GeForce GTX 1650 vs GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1650

2019Core: 1485 MHzBoost: 1665 MHz

Popular choices:

VS
NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design

2020Core: 975 MHzBoost: 1185 MHz

Popular choices:

GTX 1650

Performance Spectrum - GPU

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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, raw graphics performance, VRAM, feature set, power efficiency, pricing context, and long-term value so you can see which GPU actually makes more sense.

GeForce GTX 1650

2019

Why buy it

  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 52.8 vs 0 G3D/$ ($149 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
  • Limited future-proofing: older hardware, 4 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in upcoming AAA games.
  • 15.4% higher power demand at 75W vs 65W.

GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design

2020

Why buy it

  • 38.1% more average FPS across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • 50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 4 GB).
  • Draws 65W instead of 75W, a 10W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 52.8 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $149 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design better than GeForce GTX 1650?
Yes. GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design is the better GPU overall here. You are getting 38.1% more average FPS across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data, 22.9% higher PassMark G3D performance, DLSS 2 Super Resolution, and 6 GB vs 4 GB of VRAM. It also comes from 2020 instead of 2019, which helps its case as the more complete modern gaming card.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2020 generation instead of 2019, 22.9% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 6 GB instead of 4 GB, and better upscaling support with DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack. That leaves it with more room for heavier textures, tougher ray tracing loads, and higher-end 1440p or 4K gaming over the next few years.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?
GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design is priced in an unclear MSRP range at an unclear MSRP versus $149 MSRP, and you are getting 38.1% more estimated average FPS across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data and 22.9% higher G3D Mark. GeForce GTX 1650 still holds the G3D-per-dollar lead, so the performance win comes with a real value premium. If you are comfortable paying the premium for the stronger gaming result, GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design is the one to buy. If staying closer to budget matters more, GeForce GTX 1650 still makes more sense on price alone, but the performance trade-off is much harder to justify by current standards.
Is GeForce GTX 1650 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?
Yes. GeForce GTX 1650 is still a strong gaming GPU in 2026: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. This mostly comes down to price. If you want to stay closer to $149 MSRP, it remains a strong choice; if you are comfortable paying more, GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design earns that extra money with a clearly stronger gaming result and a more complete overall package.

Games Benchmarks

Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 9800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.

Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetGeForce GTX 1650GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design
1080p
low94 FPS82 FPS
medium83 FPS71 FPS
high70 FPS58 FPS
ultra58 FPS38 FPS
1440p
low87 FPS72 FPS
medium74 FPS63 FPS
high60 FPS46 FPS
ultra50 FPS30 FPS
4K
low41 FPS27 FPS
medium39 FPS26 FPS
high27 FPS17 FPS
ultra24 FPS15 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce GTX 1650GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design
1080p
low136 FPS219 FPS
medium113 FPS187 FPS
high94 FPS145 FPS
ultra71 FPS111 FPS
1440p
low79 FPS163 FPS
medium62 FPS136 FPS
high44 FPS108 FPS
ultra35 FPS81 FPS
4K
low36 FPS95 FPS
medium27 FPS79 FPS
high21 FPS65 FPS
ultra15 FPS47 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce GTX 1650GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design
1080p
low323 FPS435 FPS
medium283 FPS348 FPS
high205 FPS290 FPS
ultra169 FPS218 FPS
1440p
low225 FPS326 FPS
medium202 FPS261 FPS
high151 FPS218 FPS
ultra117 FPS163 FPS
4K
low130 FPS218 FPS
medium117 FPS174 FPS
high79 FPS145 FPS
ultra50 FPS109 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce GTX 1650GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design
1080p
low261 FPS231 FPS
medium211 FPS195 FPS
high191 FPS159 FPS
ultra166 FPS134 FPS
1440p
low201 FPS180 FPS
medium158 FPS157 FPS
high135 FPS126 FPS
ultra113 FPS103 FPS
4K
low99 FPS106 FPS
medium74 FPS89 FPS
high65 FPS72 FPS
ultra51 FPS54 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1650 and GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design

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.

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design

The GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 29 2020. It features the Turing architecture. The core clock ranges from 975 MHz to 1185 MHz. It has 1920 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 65W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. It features 30 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 9,674 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1650 scores 7,869 versus the GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design's 9,674 — the GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design leads by 22.9%. The GeForce GTX 1650 is built on Turing while the GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design uses Turing, both on a 12 nm process. Shader units: 896 (GeForce GTX 1650) vs 1,920 (GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design). Raw compute: 2.984 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1650) vs 4.55 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design). Boost clocks: 1665 MHz vs 1185 MHz.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design
G3D Mark Score
7,869
9,674+23%
Architecture
Turing
Turing
Process Node
12 nm
12 nm
Shading Units
896
1920+114%
Compute (TFLOPS)
2.984 TFLOPS
4.55 TFLOPS+52%
Boost Clock
1665 MHz+41%
1185 MHz
ROPs
32
48+50%
TMUs
56
120+114%
L1 Cache
0.88 MB
1.9 MB+116%
L2 Cache
1 MB
3 MB+200%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 1650 is capped at Upscaling support.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
DLSS 2 Super Resolution
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
NVIDIA Reflex
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 1650 comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design has 6 GB. The GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design offers 50% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 128 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1650) vs 264 GB/s (GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design) — a 106.3% advantage for the GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design. Bus width: 128-bit vs 192-bit. L2 Cache: 1 MB (GeForce GTX 1650) vs 3 MB (GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design) — the GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design
VRAM Capacity
4 GB
6 GB+50%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth
128 GB/s
264 GB/s+106%
Bus Width
128-bit
192-bit+50%
L2 Cache
1 MB
3 MB+200%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1650) vs 12 Ultimate (12_2) (GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 3 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design
DirectX
12
12 Ultimate (12_2)
Vulkan
1.4+8%
1.3
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
3
4+33%
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 5th gen (Volta) (GeForce GTX 1650) vs NVENC (Turing) (GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design). Decoder: NVDEC 4th gen vs NVDEC (4th Gen). Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP8,VP9 (GeForce GTX 1650) vs H.264,H.265,VP9 (GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design
Encoder
NVENC 5th gen (Volta)
NVENC (Turing)
Decoder
NVDEC 4th gen
NVDEC (4th Gen)
Codecs
H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP8,VP9
H.264,H.265,VP9
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1650 draws 75W versus the GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design's 65W — a 14.3% difference. The GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (GeForce GTX 1650) vs 500W (GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design). Power connectors: None vs PCIe-powered. Typical load temperature: 70°C vs 75°C.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design
TDP
75W
65W-13%
Recommended PSU
300W-40%
500W
Power Connector
None
PCIe-powered
Length
229mm
Height
111mm
Slots
2
1-50%
Temp (Load)
70°C-7%
75°C
Perf/Watt
104.9
148.8+42%
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design is the newer GPU (2020 vs 2019).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design
MSRP
$149
Codename
TU117
TU106
Release
April 23 2019
January 29 2020
Ranking
#323
#268