G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.

GeForce GT 520 vs GeForce GTX 1650 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

GeForce GT 520 vs GeForce GTX 1650: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

GeForce GT 520

2015

Why buy it

✅Costs $90 less on MSRP ($59 MSRP vs $149 MSRP).
✅Measures 145mm instead of 229mm, a 84mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1650 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2015 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 5.5 vs 52.8 G3D/$ ($59 MSRP vs $149 MSRP).
❌20% higher power demand at 90W vs 75W.

GeForce GTX 1650

2019

Why buy it

✅930.5% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 864.7% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 52.8 vs 5.5 G3D/$ ($149 MSRP vs $59 MSRP).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 2 GB).
✅GeForce GT 520 is already obsolete for modern gaming, so GeForce GTX 1650 is the less risky modern option long term.
✅Draws 75W instead of 90W, a 15W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Older hardware, 4 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in newer AAA releases.
❌57.9% longer card at 229mm vs 145mm.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce GTX 1650 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 930.5% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 2336.2% in PassMark G3D (7,869 vs 323), so the answer here is pretty clean.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce GTX 1650 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 4 GB vs 2 GB of VRAM, a 12nm process instead of 28nm, and a newer 2019 generation instead of 2015. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce GTX 1650 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $90 more expensive on MSRP at $149 vs $59, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 864.7% (52.8 vs 5.5), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce GT 520 vs GeForce GTX 1650 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

GeForce GT 520

The GeForce GT 520 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 20 2015. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1024 MHz to 1188 MHz. It has 768 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 90W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 323 points. Launch price was $159.

GeForce GTX 1650

The GeForce GTX 1650 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in April 23 2019. It features the Turing architecture. The core clock ranges from 1485 MHz to 1665 MHz. It has 896 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 7,869 points. Launch price was $149.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GT 520 scores 323 versus the GeForce GTX 1650's 7,869 — the GeForce GTX 1650 leads by 2336.2%. The GeForce GT 520 is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the GeForce GTX 1650 uses Turing, both on 28 nm vs 12 nm. Shader units: 768 (GeForce GT 520) vs 896 (GeForce GTX 1650). Raw compute: 1.825 TFLOPS (GeForce GT 520) vs 2.984 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1650). Boost clocks: 1188 MHz vs 1665 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GT 520	GeForce GTX 1650
G3D Mark Score	323	7,869+2336%
Architecture	Maxwell 2.0	Turing
Process Node	28 nm	12 nm
Shading Units	768	896+17%
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.825 TFLOPS	2.984 TFLOPS+64%
Boost Clock	1188 MHz	1665 MHz+40%
ROPs	32	32
TMUs	48	56+17%
L1 Cache	288 KB	896 KB+211%
L2 Cache	1 MB	1 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GT 520	GeForce GTX 1650
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GT 520 has 2 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 1650 carries 4 GB. GeForce GTX 1650 gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 64-bit on the GeForce GT 520 and 128-bit on the GeForce GTX 1650.

Feature	GeForce GT 520	GeForce GTX 1650
VRAM Capacity	2 GB	4 GB+100%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	128 GB/s
Bus Width	64-bit	128-bit+100%
L2 Cache	1 MB	1 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 11.0 (GeForce GT 520) vs 12 (GeForce GTX 1650). Vulkan: None vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.1 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 3.

Feature	GeForce GT 520	GeForce GTX 1650
DirectX	11.0	12+9%
Vulkan	None	1.4
OpenGL	4.1	4.6+12%
Max Displays	2	3+50%

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: No (GeForce GT 520) vs NVENC 5th gen (Volta) (GeForce GTX 1650). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP4 vs NVDEC 4th gen. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1,MPEG-4 ASP (GeForce GT 520) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP8,VP9 (GeForce GTX 1650).

Feature	GeForce GT 520	GeForce GTX 1650
Encoder	No	NVENC 5th gen (Volta)
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP4	NVDEC 4th gen
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1,MPEG-4 ASP	H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP8,VP9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GT 520 draws 90W versus the GeForce GTX 1650's 75W — a 18.2% difference. The GeForce GTX 1650 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 250W (GeForce GT 520) vs 300W (GeForce GTX 1650). Power connectors: None vs None. Card length: 145mm vs 229mm, occupying 1 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 65°C vs 70°C.

Feature	GeForce GT 520	GeForce GTX 1650
TDP	90W	75W-17%
Recommended PSU	250W-17%	300W
Power Connector	None	None
Length	145mm	229mm
Height	111mm	111mm
Slots	1-50%	2
Temp (Load)	65°C-7%	70°C
Perf/Watt	3.6	104.9+2814%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GT 520 came in at $59, while the GeForce GTX 1650 launched at $149. On MSRP, GeForce GT 520 was 60.4% cheaper ($90 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 5.5 (GeForce GT 520) vs 52.8 (GeForce GTX 1650) — the GeForce GTX 1650 offers 860% better value. The newer card here is GeForce GTX 1650 (2019 vs 2015).

Feature	GeForce GT 520	GeForce GTX 1650
MSRP	$59-60%	$149
Performance per Dollar	5.5	52.8+860%
Codename	GM206	TU117
Release	August 20 2015	April 23 2019
Ranking	#425	#323

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