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 5GB 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 5GB 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 5GB

2017

Why buy it

✅3.4% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅25% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (5 GB vs 4 GB).

Trade-offs

❌2017 hardware with 5 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
❌
67.1% HIGHER MSRP
$249 MSRPvs$149 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 36.8 vs 52.8 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $149 MSRP).
❌60% higher power demand at 120W vs 75W.

GeForce GTX 1650

2019

Why buy it

✅Costs $100 less on MSRP ($149 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
✅Delivers 43.3% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 52.8 vs 36.8 G3D/$ ($149 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
✅GeForce GTX 1060 5GB 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 5GB across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 5 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌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 5GB is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 3.4% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 16.6% in PassMark G3D (9,175 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: a 12nm process instead of 16nm and a newer 2019 generation instead of 2017. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce GTX 1650 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $100 cheaper on MSRP at $149 vs $249, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 43.3% (52.8 vs 36.8), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. GeForce GTX 1060 5GB still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

GeForce GTX 1060 5GB vs GeForce GTX 1650 Technical Specifications

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

GeForce GTX 1060 5GB

The GeForce GTX 1060 5GB is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in December 26 2017. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1506 MHz to 1709 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 120W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 9,175 points.

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 5GB scores 9,175 versus the GeForce GTX 1650's 7,869 — the GeForce GTX 1060 5GB leads by 16.6%. The GeForce GTX 1060 5GB is built on Pascal while the GeForce GTX 1650 uses Turing, both on 16 nm vs 12 nm. Shader units: 1,280 (GeForce GTX 1060 5GB) vs 896 (GeForce GTX 1650). Raw compute: 4.375 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060 5GB) vs 2.984 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1650). Boost clocks: 1709 MHz vs 1665 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060 5GB	GeForce GTX 1650
G3D Mark Score	9,175+17%	7,869
Architecture	Pascal	Turing
Process Node	16 nm	12 nm
Shading Units	1280+43%	896
Compute (TFLOPS)	4.375 TFLOPS+47%	2.984 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1709 MHz+3%	1665 MHz
ROPs	40+25%	32
TMUs	80+43%	56
L1 Cache	480 KB	896 KB+87%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB+25%	1 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060 5GB	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 GTX 1060 5GB has 5 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 1650 carries 4 GB. GeForce GTX 1060 5GB gives you 25% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 160 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060 5GB) vs 128 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1650) — a 25% advantage for the GeForce GTX 1060 5GB. Memory bus width is 160-bit on the GeForce GTX 1060 5GB and 128-bit on the GeForce GTX 1650. L2 Cache: 1.25 MB (GeForce GTX 1060 5GB) vs 1 MB (GeForce GTX 1650) — the GeForce GTX 1060 5GB has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060 5GB	GeForce GTX 1650
VRAM Capacity	5 GB+25%	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	160 GB/s+25%	128 GB/s
Bus Width	160-bit+25%	128-bit
L2 Cache	1.25 MB+25%	1 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (12_1) (GeForce GTX 1060 5GB) vs 12 (GeForce GTX 1650). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 3.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060 5GB	GeForce GTX 1650
DirectX	12 (12_1)	12
Vulkan	1.3	1.4+8%
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4+33%	3

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (6th Gen) (GeForce GTX 1060 5GB) vs NVENC 5th gen (Volta) (GeForce GTX 1650). Decoder: NVDEC (3rd Gen) vs NVDEC 4th gen. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265,VP9 (GeForce GTX 1060 5GB) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP8,VP9 (GeForce GTX 1650).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060 5GB	GeForce GTX 1650
Encoder	NVENC (6th Gen)	NVENC 5th gen (Volta)
Decoder	NVDEC (3rd Gen)	NVDEC 4th gen
Codecs	H.264,H.265,VP9	H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP8,VP9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 5GB 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 5GB) 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 vs 70°C.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060 5GB	GeForce 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	70°C-7%
Perf/Watt	76.5	104.9+37%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 1060 5GB came in at $249, while the GeForce GTX 1650 launched at $149. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 1650 was 40.2% cheaper ($100 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 36.8 (GeForce GTX 1060 5GB) vs 52.8 (GeForce GTX 1650) — the GeForce GTX 1650 offers 43.5% better value. The newer card here is GeForce GTX 1650 (2019 vs 2017).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060 5GB	GeForce GTX 1650
MSRP	$249	$149-40%
Performance per Dollar	36.8	52.8+43%
Codename	GP106	TU117
Release	December 26 2017	April 23 2019
Ranking	#289	#323

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