GeForce GTX 1060 3GB vs GeForce GTX 1650

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1060 3GB

2016Core: 1506 MHzBoost: 1708 MHz
VS
NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1650

2019Core: 1485 MHzBoost: 1665 MHz

GeForce GTX 1060 3GB vs GeForce GTX 1650 Performance Spectrum

About G3D Mark

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 GTX 1060 3GB 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 GTX 1060 3GB 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 GTX 1060 3GB

2016

Why buy it

  • 6.7% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 3 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2016 hardware with 3 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
  • 33.6% HIGHER MSRP
    $199 MSRPvs$149 MSRP
  • 60% higher power demand at 120W vs 75W.

GeForce GTX 1650

2019

Why buy it

  • Costs $50 less on MSRP ($149 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
  • 33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 3 GB).
  • GeForce GTX 1060 3GB is already legacy-tier future-proofing, so GeForce GTX 1650 is the less risky modern option long term.
  • Draws 75W instead of 120W, a 45W reduction.
  • Measures 229mm instead of 250mm, a 21mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1060 3GB across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Older hardware, 4 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in newer AAA releases.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce GTX 1060 3GB is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 6.7% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 24.7% in PassMark G3D (9,815 vs 7,869), 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 3 GB of VRAM, a 12nm process instead of 16nm, and a newer 2019 generation instead of 2016. 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 $50 cheaper on MSRP at $149 vs $199, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 7.1% (52.8 vs 49.3), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. GeForce GTX 1060 3GB still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

GeForce GTX 1060 3GB vs GeForce GTX 1650 Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1060 3GB

The GeForce GTX 1060 3GB is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 18 2016. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1506 MHz to 1708 MHz. It has 1152 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 120W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 9,815 points. Launch price was $199.

NVIDIA

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.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 3GB scores 9,815 versus the GeForce GTX 1650's 7,869 — the GeForce GTX 1060 3GB leads by 24.7%. The GeForce GTX 1060 3GB is built on Pascal while the GeForce GTX 1650 uses Turing, both on 16 nm vs 12 nm. Shader units: 1,152 (GeForce GTX 1060 3GB) vs 896 (GeForce GTX 1650). Raw compute: 3.935 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060 3GB) vs 2.984 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1650). Boost clocks: 1708 MHz vs 1665 MHz.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060 3GBGeForce GTX 1650
G3D Mark Score
9,815+25%
7,869
Architecture
Pascal
Turing
Process Node
16 nm
12 nm
Shading Units
1152+29%
896
Compute (TFLOPS)
3.935 TFLOPS+32%
2.984 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
1708 MHz+3%
1665 MHz
ROPs
48+50%
32
TMUs
72+29%
56
L1 Cache
432 KB
896 KB+107%
L2 Cache
1.5 MB+50%
1 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060 3GBGeForce 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 GTX 1060 3GB has 3 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 1650 carries 4 GB. GeForce GTX 1650 gives you 33.3% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060 3GB) vs 128 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1650) — a 50% advantage for the GeForce GTX 1060 3GB. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 1060 3GB and 128-bit on the GeForce GTX 1650. L2 Cache: 1.5 MB (GeForce GTX 1060 3GB) vs 1 MB (GeForce GTX 1650) — the GeForce GTX 1060 3GB has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060 3GBGeForce GTX 1650
VRAM Capacity
3 GB
4 GB+33%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
192 GB/s+50%
128 GB/s
Bus Width
192-bit+50%
128-bit
L2 Cache
1.5 MB+50%
1 MB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 1060 3GB) vs 12 (GeForce GTX 1650). Vulkan: 1.1 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 3.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060 3GBGeForce GTX 1650
DirectX
12.1
12
Vulkan
1.1
1.4+27%
OpenGL
4.5
4.6+2%
Max Displays
4+33%
3
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 4.0 (GeForce GTX 1060 3GB) vs NVENC 5th gen (Volta) (GeForce GTX 1650). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP6 vs NVDEC 4th gen. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060 3GB) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP8,VP9 (GeForce GTX 1650).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060 3GBGeForce GTX 1650
Encoder
NVENC 4.0
NVENC 5th gen (Volta)
Decoder
PureVideo HD VP6
NVDEC 4th gen
Codecs
MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC
H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP8,VP9
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 3GB draws 120W versus the GeForce GTX 1650's 75W — a 46.2% difference. The GeForce GTX 1650 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060 3GB) vs 300W (GeForce GTX 1650). Power connectors: 6-pin vs None. Card length: 250mm vs 229mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 70°C.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060 3GBGeForce GTX 1650
TDP
120W
75W-38%
Recommended PSU
400W
300W-25%
Power Connector
6-pin
None
Length
250mm
229mm
Height
111mm
111mm
Slots
2
2
Temp (Load)
75°C
70°C-7%
Perf/Watt
81.8
104.9+28%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 1060 3GB came in at $199, while the GeForce GTX 1650 launched at $149. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 1650 was 25.1% cheaper ($50 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 49.3 (GeForce GTX 1060 3GB) vs 52.8 (GeForce GTX 1650) — the GeForce GTX 1650 offers 7.1% better value. The newer card here is GeForce GTX 1650 (2019 vs 2016).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060 3GBGeForce GTX 1650
MSRP
$199
$149-25%
Performance per Dollar
49.3
52.8+7%
Codename
GP106
TU117
Release
August 18 2016
April 23 2019
Ranking
#272
#323

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