ZOTAC GTX 1650 SUPER Twin Fan Review

Earlier this year, we reviewed the new budget gaming cards from Nvidia. The GTX 1650 was mighty impressive for the size, power efficiency and cost, and you can check out those reviews below. However, Nvidia thinks they can beat themselves at their own game with the GTX 1650 SUPER. A tuned up, refined and apparently much faster take on their budget gaming card. ASUS RoG STRIX GTX 1650 OC Edition Graphics Card ReviewPalit GTX 1650 StormX OC Graphics Card ReviewMSI Gaming X GTX 1650 Graphics Card ReviewASUS GTX 1650 Phoenix Graphics Card ReviewGigabyte GTX 1650 Gaming OC Graphics Card Review ZOTAC GTX 1650 SUPER Twin Fan On the last batch of GTX 1650 reviews, we tested quite a few cards. I didn't get a sample of the non-SUPER variant from ZOTAC though, but we expect it to have been on par with the others that we reviewed. However, I have tested the Zotac GTX 1660 Twin Fan, as well as the GTX 1660 SUPER Twin Fan, so it'll be exciting to see how it fits in with those cards! Not forgetting that we've got some fierce competition from AMD too. Features Turing architecture1530MHz Base Clock & 1725 MHz Boost Clock Reference4 GB GDDR612 Gbps memory 128-bit busNvidia NVENC Encoder Specifications For in-depth specifications, please visit the official product page here. Turing Architecture "Featuring concurrent execution of floating point and integer operations, adaptive shading technology, and a new unified memory architecture with twice the cache of its predecessor, Turing shaders enable awesome performance increases on today’s games. Get 1.4X power efficiency over previous generation for a faster, cooler, and quieter gaming experience." - Nvidia A Closer Look The Zotac GTX 1650 Super TwinFan is exactly as the name implies, as it features two 70mm fans! They're only small fans, but the extra cooling performance is always welcome. The card extended cooler allows for a larger radiator over the chipset. However, the card is still fairly compact overall. The chipset is said to be very efficient too, which means this card only requires a single 6-pin power connector. Plus, that additional power should give us a bit of extra overclocking headroom later on in our testing too. The card sticks firmly to a two-slot design, improving system compatibility. It's also no wider than the PCIe bracket, which means it should be suitable for cases with limited width. On the rear of the card, you'll find plenty of ventilation for additional cooling performance. There's also a single DisplayPort, HDMI port and even a DVI port for compatibility with older displays. How We Test We continue to update our testing methods around once per year. As such, we re-test older hardware to reflect changes over time. These can be driver updates, Windows updates, game patches, and more; all of which have an impact on performance figures. Furthermore, we update our test bench to newer and more relevant hardware. This means that our new reviews aren’t always comparable to those of older reviews, so please compare the testing methodology on older reviews should you be trying to compare them with newer ones. Replicate Our Results When it comes to our benchmarks in our reviews, the benchmarks are pretty self-explanatory and kept as simple as possible, although there are a few exceptions. Remember that your choice of a graphics card, CPU, the silicon lottery, and other factors can yield different numbers, and there’s always a margin for error when using any software. Links are provided below, as well as the settings we use. We encourage you to not just look at how one product compares to any other, but how it compares to your own. If you’re looking to build a new system, you should benchmark your current PC using the benchmarks available to you. You should then look at the percentage improvement from your current hardware to the hardware tested here to give you a ballpark figure of how much of an upgrade this will provide you with. Graphics Card Test System Motherboard – Aorus Z390 Gaming MasterProcessor – Intel Core i9-9900K (Stock)RAM – Crucial Ballistix Gaming 32GB (4 x 8GB) 3000 MHzCPU Cooler – Noctua NH-D15SPower Supply – Be Quiet Power Zone 1000WMain Storage Drive – Toshiba OCZ VX500 500GBChassis – Thermaltake Core P5 TGOperating System – Windows 10 64-bitMonitor – AOC 28-Inch 4K Gaming Monitor Additional Hardware Killawatt style electricity usage meter wall plugPrecision Gold N05CC Decibel meter Gaming To gauge performance levels which are easily reproduced time after time, by both ourselves and our readers, we now stick strictly to games default profiles. We now use the “High” profiles for all games or their