GeForce GTX 1650 vs Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire

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 8970M Crossfire 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 8970M Crossfire: 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

✅51.4% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $151 less on MSRP ($149 MSRP vs $300 MSRP).
✅Delivers 188.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 52.8 vs 18.3 G3D/$ ($149 MSRP vs $300 MSRP).
✅Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire is already obsolete for modern gaming, so GeForce GTX 1650 is the less risky modern option long term.
✅Draws 75W instead of 200W, a 125W reduction.

Trade-offs

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

Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire

2012

Why buy it

✅Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1650 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2012 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌
101.3% HIGHER MSRP
$300 MSRPvs$149 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 18.3 vs 52.8 G3D/$ ($300 MSRP vs $149 MSRP).
❌166.7% higher power demand at 200W 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 51.4% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 43.1% in PassMark G3D (7,869 vs 5,500), 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 28nm and a newer 2019 generation instead of 2012. 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 $151 cheaper on MSRP at $149 vs $300, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 188.1% (52.8 vs 18.3), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce GTX 1650 vs Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire Technical Specifications

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

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.

Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire

The Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire is manufactured by AMD. It was released in May 1 2012. It features the GCN architecture. The core clock ranges from 850 MHz to 900 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,500 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1650 scores 7,869 versus the Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire's 5,500 — the GeForce GTX 1650 leads by 43.1%. The GeForce GTX 1650 is built on Turing while the Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire uses GCN, both on 12 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 896 (GeForce GTX 1650) vs 2,560 (Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire). Boost clocks: 1665 MHz vs 900 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1650	Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire
G3D Mark Score	7,869+43%	5,500
Architecture	Turing	GCN
Process Node	12 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	896	2560+186%
Boost Clock	1665 MHz+85%	900 MHz

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 1650 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1650	Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire
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)

Both cards ship with 4 GB of GDDR5. Memory bandwidth: 128 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1650) vs 153.6 GB/s x2 (Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire) — a 20% advantage for the Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the GeForce GTX 1650 and 256-bit x2 on the Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1650	Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire
VRAM Capacity	4 GB	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	128 GB/s	153.6 GB/s x2+20%
Bus Width	128-bit	256-bit x2+100%

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1650 draws 75W versus the Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire's 200W — a 90.9% difference. The GeForce GTX 1650 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (GeForce GTX 1650) vs 350W (Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire). Power connectors: None vs 1x 6-pin.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1650	Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire
TDP	75W-63%	200W
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+281%	27.5

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 1650 came in at $149, while the Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire launched at $300. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 1650 was 50.3% cheaper ($151 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 52.8 (GeForce GTX 1650) vs 18.3 (Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire) — the GeForce GTX 1650 offers 188.5% better value. The newer card here is GeForce GTX 1650 (2019 vs 2012).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1650	Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire
MSRP	$149-50%	$300
Performance per Dollar	52.8+189%	18.3
Codename	TU117	Neptune CF
Release	April 23 2019	May 1 2012
Ranking	#323	#350

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