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

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1650

2019Core: 1485 MHzBoost: 1665 MHz

Popular choices:

VS

Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

2015Core: 954 MHzBoost: 993 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

  • +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).
  • Less risky long-term buy than Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5): it remains the more sensible modern option while Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) is already obsolete for modern gaming.

Trade-offs

  • Limited future-proofing: older hardware, 4 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in upcoming AAA games.
  • 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.
  • Very weak future-proofing: 2015-era hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
  • 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

So, is GeForce GTX 1650 better than Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)?
Yes. GeForce GTX 1650 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 7,869 vs 3,500 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce GTX 1650 is a 2019 card with no meaningful modern upscaling stack, while Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) is a 2015 model from an older generation with no meaningful modern upscaling stack. So this is not really a tight same-tier comparison. It is more a modern card against an older, weaker alternative.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce GTX 1650 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2019 generation instead of 2015, 124.8% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 4 GB instead of 2 GB, and a 12nm process instead of 28nm. 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 GTX 1650 is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce GTX 1650 is about $1 cheaper on MSRP at $149 MSRP versus $150 MSRP, and you are getting 124.8% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 126.3%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.
Is Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) still worth buying for gaming in 2026?
Yes. Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) is still a strong modern gaming GPU: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It remains a good buy when you can get it meaningfully cheaper than the alternative around $150 MSRP, even if GeForce GTX 1650 is still the cleaner recommendation on overall value today.

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 1650Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
1080p
low94 FPS77 FPS
medium83 FPS65 FPS
high70 FPS43 FPS
ultra58 FPS28 FPS
1440p
low87 FPS61 FPS
medium74 FPS51 FPS
high60 FPS31 FPS
ultra50 FPS19 FPS
4K
low41 FPS22 FPS
medium39 FPS21 FPS
high27 FPS13 FPS
ultra24 FPS11 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce GTX 1650Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
1080p
low136 FPS97 FPS
medium113 FPS68 FPS
high94 FPS49 FPS
ultra71 FPS31 FPS
1440p
low79 FPS53 FPS
medium62 FPS31 FPS
high44 FPS22 FPS
ultra35 FPS15 FPS
4K
low36 FPS18 FPS
medium27 FPS11 FPS
high21 FPS9 FPS
ultra15 FPS7 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce GTX 1650Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
1080p
low323 FPS158 FPS
medium283 FPS126 FPS
high205 FPS105 FPS
ultra169 FPS79 FPS
1440p
low225 FPS118 FPS
medium202 FPS94 FPS
high151 FPS79 FPS
ultra117 FPS59 FPS
4K
low130 FPS79 FPS
medium117 FPS63 FPS
high79 FPS52 FPS
ultra50 FPS39 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce GTX 1650Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
1080p
low261 FPS157 FPS
medium211 FPS126 FPS
high191 FPS105 FPS
ultra166 FPS79 FPS
1440p
low201 FPS110 FPS
medium158 FPS88 FPS
high135 FPS77 FPS
ultra113 FPS59 FPS
4K
low99 FPS64 FPS
medium74 FPS50 FPS
high65 FPS41 FPS
ultra51 FPS30 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1650 and Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

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 gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

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 comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) has 2 GB. The GeForce GTX 1650 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 128-bit.

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

The GeForce GTX 1650 launched at $149 MSRP, while the Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) launched at $150. The GeForce GTX 1650 costs 0.7% less ($1 savings) on MSRP. 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 GeForce GTX 1650 is the newer GPU (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