GeForce GTX 1650 GDDR6 Encoders May Vary: Check the Specs

GeForce GTX 1650 D6 WindForce OC 4G (rev. 2.0) (Image credit: Gigabyte)

The silicon lottery isn't exclusive to CPU buyers. Those buying a GeForce GTX 1650 GDDR6 graphics card could also end up with some surprises if they don't look closely at the the manufacturer's specifications.

First, a little history. The original GeForce GTX 1650 debuted last year with Nvidia's TU117 silicon and GDDR5 memory. Almost a year later, Nvidia upgraded the GeForce GTX 1650 to GDDR6 memory while preserving the same TU117 silicon. 

Recent evidence pointed to the GeForce GTX 1650 GDDR6 undergoing further surgery, with Nvidia repurposing its TU116 and TU106 dies for the graphics card. Today, hardware detective @momomo_us discovered that Nvidia has updated the GeForce GTX 1650 GDDR6's product page to reflect the new variants. While the specifications remain unchanged and performance should too, the die dictate the version of Nvidia's NVENC encoder.

One of the biggest gripes about the GeForce GTX 1650 is that, despite being a Turing graphics card, it came with the old Volta encoder. The GeForce GTX 1650 GDDR6's product page details that the TU117 model still comes with the Volta encoder, and the TU106 and TU116 variants use the more recent Turing encoder. Therefore, concerned buyers should consult with the manufacturer for information on which die their graphics card is using.

Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Specifications

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Header Cell - Column 0 GeForce GTX 1650 TU106GeForce GTX 1650 TU116GeForce GTX 1650 GDDR6GeForce GTX 1650
GPU ArchitectureTuring (TU106)Turing (TU116)Turing (TU117)Turing (TU117)
NVENC EncoderTuringTuringVoltaVolta
Shading Units896896896896
Texture Units56565656
ROPs32323232
Base Clock Rate1,410 MHz1,410 MHz1,410 MHz1,485 MHz
Boost Clock Rate1,590 MHz1,590 MHz1,590 MHz1,665 MHz
Memory Clock12 Gbps12 Gbps12 Gbps8 Gbps
Memory Capacity4GB GDDR64GB GDDR64GB GDDR64GB GDDR5
Memory Bus128-bit128-bit128-bit128-bit
Memory Bandwidth192 GBps192 GBps192 GBps128 GBps
L2 Cache1MB1MB1MB1MB
TDP75W75W75W75W
Transistor Count10.8 billion6.6 billion4.7 billion4.7 billion
Die Size445 mm²284 mm²200 mm²200 mm²

Nvidia said via Twitter that the Volta encoder performs similarly to the Pascal encoder, so quality is comparable. The Turing encoder, however, is up to 15% more efficient and comes with features that aren't present in the previous encoder.

Graphics card vendors don't typically specify the die that's employed in the graphics card. However, they should indicate if the GeForce GTX 1650 GDDR6 has the Turing encoder. For example, Gigabyte does so with the GeForce GTX 1650 D6 WindForce OC 4G (rev. 2.0).

So, there you have it. Not every GeForce GTX 1650 GDDR6 is cut from the same cloth. If you're about to buy a new graphics card and the Turing encoder is important to you, make sure to drop by the graphic card's product page. 

Zhiye Liu
News Editor and Memory Reviewer

Zhiye Liu is a news editor and memory reviewer at Tom’s Hardware. Although he loves everything that’s hardware, he has a soft spot for CPUs, GPUs, and RAM.

  • InvalidError
    This is getting ridiculous.
    Reply
  • King_V
    InvalidError said:
    This is getting ridiculous.

    Understatement of the year, if you ask me.
    Reply
  • logainofhades
    Nvidia doing Nvidia things once again. They make their product stack so confusing and diluted.
    Reply
  • Dax corrin
    So,,, do "Turing shaders" = Turing encoder? IE MSI https://asset.msi.com/pdf/main/global/presale_v2/GeForce-GTX-1650-SUPER-GAMING-X? Does it have the updated silicon or no? Their spec sheet doesn't really seem to say.
    Reply
  • InvalidError
    Dax corrin said:
    So,,, do "Turing shaders" = Turing encoder?
    AFAIK, TU117 (original 1650 in both GDDR5 and GDDR6 flavors) = old/Volta encoder, TU106/116 (1650 Super) = new/Turing NVEnc.

    Get a Super card and you shouldn't have to worry about it... unless (until?) Nvidia decides to introduce a new 116 or 117 variant to screw that up too.
    Reply
  • King_V
    InvalidError said:
    AFAIK, TU117 (original 1650 in both GDDR5 and GDDR6 flavors) = old/Volta encoder, TU106/116 (1650 Super) = new/Turing NVEnc.

    Get a Super card and you shouldn't have to worry about it... unless (until?) Nvidia decides to introduce a new 116 or 117 variant to screw that up too.
    DON'T GIVE THEM ANY IDEAS!!!
    Reply
  • watzupken
    Graphic card manufacturers will likely not want to be clear which GTX 1650 will have updated/ better encoder. In doing so, who will then buy the TU117 version with the outdated encoder?
    Reply
  • InvalidError
    watzupken said:
    Graphic card manufacturers will likely not want to be clear which GTX 1650 will have updated/ better encoder. In doing so, who will then buy the TU117 version with the outdated encoder?
    Three words: Class Action Lawsuit.

    If you aren't clear about what you are selling people and people end up with goods not fit for the intended purpose because you failed to list a materially significant difference between product variants, you are asking for trouble.
    Reply
  • cryoburner
    InvalidError said:
    Three words: Class Action Lawsuit.

    If you aren't clear about what you are selling people and people end up with goods not fit for the intended purpose because you failed to list a materially significant difference between product variants, you are asking for trouble.
    That would probably be a bit of a stretch considering they are offering an improved encoder with this revision. That's pretty much the opposite of a bait and switch. Lots of products see improved revisions over time, and it's not like the existing cards are being advertised as having the better hardware. Anyone making a lawsuit would likely be much better off focusing on products that have clearly been downgraded from the original version. And if anyone cared about performance that much, they should probably just pay $10 or so more for a 1650 SUPER. : P
    Reply
  • InvalidError
    cryoburner said:
    That would probably be a bit of a stretch considering they are offering an improved encoder with this revision.
    Which revision are you talking about? The article warns that TU117 now exists in both GDDR5 and GDDR6 flavors so "GDDR6" cannot be used as a reliable indicator of getting a TU106/116 GTX1650 anymore, hence the risk of getting less than you thought you were.
    Reply