GeForce GTX 1650 vs Radeon HD 7290

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1650

2019Core: 1485 MHzBoost: 1665 MHz
GTX family
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VS
AMD

Radeon HD 7290

2013Core: 950 MHzBoost: 1000 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce GTX 1650 vs Radeon HD 7290 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 Radeon HD 7290 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 1650 vs Radeon HD 7290: 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

  • 2222.0% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Delivers 843.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 52.8 vs 5.6 G3D/$ ($149 MSRP vs $20 MSRP).
  • 700% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 512 MB).
  • Radeon HD 7290 is already obsolete for modern gaming, so GeForce GTX 1650 is the less risky modern option long term.
  • Draws 75W instead of 375W, a 300W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Older hardware, 4 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in newer AAA releases.

Radeon HD 7290

2013

Why buy it

  • Costs $129 less on MSRP ($20 MSRP vs $149 MSRP).

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1650 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2013 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 5.6 vs 52.8 G3D/$ ($20 MSRP vs $149 MSRP).
  • 400% higher power demand at 375W vs 75W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce GTX 1650 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 2222.0% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 6925.9% in PassMark G3D (7,869 vs 112), 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 512 MB of VRAM, a 12nm process instead of 28nm, and a newer 2019 generation instead of 2013. 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 $129 more expensive on MSRP at $149 vs $20, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 843.1% (52.8 vs 5.6), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce GTX 1650 vs Radeon HD 7290 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.

AMD

Radeon HD 7290

The Radeon HD 7290 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 24 2013. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 950 MHz to 1000 MHz. It has 2048 ×2 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 375W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 112 points. Launch price was $999.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1650 scores 7,869 versus the Radeon HD 7290's 112 — the GeForce GTX 1650 leads by 6925.9%. The GeForce GTX 1650 is built on Turing while the Radeon HD 7290 uses GCN 1.0, both on 12 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 896 (GeForce GTX 1650) vs 2,048 (Radeon HD 7290). Raw compute: 2.984 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1650) vs 4.096 TFLOPS ×2 (Radeon HD 7290). Boost clocks: 1665 MHz vs 1000 MHz.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650Radeon HD 7290
G3D Mark Score
7,869+6926%
112
Architecture
Turing
GCN 1.0
Process Node
12 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
896
2048 ×2+129%
Compute (TFLOPS)
2.984 TFLOPS
4.096 TFLOPS ×2+37%
Boost Clock
1665 MHz+67%
1000 MHz
ROPs
32
32 ×2
TMUs
56
128 ×2+129%
L1 Cache
896 KB+75%
512 KB
L2 Cache
1 MB+33%
0.75 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 1650 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon HD 7290 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650Radeon HD 7290
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
AMD Anti-Lag
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 1650 has 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 7290 carries 512 MB. GeForce GTX 1650 gives you 700% 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 Radeon HD 7290. L2 Cache: 1 MB (GeForce GTX 1650) vs 0.75 MB (Radeon HD 7290) — the GeForce GTX 1650 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650Radeon HD 7290
VRAM Capacity
4 GB+700%
0.5 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
128 GB/s
Unknown
Bus Width
128-bit
128-bit
L2 Cache
1 MB+33%
0.75 MB
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1650 draws 75W versus the Radeon HD 7290's 375W — a 133.3% difference. The GeForce GTX 1650 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (GeForce GTX 1650) vs 350W (Radeon HD 7290). Power connectors: None vs 1x 6-pin.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650Radeon HD 7290
TDP
75W-80%
375W
Recommended PSU
300W-14%
350W
Power Connector
None
1x 6-pin
Length
229mm
Height
111mm
Slots
2
Temp (Load)
70°C
Perf/Watt
104.9+34867%
0.3
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 1650 came in at $149, while the Radeon HD 7290 launched at $20. On MSRP, Radeon HD 7290 was 86.6% cheaper ($129 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 52.8 (GeForce GTX 1650) vs 5.6 (Radeon HD 7290) — the GeForce GTX 1650 offers 842.9% better value. The newer card here is GeForce GTX 1650 (2019 vs 2013).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650Radeon HD 7290
MSRP
$149
$20-87%
Performance per Dollar
52.8+843%
5.6
Codename
TU117
Malta
Release
April 23 2019
April 24 2013
Ranking
#323
#412

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