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 980 Ti

2015

Why buy it

✅49.4% more average FPS across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 4 GB).

Trade-offs

❌Poor future-proofing: 2015-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌
335.6% HIGHER MSRP
$649 MSRPvs$149 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 21.1 vs 52.8 G3D/$ ($649 MSRP vs $149 MSRP).
❌233.3% higher power demand at 250W vs 75W.
❌16.6% longer card at 267mm vs 229mm.

GeForce GTX 1650

2019

Why buy it

✅Costs $500 less on MSRP ($149 MSRP vs $649 MSRP).
✅Delivers 150% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 52.8 vs 21.1 G3D/$ ($149 MSRP vs $649 MSRP).
✅Less risky long-term buy than GeForce GTX 980 Ti: it remains the more sensible modern option while GeForce GTX 980 Ti is already legacy-tier future-proofing.
✅Draws 75W instead of 250W, a 175W reduction.
✅Measures 229mm instead of 267mm, a 38mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 980 Ti across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Limited future-proofing: older hardware, 4 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in upcoming AAA games.

GeForce GTX 980 Ti

2015

GeForce GTX 1650

2019

Why buy it

✅49.4% more average FPS across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 4 GB).

Why buy it

✅Costs $500 less on MSRP ($149 MSRP vs $649 MSRP).
✅Delivers 150% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 52.8 vs 21.1 G3D/$ ($149 MSRP vs $649 MSRP).
✅Less risky long-term buy than GeForce GTX 980 Ti: it remains the more sensible modern option while GeForce GTX 980 Ti is already legacy-tier future-proofing.
✅Draws 75W instead of 250W, a 175W reduction.
✅Measures 229mm instead of 267mm, a 38mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Poor future-proofing: 2015-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌
335.6% HIGHER MSRP
$649 MSRPvs$149 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 21.1 vs 52.8 G3D/$ ($649 MSRP vs $149 MSRP).
❌233.3% higher power demand at 250W vs 75W.
❌16.6% longer card at 267mm vs 229mm.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 980 Ti across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Limited future-proofing: older hardware, 4 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in upcoming AAA games.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce GTX 980 Ti better than GeForce GTX 1650?

Yes. GeForce GTX 980 Ti is the better GPU overall here. You are getting 49.4% more average FPS across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data, 74.2% higher PassMark G3D performance, and 6 GB vs 4 GB of VRAM. It also comes from 2015 instead of 2019, which helps its case as the more complete modern gaming card.

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 a newer 2019 generation instead of 2015 and a 12nm process instead of 28nm. That makes it the safer long-run choice for modern games.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?

GeForce GTX 980 Ti is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce GTX 980 Ti is about 335.6% more expensive on MSRP at $649 MSRP versus $149 MSRP, and you are getting 49.4% more estimated average FPS across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data and 74.2% higher G3D Mark. GeForce GTX 1650 really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.

When does GeForce GTX 1650 make more sense than GeForce GTX 980 Ti?

Yes. GeForce GTX 1650 is still an excellent gaming GPU in 2026: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It makes more sense if your priority is newer architecture, lower power draw (75W vs 250W), future-proofing, and staying closer to $149 MSRP more than squeezing out the extra headroom of GeForce GTX 980 Ti. The trade-off is that GeForce GTX 980 Ti currently gives you 74.2% higher G3D Mark and 49.4% more estimated average FPS across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data. GeForce GTX 1650 still holds the G3D-per-dollar lead, so the performance win comes with a real value premium.

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.

GeForce GTX 980 Ti Benchmark Check

GeForce GTX 1650 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 980 Ti	GeForce GTX 1650
1080p
low	80 FPS	94 FPS
medium	69 FPS	83 FPS
high	56 FPS	70 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	58 FPS
1440p
low	70 FPS	87 FPS
medium	62 FPS	74 FPS
high	45 FPS	60 FPS
ultra	28 FPS	50 FPS
4K
low	26 FPS	41 FPS
medium	24 FPS	39 FPS
high	16 FPS	27 FPS
ultra	14 FPS	24 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980 Ti Open GeForce GTX 1650

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 980 Ti	GeForce GTX 1650
1080p
low	186 FPS	136 FPS
medium	164 FPS	113 FPS
high	133 FPS	94 FPS
ultra	104 FPS	71 FPS
1440p
low	128 FPS	79 FPS
medium	104 FPS	62 FPS
high	82 FPS	44 FPS
ultra	62 FPS	35 FPS
4K
low	60 FPS	36 FPS
medium	50 FPS	27 FPS
high	46 FPS	21 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	15 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980 Ti Open GeForce GTX 1650

