GeForce GTX 1650 vs Radeon RX 590

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1650

2019Core: 1485 MHzBoost: 1665 MHz

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

Radeon RX 590

2018Core: 1469 MHzBoost: 1545 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

  • Costs $130 less on MSRP ($149 MSRP vs $279 MSRP).
  • Delivers 58.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 52.8 vs 33.4 G3D/$ ($149 MSRP vs $279 MSRP).
  • Draws 75W instead of 175W, a 100W reduction.
  • Measures 229mm instead of 241mm, a 12mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than Radeon RX 590 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation (2023).
  • Limited future-proofing: older hardware, 4 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in upcoming AAA games.

Radeon RX 590

2018

Why buy it

  • 43.8% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation (2023).
  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 4 GB).

Trade-offs

  • Limited future-proofing: older hardware, 8 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in upcoming AAA games.
  • 87.2% HIGHER MSRP
    $279 MSRPvs$149 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 33.4 vs 52.8 G3D/$ ($279 MSRP vs $149 MSRP).
  • 133.3% higher power demand at 175W vs 75W.

Quick Answers

So, is Radeon RX 590 better than GeForce GTX 1650?
Yes. Radeon RX 590 is the better GPU overall here. You are getting 43.8% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data, 18.4% higher PassMark G3D performance, and 8 GB vs 4 GB of VRAM. It also comes from 2018 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 2018 and the stronger feature stack with no meaningful modern upscaling stack instead of FSR upscaling + limited Frame Generation. That broader feature stack should age better as more games lean on modern upscaling and frame-generation support.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?
Radeon RX 590 is about 87.2% more expensive on MSRP at $279 MSRP versus $149 MSRP, and you are getting 43.8% more estimated average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and 18.4% higher G3D Mark. GeForce GTX 1650 still holds the G3D-per-dollar lead, so the performance win comes with a real value premium. If you are comfortable paying the premium for the stronger gaming result, Radeon RX 590 is the one to buy. If staying closer to budget matters more, GeForce GTX 1650 still makes more sense on price alone, but the performance trade-off is much harder to justify by current standards.
When does GeForce GTX 1650 make more sense than Radeon RX 590?
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 175W), future-proofing, and staying closer to $149 MSRP more than squeezing out the extra headroom of Radeon RX 590. The trade-off is that Radeon RX 590 currently gives you 18.4% higher G3D Mark and 43.8% more estimated average FPS across 50 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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetGeForce GTX 1650Radeon RX 590
1080p
low94 FPS139 FPS
medium83 FPS124 FPS
high70 FPS108 FPS
ultra58 FPS93 FPS
1440p
low87 FPS122 FPS
medium74 FPS100 FPS
high60 FPS84 FPS
ultra50 FPS76 FPS
4K
low41 FPS71 FPS
medium39 FPS60 FPS
high27 FPS46 FPS
ultra24 FPS40 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce GTX 1650Radeon RX 590
1080p
low136 FPS164 FPS
medium113 FPS141 FPS
high94 FPS124 FPS
ultra71 FPS95 FPS
1440p
low79 FPS95 FPS
medium62 FPS76 FPS
high44 FPS61 FPS
ultra35 FPS49 FPS
4K
low36 FPS46 FPS
medium27 FPS37 FPS
high21 FPS32 FPS
ultra15 FPS27 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce GTX 1650Radeon RX 590
1080p
low323 FPS419 FPS
medium283 FPS335 FPS
high205 FPS279 FPS
ultra169 FPS210 FPS
1440p
low225 FPS314 FPS
medium202 FPS252 FPS
high151 FPS210 FPS
ultra117 FPS157 FPS
4K
low130 FPS210 FPS
medium117 FPS168 FPS
high79 FPS140 FPS
ultra50 FPS105 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce GTX 1650Radeon RX 590
1080p
low261 FPS403 FPS
medium211 FPS335 FPS
high191 FPS279 FPS
ultra166 FPS210 FPS
1440p
low201 FPS314 FPS
medium158 FPS252 FPS
high135 FPS210 FPS
ultra113 FPS157 FPS
4K
low99 FPS176 FPS
medium74 FPS138 FPS
high65 FPS122 FPS
ultra51 FPS101 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1650 and Radeon RX 590

