The budget friendly GPUs are the NVIDIA GTX 1650 and AMD RX 6500 XT. Gamers and creators are going to fall in love with these graphics cards for their reliable performance at wallet friendly prices. In this article we’ll look at comparison between the GTX 1650 and RX 6500 XT in greater depth and how they compare on gaming benchmarks, features, power efficiency and overall value. If you’re wondering whether to buy this GPU for your next build, keep reading!
NVIDIA GTX 1650 vs AMD RX 6500 XT: Quick Comparison
So, let’s have a quick run down on both of these GPUs’ key specs:
| Feature | NVIDIA GTX 1650 | AMD RX 6500 XT |
| Architecture | Turing (12nm) | RDNA 2 (6nm) |
| Release Date | April 2019 | January 2022 |
| VRAM | 4GB GDDR5/GDDR6 | 4GB GDDR6 |
| Memory Interface | 128-bit | 64-bit |
| Base/Boost Clock | 1485/1665 MHz | 2310/2815 MHz |
| TDP | 75W | 107W |
| MSRP | $149 | $199 |
These numbers really show the newer architecture and higher clock speeds of AMD’s RX 6500 XT versus the budget friendly power efficiency of NVIDIA’s GTX 1650.
Gaming Performance Comparison
Performance in popular titles is one of the most important things to gamers. With the full 1080p resolution, these GPUs come out as so:
1080p Gaming Benchmarks
| Game | GTX 1650 FPS | RX 6500 XT FPS |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 30 (Low) | 45 (Low) |
| GTA V | 55 (High) | 70 (High) |
| Fortnite | 60 (High) | 75 (High) |
| Call of Duty: Warzone | 50 (Medium) | 62 (Medium) |
| Shadow of the Tomb Raider | 48 (Medium) | 65 (Medium) |
Verdict
For gamers that prioritize performance, the RX 6500 XT consistently runs games at higher frame rates compared on modern games, which is enough to edge out the other chip in this gaming subset of the market. The problem is though, that the GTX 1650 still offers playable frame rates, and it might be a better play for less demanding games or eSports games like CS:GO, League of Legends and many more.
Power Efficiency and Build Compatibility
Conversely, older power supplies or small cases have constrains when building budget builds often. We rank these GPUs in terms of power efficiency here:
| Metric | GTX 1650 | RX 6500 XT |
| TDP | 75W | 107W |
| External Power Required | No | Yes (6-pin) |
| Recommended PSU | 300W | 400W |
Why Power Efficiency Matters
- It consumes just 75w, has no need for an external power connector and is perfect for those who wish to down grade older systems with lower power PSU’s.
- The 107W TDP of the RX 6500 XT adds heavy weight to the cost of a generation change and consumes 6 pin power and a 400W PSU.
The GTX 1650 is the one to get if power efficiency and convenience of installation are goals.
Memory and Bus Interface
For some uses, however, it makes a huge difference without a bit of memory configuration.
| Feature | GTX 1650 | RX 6500 XT |
| Memory Type | GDDR5/GDDR6 | GDDR6 |
| Bus Width | 128-bit | 64-bit |
| Bandwidth | 128 GB/s (GDDR5) | 144 GB/s |
Analysis
- While the RX 6500 XT has faster GDDR6 memory, its 64-bit memory interface does frustrate the performance of more memory hungry tasks.
- The GTX 1650 comes with a 128 bit interface over which deliveries stability in applications and games that require higher memory bandwidth.
Key Features and Future-Proofing
Raw performance isn’t what modern GPUs are about. Things like ray tracing, upscaling technologies and driver support matter more and more.
| Feature | GTX 1650 | RX 6500 XT |
| Ray Tracing | Basic | Limited |
| Upscaling | No DLSS, Yes on FidelityFX | FidelityFX (FSR 2.0) |
| PCIe Version | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 4.0 |
Future-Proofing
- The new card is a part of the RX 6000 range, and runs PCIe 4.0, meaning that if your system supports the new standard, you will get a slight performance boost compared to Atmos. But without the ability to ray trace its limited visual appeal isn’t that attractive to gamers looking for top of the line visuals.
- One of the things that the GTX 1650 does so well is stability and keeping older systems compatible with modern technology.
Content Creation Performance
GPU capabilities in video encoding and video decoding are important to content creators.
| Feature | GTX 1650 | RX 6500 XT |
| Video Encoding | Yes (H.264, H.265) | No hardware acceleration |
| Streaming | Excellent | Moderate |
Due to its hardware support for popular codecs, the GTX 1650 is better for things such as video editing and streaming. Specs also thin the Lyon product line for creators: the RX 6500 XT doesn’t come with this capability.
Price-to-Performance Analysis
Budget GPUs are very much value for money.
| Metric | GTX 1650 | RX 6500 XT |
| MSRP | $149 | $199 |
| Gaming Performance | Moderate | High |
| Price/Performance | Good | Excellent |
As you’ll come to find out, the RX 6500 XT’s higher price point is easily justified by its higher gaming performance. After all the GTX 1650 represents a decent trade off between price and capabilities for budget sensitive users.
Conclusion: NVIDIA GTX 1650 or AMD RX 6500 XT?
Choose the NVIDIA GTX 1650 if:
- It’s an older system with a low-wattage PSU and you’re upgrading.
- First and foremost is how easy it’ll be to install and how power efficient it’ll be.
- If you’re looking for content creation or light gaming then you need reliable performance.
Choose the AMD RX 6500 XT if:
- You’re building a modern gaming rig supporting PCIe 4.0.
- You’re looking for the best gaming performance of this price range.
- Power efficiency matters less than future proofing, and higher frame rates are a must.
Final Thoughts
On one end of the budget GPU market, the NVIDIA GTX 1650 vs AMD RX 6500 XT both have quite different focuses. If gamers are in the newer title, higher frame rate realm, go with the RX 6500 XT. The GTX 1650 is still a reliable choice for content creation and those upgrading older systems while, in the meantime, the GTX 1660 Super is worth considering as a choice for those looking to make the leap into 1080p.
Still unsure? Before choosing, think about your system’s requirements, your budget and what kinds of games you play most often. Regardless of what you pick, both GPUs offer incredibly good value for the kinds of people they’re aimed at.
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