Is GTX 1650 Good for Gaming, Graphic design, Video Editing?

While the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 may be considered dated, it remains a popular choice for budget gaming laptops. The desktop variant of this GPU is also favored by gamers seeking a budget to mid-range gaming PC build.

If you are contemplating the GTX 1650 for your laptop or gaming desktop, you may wonder about its gaming, graphic design, or video editing performance.

So, is GTX 1650 good for gaming, graphic design, and video editing? Drawing from our experience with this GPU, we will provide insights into whether the GTX 1650 meets expectations for these tasks.

Is the Desktop Version of GTX 1650 Good?

Before discussing the laptop version, it’s essential to understand the desktop version of the GTX 1650 if you’re considering building a PC.

The GTX 1650 was launched in 2019, targeting mid-range gaming. As such, it’s not designed for high-end gaming.

Here are some key specifications of this GPU:

• Manufacturer: TSMC
• GPU Architecture: Turing
• CUDA Cores: 896
• Base Clock: Typically around 1485 MHz
• Boost Clock: Typically around 1665 MHz
• VRAM: 4 GB GDDR5
• Memory Bus Width: 128-bit
• TDP: Generally around 75 watts, depending on the specific model
• Ports: Typically includes DisplayPort, HDMI, and DVI

What does all this mean?

The GTX 1650 can handle most games at Full HD (FHD) resolution with low to medium settings. However, playing more demanding games at higher settings will likely result in noticeable frame drops. Therefore, the GTX 1650 desktop GPU is best suited for playing FHD games at lower or medium settings.

When it comes to 4K gaming, the GTX 1650 struggles with more demanding AAA titles at higher settings, making it unsuitable for this purpose.

What about video editing?

The GTX 1650 is also capable of handling FHD 1080p video editing smoothly. However, for 2K or 4K video editing, you’ll need a more powerful GPU, and it’s advisable not to go below the GTX 1660 Ti.

Fortunately, the GTX 1650 performs well in graphics-intensive software like Photoshop, making it a viable option for graphic design. While it’s not primarily built for 3D rendering, it can still manage light 3D models.

Verdict: The desktop version of the GTX 1650 is a good option for FHD gaming at medium settings, FHD video editing, and tasks in Photoshop. It gets the job done, but it’s not suitable for heavy workloads or high-end gaming.

Key Specifications of GTX 1650 Laptop (Mobile) Version

• Architecture: Turing
• CUDA Cores: 896
• Base Clock: Varies, typically around 1395 MHz
• Boost Clock: Varies, typically around 1560 MHz
• Memory Size: 4 GB GDDR5
• Memory Bus: 128-bit
• Memory Speed: Typically around 8 Gbps
• TDP: Varies, usually between 50W to 75W

Is GTX 1650 Good for Gaming in Laptops?

When paired with the right CPU, whether it’s Intel or AMD Ryzen, and faster SSD storage, the GTX 1650 can deliver decent gaming performance.

However, it’s important to remember that this GPU is now several years old, so it struggles with modern AAA games at high settings. To achieve playable frame rates, you’ll need to lower the settings.

We tested several games at 1080p across low, medium, and high settings, and here are the results:

• Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (Medium): Avg 45 FPS
• Apex Legends (High): Avg 61 FPS
• Valorant (Medium): Avg 141 FPS
• Uncharted 4 (Medium): Avg 43 FPS
• The Witcher 3 (Low): Avg 68 FPS
• Red Dead Redemption 2 (Medium): Avg 47 FPS
• God of War (Medium): Avg 44 FPS

These results clearly indicate that the GTX 1650 is best suited for 1080p gaming at medium settings.

While the GTX 1650 can still play modern games, it’s important to note that its aging hardware may not provide the best FPS or high-resolution gaming experience. However, 1080p gaming is still quite enjoyable with this GPU.

Verdict: Despite its age, the GTX 1650 remains a viable option for entry-level gaming. While it may not deliver top-tier performance, it offers a decent 1080p gaming experience at medium settings.

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Is GTX 1650 Good for Graphic Design in Laptops?

Popular graphic design software like Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and Lunacy typically require a graphics card with at least 4GB of VRAM. The GTX 1650, with its 4GB of VRAM, meets these minimum requirements, making it a suitable option for graphic design.

In practical use, a laptop equipped with a GTX 1650 can handle graphic design tasks effectively. However, it’s important to note that this GPU is primarily designed for gaming and general graphics tasks, not for high-end graphic design work.

