDP. The architecture gives you more performance per watt.
3. Quiet and Efficient Single Fan Design
Most GTX 1650 models utilize a compact single fan cooler measuring just 7 inches in length. Cards like the popular Asus Phoenix and EVGA SC Ultra Gaming run very quietly, even under gaming workloads.
In fact, when idling the card shuts its fan off entirely for silent operation. In reviews, noise levels measured just 36 dB under load – quieter than a library! This makes the GTX 1650 a great choice if you want a peaceful system.
The small heatsink is extremely efficient at dissipating 75W of heat from the GPU die thanks to the lower power requirements of Turing. Despite the miniature size, temps stay very reasonable for cool running.
4. Low Power Draw – No External Power Needed
With a miniscule 75W TDP, the GTX 1650 sips power compared to many other graphics cards. It pulls all necessary power entirely from your motherboard‘s PCI Express x16 slot, no PEG connector required.
The low power draw means you probably won‘t need to upgrade the PSU if you‘re adding this card to an existing PC. It also means less demand on your electricity bill – saving money in the long run.
Cards like the RX 6500 XT draw up to 107W, so NVIDIA‘s efficiency is a nice advantage here. Lower consumption also contributes to the quieter acoustics versus more power hungry GPUs.
5. Works on Older PCIe 2.0 Motherboards and OEM PCs
Most modern GPUs require PCI Express 3.0 to avoid interface bottlenecks. But the GTX 1650 is perfectly happy running on older PCIe 2.0 motherboards and slots.
This gives it strong backwards compatibility with aging office pre-built PCs from Dell, HP, and Lenovo. The card is a simple drop-in upgrade to transform an old OEM system into a 1080p gaming rig.
As long as you have a decent processor like an Intel i5 or i7 from a few generations back, you can slot in a GTX 1650 and enjoy smooth modern gaming without a full rebuild.
6. Excellent Value Under $200
You can routinely find GTX 1650 models priced between $150 to $180, which is outstanding value. Cards at this price point used to only offer bare minimum performance, but the 1650 delivers smooth 60+ fps 1080p speeds in the latest games.
Given its performance profile, many buyers find it to be the obvious choice over lower end competing options:
- RX 6400 – Much slower, worse overall value
- GTX 1630 – Slower, worse effiency, PCIe 4.0 only
- Used GTX 900 series – Older, lacking features
If you just want a solid 1080p card for light gaming and don‘t need expensive overkill, the GTX 1650 has you covered for cheap.
7. Designed for eSports and Competitive Multiplayer Games
Thanks to its high frame rates and low cost, the GTX 1650 is a go-to recommendation for eSports and competitive online gaming. Fast-paced titles like CS:GO, DOTA 2, Valorant, Rainbow Six Siege, and more run extremely smoothly.
The card is quite popular among players who enjoy these types of games and want to maximize performance with high refresh rate monitors up to 1080p 144Hz. Minimal input lag and low frame times are where the 1650 dominates.
With 500GB models starting around $600, you can build an awesome eSports rig on a budget. Spend more on your high Hz monitor and cut costs on a GPU that‘s already more than enough power.
8. Still Capable for Light 1440p Gaming
While designed for flawless 1080p performance, the GTX 1650 can still run lighter games at 1440p resolution fairly well. Less demanding eSports titles easily surpass 100 fps even at 2560 x 1440.
For more graphics intensive games, you‘ll have to lower some settings to maintain smoother framerates around 60 fps. But the card does give you some room to upgrade your monitor down the road. 1440p gaming is definitely still possible with tempered expectations.
1080p remains the native resolution for the GTX 1650, where the card really gets to stretch its legs. But it packs enough muscle for recreational 1440p gaming if you want additional headroom.
For budget shoppers seeking the best bang for buck without overspending, the NVIDIA GTX 1650 is a standout choice right now. It breezes through popular competitive multiplayer titles while still tackling modern AAA games at over 60 fps.
Given its strong 1080p speeds, Turing architecture improvements, cool and quiet single fan design, super low 75W power draw, and excellent sub-$200 value, the GTX 1650 is a savvy selection.
If you currently have an older card like a GTX 960 or R9 380, the GTX 1650 represents a very worthwhile upgrade for around $175. Or pair it with a Ryzen 5 or Core i5 CPU in a new system build.
For smooth 1080p gaming on a tight budget, it‘s hard to beat the GeForce GTX 1650. This little card delivers huge value.