GeForce GTX 980M SLI vs GeForce GTX 1650

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 980M SLI vs GeForce GTX 1650 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 980M SLI vs GeForce GTX 1650: 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 980M SLI

2014

Why buy it

✅+59.1% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 4 GB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1650 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2014 hardware with 8 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 52.8 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $149 MSRP).
❌166.7% higher power demand at 200W vs 75W.
❌16.6% longer card at 267mm vs 229mm.

GeForce GTX 1650

2019

Why buy it

✅15.5% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 52.8 vs 0 G3D/$ ($149 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅GeForce GTX 980M SLI is already legacy-tier future-proofing, so GeForce GTX 1650 is the less risky modern option long term.
✅Draws 75W instead of 200W, a 125W reduction.
✅Measures 229mm instead of 267mm, a 38mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (7,869 vs 12,523).
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Older hardware, 4 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in newer AAA releases.

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 15.5% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward GeForce GTX 980M SLI instead at 12,523 vs 7,869, so for this question the real-game FPS result matters more than the synthetic split.

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 2014. 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 today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

GeForce GTX 980M SLI vs GeForce GTX 1650 Technical Specifications

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

GeForce GTX 980M SLI

The GeForce GTX 980M SLI is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in October 7 2014. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 1038 MHz to 1127 MHz. It has 3072 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 12,523 points.

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.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 980M SLI scores 12,523 versus the GeForce GTX 1650's 7,869 — the GeForce GTX 980M SLI leads by 59.1%. The GeForce GTX 980M SLI is built on Maxwell while the GeForce GTX 1650 uses Turing, both on 28 nm vs 12 nm. Shader units: 3,072 (GeForce GTX 980M SLI) vs 896 (GeForce GTX 1650). Boost clocks: 1127 MHz vs 1665 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M SLI	GeForce GTX 1650
G3D Mark Score	12,523+59%	7,869
Architecture	Maxwell	Turing
Process Node	28 nm	12 nm
Shading Units	3072+243%	896
Boost Clock	1127 MHz	1665 MHz+48%

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M SLI	GeForce GTX 1650
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 980M SLI has 8 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 1650 carries 4 GB. GeForce GTX 980M SLI gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 160 GB/s (GeForce GTX 980M SLI) vs 128 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1650) — a 25% advantage for the GeForce GTX 980M SLI. Memory bus width is 256-bit on the GeForce GTX 980M SLI and 128-bit on the GeForce GTX 1650.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M SLI	GeForce GTX 1650
VRAM Capacity	8 GB+100%	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	160 GB/s+25%	128 GB/s
Bus Width	256-bit+100%	128-bit

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Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 980M SLI) vs 12 (GeForce GTX 1650). Vulkan: 1.1 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.4 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 3.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M SLI	GeForce GTX 1650
DirectX	12.1	12
Vulkan	1.1	1.4+27%
OpenGL	4.4	4.6+5%
Max Displays	4+33%	3

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Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 4.0 (2x) (GeForce GTX 980M SLI) vs NVENC 5th gen (Volta) (GeForce GTX 1650). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP6 (2x) vs NVDEC 4th gen. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (GeForce GTX 980M SLI) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP8,VP9 (GeForce GTX 1650).

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M SLI	GeForce GTX 1650
Encoder	NVENC 4.0 (2x)	NVENC 5th gen (Volta)
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP6 (2x)	NVDEC 4th gen
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC	H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP8,VP9

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 980M SLI draws 200W versus the GeForce GTX 1650's 75W — a 90.9% difference. The GeForce GTX 1650 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce GTX 980M SLI) vs 300W (GeForce GTX 1650). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs None. Card length: 267mm vs 229mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 85°C vs 70°C.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M SLI	GeForce GTX 1650
TDP	200W	75W-63%
Recommended PSU	500W	300W-40%
Power Connector	1x 6-pin	None
Length	267mm	229mm
Height	111mm	111mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	85°C	70°C-18%
Perf/Watt	62.6	104.9+68%

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Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce GTX 1650 (2019 vs 2014).

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M SLI	GeForce GTX 1650
MSRP	—	$149
Codename	—	TU117
Release	October 7 2014	April 23 2019
Ranking	#263	#323

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