GeForce GTX 1650 vs Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1650

2019Core: 1485 MHzBoost: 1665 MHz
GTX family
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VS

Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

2015Core: 954 MHzBoost: 993 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce GTX 1650 vs Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) 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 1650 vs Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5): 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 1650

2019

Why buy it

  • +124.8% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Costs $1 less on MSRP ($149 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
  • Delivers 126.3% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 52.8 vs 23.3 G3D/$ ($149 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 2 GB).
  • Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) is already obsolete for modern gaming, so GeForce GTX 1650 is the less risky modern option long term.

Trade-offs

  • Older hardware, 4 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in newer AAA releases.
  • 150% higher power demand at 75W vs 30W.

Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

2015

Why buy it

  • Draws 30W instead of 75W, a 45W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (3,500 vs 7,869).
  • 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.
  • 0.7% HIGHER MSRP
    $150 MSRPvs$149 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 23.3 vs 52.8 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs $149 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce GTX 1650 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 124.8% in PassMark G3D (7,869 vs 3,500), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
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 $1 cheaper on MSRP at $149 vs $150, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 126.3% (52.8 vs 23.3), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce GTX 1650 vs Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) Technical Specifications

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

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.

Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

The Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) is manufactured by an unknown manufacturer. It was released in October 1 2015. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 954 MHz to 993 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 30W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,500 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1650 scores 7,869 versus the Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)'s 3,500 — the GeForce GTX 1650 leads by 124.8%. The GeForce GTX 1650 is built on Turing while the Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) uses Maxwell, both on 12 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 896 (GeForce GTX 1650) vs 384 (Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)). Boost clocks: 1665 MHz vs 993 MHz.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
G3D Mark Score
7,869+125%
3,500
Architecture
Turing
Maxwell
Process Node
12 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
896+133%
384
Boost Clock
1665 MHz+68%
993 MHz

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 1650 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
Upscaling support
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
Standard
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 1650 has 4 GB of VRAM, while the Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) carries 2 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 128-bit on the GeForce GTX 1650 and 128-bit on the Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
VRAM Capacity
4 GB+100%
2 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
128 GB/s
Unknown
Bus Width
128-bit
128-bit
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1650) vs 12 (11_0) (Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.1. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.5. Maximum simultaneous displays: 3 vs 2.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
DirectX
12
12 (11_0)
Vulkan
1.4+27%
1.1
OpenGL
4.6+2%
4.5
Max Displays
3+50%
2
🎬

Media & Encoding

Decoder: NVDEC 4th gen vs NVDEC 1st Gen. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP8,VP9 (GeForce GTX 1650) vs H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
Encoder
NVENC 5th gen (Volta)
Decoder
NVDEC 4th gen
NVDEC 1st Gen
Codecs
H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP8,VP9
H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1650 draws 75W versus the Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)'s 30W — a 85.7% difference. The Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (GeForce GTX 1650) vs 350W (Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)). Power connectors: None vs PCIe-powered. Typical load temperature: 70°C vs 75.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
TDP
75W
30W-60%
Recommended PSU
300W-14%
350W
Power Connector
None
PCIe-powered
Length
229mm
Height
111mm
Slots
2
0-100%
Temp (Load)
70°C-7%
75
Perf/Watt
104.9
116.7+11%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 1650 came in at $149, while the Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) launched at $150. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 1650 was 0.7% cheaper ($1 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 52.8 (GeForce GTX 1650) vs 23.3 (Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)) — the GeForce GTX 1650 offers 126.6% better value. The newer card here is GeForce GTX 1650 (2019 vs 2015).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
MSRP
$149
$150
Performance per Dollar
52.8+127%
23.3
Codename
TU117
Surface Book
Release
April 23 2019
October 1 2015
Ranking
#323
#782

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