Therefore, while the GTX 1650 is capable of handling graphic design, it may struggle with more demanding tasks.

If you’re considering using it for resource-intensive software like AutoCAD, you might find its performance lacking, as such applications require more powerful workstation-class GPUs.

Is GTX 1650 Good for Video Editing in Laptops?

While the GTX 1650 does have CUDA cores, which can be beneficial for certain video editing tasks, it may struggle with complex editing projects, high-resolution footage, or working with multiple video layers and effects.

For basic video editing at 1080p, without adding too many layers or effects, the GTX 1650 performs well and can handle tasks smoothly.

However, when you switch to 4K editing or add multiple layers and effects to 1080p footage, this GPU will face significant challenges.

Overall, the GTX 1650 is a good choice for standard 1080p video editing but may not be sufficient for more demanding editing tasks.

Also Read: How to install mods on Fallout 4?

Should You Buy a Laptop with GTX 1650 GPU?

If budget isn’t a concern, it’s advisable to avoid laptops with a GTX 1650 GPU. Instead, consider investing a bit more in laptops with more powerful GPUs like the GTX 1660, 1660 Ti, or RTX 3050, as they offer significantly better performance for gaming and demanding tasks.

However, if your budget is tight, the GTX 1650 is still a good choice. It’s a decent GPU for gaming and can handle medium-heavy tasks reasonably well.

Pricing is a key factor to consider. A laptop with a Ryzen 5 or Intel i5 11th Gen H-series CPU, GTX 1650 GPU, 8GB RAM, and 512GB SSD storage should typically cost between $550 and $570. It’s important not to overpay for a laptop with this configuration.

Prices may be higher if the laptop is equipped with a higher-end CPU like a Ryzen 7 or Intel i7, but the mentioned price range gives you a good idea of how much you should expect to spend.

Should You Buy GTX 1650 for Building a PC?

The desktop version of the GTX 1650 is significantly more powerful than its mobile counterpart. While we don’t recommend a laptop with a GTX 1650 GPU, opting for the desktop version for a budget to mid-range PC build is a good choice.

When building a PC with the GTX 1650, pairing it with a powerful CPU, fast RAM, and an SSD will ensure smooth performance for most tasks.

While the system may not handle extreme workloads or high-end graphics, it is well-suited for moderate tasks, including mid-level gaming, video editing, and graphic design.

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Future-Proofing with GTX 1650

If you ask us, the NVIDIA GTX 1650 is not future-proof due to several limitations. While it’s suitable for current 1080p gaming at medium settings, its performance is limited compared to more powerful GPUs.

As games become more demanding, the GTX 1650 may struggle to maintain smooth performance. It also lacks advanced features like ray tracing and DLSS, which are becoming common in modern games.

Additionally, its 4GB VRAM could become a bottleneck in the future, limiting its ability to handle new, resource-intensive titles. As new graphics APIs and software optimizations emerge, the GTX 1650 may not fully support or benefit from these advancements, reducing its effectiveness over time.

Overall, the GTX 1650 is a good entry-level option now, but it’s likely to become outdated relatively quickly, making it a less ideal choice for long-term use.

Pros and Cons of GTX 1650

The Pros:

• Affordable price
• Good 1080p gaming performance
• Ideal for FHD video editing with a few layers
• Low power consumption
• Quiet operation

The Cons:

• Limited VRAM (4GB)
• No ray tracing or DLSS support
• Struggles with newer, more demanding games
• Not future-proof

Conclusion: Is GTX 1650 Worth It?

The GTX 1650, while still capable of running most games at low to medium settings, is increasingly showing its age in the current market.

It’s an entry-level GPU, and with the availability of laptops featuring newer and more powerful GPUs at competitive prices, the GTX 1650 is becoming less attractive, especially for gamers who need robust performance. For heavy gaming or future-proofing, it’s hard to recommend the GTX 1650 today.

However, for budget-conscious buyers looking for a gaming laptop around $500, it remains a practical choice.

Despite being designed for general gaming and light to moderate tasks, its position in the market is gradually diminishing as more advanced GPUs become mainstream.

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FAQs

We hope now you have a clearer understanding of whether the GTX 1650 is suitable for gaming, video editing, and graphic design. If you have any further questions, please feel free to ask in the comment section below.

We’d also love to hear your thoughts on whether you agree or disagree with the points mentioned above.