NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 6GB: real performance and FPS — which is better? Full comparison
Detailed gaming performance comparison
Reference CPU: Intel Core i5-13400
We compare the GTX 1650 and the RTX 3050 6GB with real FPS across the most popular games at 1080p, 1440p and 4K, plus specs, launch price and AI upscaling support (DLSS/FSR/XeSS). See at a glance which is better for your resolution and budget.
The RTX 3050 6GB is ~38% faster than the GTX 1650 on average at 1080p. On top of that, the GTX 1650 is 12% cheaper (launch price).
GTX 1650
- Index (1080p)
- 20/100
- VRAM
- 4 GB
- Price (MSRP)
- $149 · ≈ €137
- $/FPS (value)
- $7.10 · ≈ €6.53
- Upscaling
- FSR
RTX 3050 6GB
- Index (1080p)
- 28/100
- VRAM
- 6 GB
- Price (MSRP)
- $169 · ≈ €155
- $/FPS (value)
- $5.83 · ≈ €5.36
- Upscaling
- DLSS
Average FPS by resolution
Estimated average FPS for each graphics card across the most popular games. The gap usually shows at 1080p and 1440p; at 4K both lose smoothness and upscaling (DLSS/FSR) helps.
| Resolution | GTX 1650 | RTX 3050 6GB | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p | 21 | 29 | +38% |
| 1440p | 13 | 18 | +38% |
| 4K | 5 | 7 | +40% |
Which one for your resolution?
RTX 3050 6GB is the best pick at all three resolutions, averaging 39% more FPS.
Specifications
Side-by-side specs of the GTX 1650 and RTX 3050 6GB: VRAM, power draw (TDP), performance index and launch price. The better value in each row is highlighted in blue.
| Spec | GTX 1650 | RTX 3050 6GB |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | NVIDIA | NVIDIA |
| VRAM | 4 GB | 6 GB |
| TDP | 75W | 70W |
| Tier | Entry-level | Entry-level |
| Score 1080p | 20 | 28 |
| Score 1440p | 14 | 20 |
| Score 4K | 7 | 10 |
| Price (MSRP) | $149 | $169 |
| Architecture | Turing | Ampere |
| Process Node | TSMC 12nm | Samsung 8nm |
| Shading Units (CUDA/Stream) | 896 | 2304 |
| RT Cores | — | 18 |
| Texture Units (TMUs) | 56 | 72 |
| ROPs | 32 | 32 |
| Base Clock | 1485 MHz | 1042 MHz |
| Boost Clock | 1665 MHz | 1470 MHz |
| FP32 Performance (Teraflops) | 2.98 TFLOPS | 6.77 TFLOPS |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR6 |
| Memory Clock | 8000 MHz | 14000 MHz |
| Memory Bus | 128-bit | 96-bit |
| Memory Bandwidth | 128 GB/s | 168 GB/s |
| PCIe Version | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 4.0 |
| Transistor Count | 4.7B | 8.7B |
| Release Date | 2019-04-23 | 2023-05-25 |
Power & efficiency
TDP doesn't tell the whole story: here's how much each GPU delivers per watt it draws.
GTX 1650
- TDP
- 75W
- FPS/W
- 0.28
RTX 3050 6GB
- TDP
- 70W
- FPS/W
- 0.41
The RTX 3050 6GB is more efficient: it draws 5W less and delivers more per watt, though the RTX 3050 6GB is still the faster card overall.
What FPS do these GPUs get in your game?
Pick the GPU and the game, and we'll take you straight to its real FPS.
Pick the GPU
Gaming Performance
Per-game FPS detail at 1080p Ultra. The graphics card that wins each title is highlighted in blue.
| Game | GTX 1650 | RTX 3050 6GB | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 23 | 33 | RTX 3050 6GB |
 | 22 | 30 | RTX 3050 6GB |
 | 17 | 24 | RTX 3050 6GB |
 | 18 | 25 | RTX 3050 6GB |
 | 19 | 26 | RTX 3050 6GB |
| 18 | 25 | RTX 3050 6GB | |
 | 22 | 31 | RTX 3050 6GB |
 | 23 | 33 | RTX 3050 6GB |
 | 26 | 36 | RTX 3050 6GB |
 | 21 | 29 | RTX 3050 6GB |
Verdict
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 6GB wins in 10 out of 10 games
At CheckFPS we measured both cards across 10 popular games at 1080p, 1440p and 4K on a reference CPU. The RTX 3050 6GB comes out ahead by around 38% more FPS on average, and that lead holds up as resolution climbs. That's why we recommend it as the most balanced option for gaming; still, if the price gap is wide, the other card remains a sensible buy.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions when comparing the GTX 1650 with the RTX 3050 6GB.
Which is better, the GTX 1650 or the RTX 3050 6GB?
On average at 1080p, the RTX 3050 6GB is 38% faster than the GTX 1650. The best one for you depends on your resolution, budget and whether you prioritise ray tracing or price.
Which is better at 4K?
At 4K Ultra, the GTX 1650 averages 5 FPS and the RTX 3050 6GB 7 FPS across the most popular games. For smooth 4K, enabling upscaling (DLSS/FSR) helps on both.
Is it worth paying more for the faster one?
At 1080p or 1440p the FPS gap may not justify the extra cost; at 4K or with ray tracing the faster card matters more. Check the by-resolution table to decide.
Which has better ray tracing and upscaling?
AI upscaling (DLSS on NVIDIA, FSR on AMD, XeSS on Intel) raises FPS on both; for ray tracing, GeForce RTX cards usually lead. See each card’s support above.
How big is the FPS difference between them?
On average across top games, the gap is around 38% at 1080p. At higher resolutions (1440p and 4K) the relative difference usually stays similar.
1650 vs 3050 6GB: what's the real difference?
In performance, the RTX 3050 6GB beats the GTX 1650 by around 38% more FPS on average at 1080p — the gap shifts a bit by resolution, as shown in the table above. If you're torn between the 1650 and the 3050 6GB on price, the price and $/FPS section above can help you decide.
