GeForce GTX 1650 vs Radeon Vega 8

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1650

2019Core: 1485 MHzBoost: 1665 MHz

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

Radeon Vega 8

2021Core: 300 MHzBoost: 1900 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

  • 267.8% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Costs $1 less on MSRP ($149 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
  • Delivers 404.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 52.8 vs 10.5 G3D/$ ($149 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
  • 100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs Unknown).
  • Less risky long-term buy than Radeon Vega 8: it remains the more sensible modern option while Radeon Vega 8 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.
  • 66.7% higher power demand at 75W vs 45W.

Radeon Vega 8

2021

Why buy it

  • Draws 45W instead of 75W, a 30W reduction.
  • More future proof: GCN 5.1 (2018−2022) on 7nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1650 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • Very weak future-proofing: 2021-era hardware with Unknown of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
  • 0.7% HIGHER MSRP
    $150 MSRPvs$149 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 10.5 vs 52.8 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs $149 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce GTX 1650 better than Radeon Vega 8?
Yes. GeForce GTX 1650 is clearly the better overall GPU here. GeForce GTX 1650 averages 267.8% more FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 7,869 vs 1,569 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce GTX 1650 is a 2019 card with no meaningful modern upscaling stack, while Radeon Vega 8 is a 2021 model from an older generation with FSR upscaling. 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 401.5% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 4 GB instead of Unknown, and the stronger feature stack with no meaningful modern upscaling stack instead of FSR upscaling. 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 267.8% more estimated average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and 401.5% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 404.9%. Radeon Vega 8 is the newer 2021 card, so it still has a real case if you care more about newer architecture and lower power draw (45W vs 75W) than about squeezing out the strongest gaming value today.
When does Radeon Vega 8 make more sense than GeForce GTX 1650?
Yes. Radeon Vega 8 is still an excellent gaming GPU in 2026: it is still fine for 1080p, but 1440p and especially 4K require more compromise. It makes more sense if your priority is newer architecture, lower power draw (45W vs 75W), and staying closer to $150 MSRP more than squeezing out the extra headroom of GeForce GTX 1650. The trade-off is that GeForce GTX 1650 currently gives you 401.5% higher G3D Mark and 267.8% more estimated average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 404.9%.

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 1650Radeon Vega 8
1080p
low94 FPS28 FPS
medium83 FPS20 FPS
high70 FPS13 FPS
ultra58 FPS8 FPS
1440p
low87 FPS21 FPS
medium74 FPS13 FPS
high60 FPS7 FPS
ultra50 FPS4 FPS
4K
low41 FPS9 FPS
medium39 FPS6 FPS
high27 FPS3 FPS
ultra24 FPS3 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce GTX 1650Radeon Vega 8
1080p
low136 FPS71 FPS
medium113 FPS48 FPS
high94 FPS32 FPS
ultra71 FPS22 FPS
1440p
low79 FPS46 FPS
medium62 FPS25 FPS
high44 FPS19 FPS
ultra35 FPS14 FPS
4K
low36 FPS23 FPS
medium27 FPS14 FPS
high21 FPS11 FPS
ultra15 FPS8 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce GTX 1650Radeon Vega 8
1080p
low323 FPS71 FPS
medium283 FPS56 FPS
high205 FPS47 FPS
ultra169 FPS35 FPS
1440p
low225 FPS53 FPS
medium202 FPS42 FPS
high151 FPS35 FPS
ultra117 FPS26 FPS
4K
low130 FPS35 FPS
medium117 FPS28 FPS
high79 FPS24 FPS
ultra50 FPS18 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce GTX 1650Radeon Vega 8
1080p
low261 FPS71 FPS
medium211 FPS56 FPS
high191 FPS47 FPS
ultra166 FPS35 FPS
1440p
low201 FPS53 FPS
medium158 FPS42 FPS
high135 FPS35 FPS
ultra113 FPS26 FPS
4K
low99 FPS35 FPS
medium74 FPS28 FPS
high65 FPS24 FPS
ultra51 FPS18 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1650 and Radeon Vega 8

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 Vega 8

The Radeon Vega 8 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 13 2021. It features the GCN 5.1 architecture. The core clock ranges from 300 MHz to 1900 MHz. It has 448 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 45W. Manufactured using 7 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,569 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1650 scores 7,869 versus the Radeon Vega 8's 1,569 — the GeForce GTX 1650 leads by 401.5%. The GeForce GTX 1650 is built on Turing while the Radeon Vega 8 uses GCN 5.1, both on 12 nm vs 7 nm. Shader units: 896 (GeForce GTX 1650) vs 448 (Radeon Vega 8). Raw compute: 2.984 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1650) vs 1.702 TFLOPS (Radeon Vega 8). Boost clocks: 1665 MHz vs 1900 MHz.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650Radeon Vega 8
G3D Mark Score
7,869+402%
1,569
Architecture
Turing
GCN 5.1
Process Node
12 nm
7 nm
Shading Units
896+100%
448
Compute (TFLOPS)
2.984 TFLOPS+75%
1.702 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
1665 MHz
1900 MHz+14%
ROPs
32+300%
8
TMUs
56+100%
28

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 Radeon Vega 8 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650Radeon Vega 8
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 comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon Vega 8 has 0 MB. The GeForce GTX 1650 offers 100+% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs System.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650Radeon Vega 8
VRAM Capacity
4 GB
Shared System RAM
Memory Type
GDDR5
Shared
Memory Bandwidth
128 GB/s
System
Bus Width
128-bit
System
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1650 draws 75W versus the Radeon Vega 8's 45W — a 50% difference. The Radeon Vega 8 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (GeForce GTX 1650) vs 1W (Radeon Vega 8). Power connectors: None vs Integrated.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650Radeon Vega 8
TDP
75W
45W-40%
Recommended PSU
300W
1W-100%
Power Connector
None
Integrated
Length
229mm
Height
111mm
Slots
2
Temp (Load)
70°C
Perf/Watt
104.9+201%
34.9
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 1650 launched at $149 MSRP, while the Radeon Vega 8 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 10.5 (Radeon Vega 8) — the GeForce GTX 1650 offers 402.9% better value. The Radeon Vega 8 is the newer GPU (2021 vs 2019).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650Radeon Vega 8
MSRP
$149
$150
Performance per Dollar
52.8+403%
10.5
Codename
TU117
Cezanne
Release
April 23 2019
April 13 2021
Ranking
#323
#601