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 RX 590

The Radeon RX 590 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 15 2018. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1469 MHz to 1545 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 175W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 9,315 points. Launch price was $279.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1650 scores 7,869 versus the Radeon RX 590's 9,315 — the Radeon RX 590 leads by 18.4%. The GeForce GTX 1650 is built on Turing while the Radeon RX 590 uses GCN 4.0, both on a 12 nm process. Shader units: 896 (GeForce GTX 1650) vs 2,304 (Radeon RX 590). Raw compute: 2.984 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1650) vs 7.119 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 590). Boost clocks: 1665 MHz vs 1545 MHz.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650Radeon RX 590
G3D Mark Score
7,869
9,315+18%
Architecture
Turing
GCN 4.0
Process Node
12 nm
12 nm
Shading Units
896
2304+157%
Compute (TFLOPS)
2.984 TFLOPS
7.119 TFLOPS+139%
Boost Clock
1665 MHz+8%
1545 MHz
ROPs
32
32
TMUs
56
144+157%
L1 Cache
896 KB+56%
576 KB
L2 Cache
1 MB
2 MB+100%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the Radeon RX 590 is support for FSR Frame Generation. This allows it to generate entire frames using AI/Algorithms, essentially doubling the frame rate in CPU-bound scenarios or heavy ray-tracing titles. The GeForce GTX 1650 lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.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 RX 590 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650Radeon RX 590
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation
Not Supported
FSR Frame Generation
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 RX 590 has 8 GB. The Radeon RX 590 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 128 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1650) vs 256 GB/s (Radeon RX 590) — a 100% advantage for the Radeon RX 590. Bus width: 128-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 1 MB (GeForce GTX 1650) vs 2 MB (Radeon RX 590) — the Radeon RX 590 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650Radeon RX 590
VRAM Capacity
4 GB
8 GB+100%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
128 GB/s
256 GB/s+100%
Bus Width
128-bit
256-bit+100%
L2 Cache
1 MB
2 MB+100%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1650) vs 12.0 (Radeon RX 590). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 3 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650Radeon RX 590
DirectX
12
12.0
Vulkan
1.4+17%
1.2
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
3
4+33%
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 5th gen (Volta) (GeForce GTX 1650) vs VCE 3.4 (Radeon RX 590). Decoder: NVDEC 4th gen vs UVD 6.3. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP8,VP9 (GeForce GTX 1650) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (Radeon RX 590).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650Radeon RX 590
Encoder
NVENC 5th gen (Volta)
VCE 3.4
Decoder
NVDEC 4th gen
UVD 6.3
Codecs
H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP8,VP9
MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1650 draws 75W versus the Radeon RX 590's 175W — a 80% difference. The GeForce GTX 1650 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (GeForce GTX 1650) vs 500W (Radeon RX 590). Power connectors: None vs 8-pin. Card length: 229mm vs 241mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 70°C vs 80°C.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650Radeon RX 590
TDP
75W-57%
175W
Recommended PSU
300W-40%
500W
Power Connector
None
8-pin
Length
229mm
241mm
Height
111mm
111mm
Slots
2
2
Temp (Load)
70°C-13%
80°C
Perf/Watt
104.9+97%
53.2
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 1650 launched at $149 MSRP, while the Radeon RX 590 launched at $279. The GeForce GTX 1650 costs 46.6% less ($130 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 52.8 (GeForce GTX 1650) vs 33.4 (Radeon RX 590) — the GeForce GTX 1650 offers 58.1% better value. The GeForce GTX 1650 is the newer GPU (2019 vs 2018).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650Radeon RX 590
MSRP
$149-47%
$279
Performance per Dollar
52.8+58%
33.4
Codename
TU117
Polaris 30
Release
April 23 2019
November 15 2018
Ranking
#323
#285