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 980 Ti	GeForce GTX 1650
1080p
low	617 FPS	323 FPS
medium	494 FPS	283 FPS
high	411 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	308 FPS	169 FPS
1440p
low	463 FPS	225 FPS
medium	370 FPS	202 FPS
high	308 FPS	151 FPS
ultra	231 FPS	117 FPS
4K
low	308 FPS	130 FPS
medium	247 FPS	117 FPS
high	206 FPS	79 FPS
ultra	154 FPS	50 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980 Ti Open GeForce GTX 1650

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 980 Ti	GeForce GTX 1650
1080p
low	232 FPS	261 FPS
medium	197 FPS	211 FPS
high	161 FPS	191 FPS
ultra	136 FPS	166 FPS
1440p
low	177 FPS	201 FPS
medium	156 FPS	158 FPS
high	123 FPS	135 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	113 FPS
4K
low	102 FPS	99 FPS
medium	83 FPS	74 FPS
high	67 FPS	65 FPS
ultra	53 FPS	51 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980 Ti Open GeForce GTX 1650

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 980 Ti and GeForce GTX 1650

GeForce GTX 980 Ti

The GeForce GTX 980 Ti is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in June 2 2015. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1000 MHz to 1075 MHz. It has 2816 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 250W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 13,711 points. Launch price was $649.

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.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 980 Ti scores 13,711 versus the GeForce GTX 1650's 7,869 — the GeForce GTX 980 Ti leads by 74.2%. The GeForce GTX 980 Ti is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the GeForce GTX 1650 uses Turing, both on 28 nm vs 12 nm. Shader units: 2,816 (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs 896 (GeForce GTX 1650). Raw compute: 6.06 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs 2.984 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1650). Boost clocks: 1075 MHz vs 1665 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980 Ti	GeForce GTX 1650
G3D Mark Score	13,711+74%	7,869
Architecture	Maxwell 2.0	Turing
Process Node	28 nm	12 nm
Shading Units	2816+214%	896
Compute (TFLOPS)	6.06 TFLOPS+103%	2.984 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1075 MHz	1665 MHz+55%
ROPs	96+200%	32
TMUs	176+214%	56
L1 Cache	1 MB+14%	0.88 MB
L2 Cache	3 MB+200%	1 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 980 Ti	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

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 980 Ti comes with 6 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 1650 has 4 GB. The GeForce GTX 980 Ti offers 50% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 336 GB/s (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs 128 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1650) — a 162.5% advantage for the GeForce GTX 980 Ti. Bus width: 384-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs 1 MB (GeForce GTX 1650) — the GeForce GTX 980 Ti has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980 Ti	GeForce GTX 1650
VRAM Capacity	6 GB+50%	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	336 GB/s+163%	128 GB/s
Bus Width	384-bit+200%	128-bit
L2 Cache	3 MB+200%	1 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs 12 (GeForce GTX 1650). Vulkan: 1.1 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 3.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980 Ti	GeForce GTX 1650
DirectX	12.1	12
Vulkan	1.1	1.4+27%
OpenGL	4.5	4.6+2%
Max Displays	4+33%	3

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 3.0 (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs NVENC 5th gen (Volta) (GeForce GTX 1650). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP6 vs NVDEC 4th gen. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP8,VP9 (GeForce GTX 1650).

Feature	GeForce GTX 980 Ti	GeForce GTX 1650
Encoder	NVENC 3.0	NVENC 5th gen (Volta)
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP6	NVDEC 4th gen
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC	H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP8,VP9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 980 Ti draws 250W versus the GeForce GTX 1650's 75W — a 107.7% difference. The GeForce GTX 1650 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 600W (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs 300W (GeForce GTX 1650). Power connectors: 6-pin + 8-pin vs None. Card length: 267mm vs 229mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 85°C vs 70°C.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980 Ti	GeForce GTX 1650
TDP	250W	75W-70%
Recommended PSU	600W	300W-50%
Power Connector	6-pin + 8-pin	None
Length	267mm	229mm
Height	111mm	111mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	85°C	70°C-18%
Perf/Watt	54.8	104.9+91%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 980 Ti launched at $649 MSRP, while the GeForce GTX 1650 launched at $149. The GeForce GTX 1650 costs 77% less ($500 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 21.1 (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs 52.8 (GeForce GTX 1650) — the GeForce GTX 1650 offers 150.2% better value. The GeForce GTX 1650 is the newer GPU (2019 vs 2015).