GeForce GTX 1650 vs Radeon Sky 500

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1650

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

Radeon Sky 500

2013Core: 950 MHz
Similar parts
·······

GeForce GTX 1650 vs Radeon Sky 500 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 Sky 500 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 Sky 500: 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

  • 40.2% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Costs $351 less on MSRP ($149 MSRP vs $500 MSRP).
  • Delivers 459.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 52.8 vs 9.4 G3D/$ ($149 MSRP vs $500 MSRP).
  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 2 GB).
  • Radeon Sky 500 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.

Radeon Sky 500

2013

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.
  • Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2013 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 235.6% HIGHER MSRP
    $500 MSRPvs$149 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 9.4 vs 52.8 G3D/$ ($500 MSRP vs $149 MSRP).

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 40.2% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 66.6% in PassMark G3D (7,869 vs 4,723), 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 2 GB 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 $351 cheaper on MSRP at $149 vs $500, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 459.1% (52.8 vs 9.4), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce GTX 1650 vs Radeon Sky 500 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 Sky 500

The Radeon Sky 500 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in March 27 2013. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 950 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,723 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1650 scores 7,869 versus the Radeon Sky 500's 4,723 — the GeForce GTX 1650 leads by 66.6%. The GeForce GTX 1650 is built on Turing while the Radeon Sky 500 uses GCN 1.0, both on 12 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 896 (GeForce GTX 1650) vs 1,280 (Radeon Sky 500). Raw compute: 2.984 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1650) vs 2.432 TFLOPS (Radeon Sky 500).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650Radeon Sky 500
G3D Mark Score
7,869+67%
4,723
Architecture
Turing
GCN 1.0
Process Node
12 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
896
1280+43%
Compute (TFLOPS)
2.984 TFLOPS+23%
2.432 TFLOPS
ROPs
32
32
TMUs
56
80+43%
L1 Cache
896 KB+180%
320 KB
L2 Cache
1 MB+100%
0.5 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 1650 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon Sky 500 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650Radeon Sky 500
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 Sky 500 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 64-bit on the Radeon Sky 500. L2 Cache: 1 MB (GeForce GTX 1650) vs 0.5 MB (Radeon Sky 500) — the GeForce GTX 1650 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650Radeon Sky 500
VRAM Capacity
4 GB+100%
2 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
128-bit+100%
64-bit
L2 Cache
1 MB+100%
0.5 MB
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1650 draws 75W versus the Radeon Sky 500's 150W — a 66.7% difference. The GeForce GTX 1650 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (GeForce GTX 1650) vs 350W (Radeon Sky 500). Power connectors: None vs PCIe-powered.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650Radeon Sky 500
TDP
75W-50%
150W
Recommended PSU
300W-14%
350W
Power Connector
None
PCIe-powered
Length
229mm
Height
111mm
Slots
2
Temp (Load)
70°C
Perf/Watt
104.9+233%
31.5
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 1650 came in at $149, while the Radeon Sky 500 launched at $500. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 1650 was 70.2% cheaper ($351 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 52.8 (GeForce GTX 1650) vs 9.4 (Radeon Sky 500) — the GeForce GTX 1650 offers 461.7% better value. The newer card here is GeForce GTX 1650 (2019 vs 2013).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650Radeon Sky 500
MSRP
$149-70%
$500
Performance per Dollar
52.8+462%
9.4
Codename
TU117
Pitcairn
Release
April 23 2019
March 27 2013
Ranking
#323
#455

Affiliate Disclosure

ChipVERSUS is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through our links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support our work in providing comprehensive PC building guides and tools.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.