respective equivalent at all resolutions. V-Sync is always disabled in our testing, as are FreeSync and G-Sync technologies or similar. Graphics card power usage is set to optimised or balance, and the system power mode set to High Performance within Windows and the available GPU driver software. Identical settings are used for all resolutions unless otherwise stated. Games and Settings Used Shadow of the Tomb Raider DX12 High Preset1080p1440p2160pDeus Ex: Mankind Divided DX12 High Preset1080p1440p2160pGhost Recon: Wildlands High Preset1080p1440p2160pBattlefield V DX12 High Preset1080p1440p2160pBattlefield V DX12 High Preset (DXR Enabled) NVIDIA RTX Cards ONLY1080p1440p2160pMetro Exodus DX12 High Preset1080p1440p2160pMetro Exodus DX12 High Preset (RT, then RT and DLSS Enabled) NVIDIA RTX Cards ONLY1080p1440p2160pFar Cry New Dawn High Preset1080p1440p2160p The Division 2 High Preset1080p1440p2160pGhost Recon: Breakpoint1080p1440p2160pBorderlands 3 High Preset1080p1440p2160p Software Used 3DMark Fire Strike (download)FireStrike Ultra BenchmarkUnigine Superposition (download)4K Optimised BenchmarkHWMonitor (download)GPU-Z (download)MSI Afterburner (download) Noise Everyone has a reasonable noise level preference when it comes to components on a computer. Some can handle all fans at 100% load to keep temperatures down; some want an entirely silent computer. To accurately gauge the noise output of a graphics card, we position a Precision Gold N05CC one meter above our open-air test bench and take an average reading at idle and load. Power Consumption We take power readings during the idle state with no background applications running. Then again at 50% completion of the Unigine Superposition benchmark, using the average as the final published result. Temperatures We take temperature readings after 10 minutes of desktop idle with no background programs running, then take the recorded maximum delivered from Unigine Superposition after a 4K optimised run, confirming the numbers are accurate with HWMonitor. Furthermore, the ambient temperature is always kept +/- 1c from 21c. Synthetic Benchmarks The ZOTAC GTX 1650 SUPER Twin Fan scored strongly in our synthetic benchmark run. It hit an impressive 2363 in FireStrike Ultra, a far cry from the paltry 1591 to 1836 points we got from the GTX 1650 (non-SUPER) cards earlier this year. Of course, 5077 points in TimeSpy was on par with the RX Vega 56, which I honestly didn't expect. However, it also outpaced the RX 580 in Unigine. Of course, this doesn't always reflect real-world gaming performance, but it's a good start for the Zotac card. Now, let's move on to some proper gaming benchmarks! 3DMark FireStrike Ultra - 23633DMark TimeSpy - 5077Unigine Superposition 4K Optimised - 3761 3DMark FireStrike Ultra 3DMark TimeSpy Unigine Superposition Experience Lara Croft’s defining moment as she becomes the Tomb Raider. In Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Lara must master a deadly jungle, overcome terrifying tombs, and persevere through her darkest hour. As she races to save the world from a Maya apocalypse, Lara will ultimately be forged into the Tomb Raider she is destined to be. Available now on Steam. Shadow of the Tomb Raider Performance 1080p Shadow of the Tomb Raider - 651440p Shadow of the Tomb Raider - 422160p Shadow of the Tomb Raider - 21 Now an experienced covert operative, Adam Jensen is forced to operate in a world that has grown to despise his kind. Armed with a new arsenal of state-of-the-art weapons and augmentations, he must choose the right approach, along with who to trust, in order to unravel a vast worldwide conspiracy. Available now on Steam. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided Performance 1080p Deus Ex Mankind Divided - 66.61440p Deus Ex Mankind Divided - 43.62160p Deus Ex Mankind Divided - 21.6 The Ghosts, an elite US Special Forces team, are sent behind enemy lines to wreak havoc, destabilize, and eventually break the alliance between the cartel and the corrupted government. Facing an almighty enemy in a massive and hostile environment, the Ghosts will need to make critical moral choices and engage in tough battles to complete their mission – their grittiest and most dangerous operation to date. Available now on UPlay. Ghost Recon: Wildlands Performance 1080p Ghost Recon Wildlands - 74.651440p Ghost Recon Wildlands - 53.942160p Ghost Recon Wildlands - 27.64 Enter mankind’s greatest conflict with Battlefield™ V in the most intense, immersive, and innovative Battlefield yet. Lead your squad to victory in all-new multiplayer experiences like the multi-map Grand Operations. Fight for survival in Firestorm – battle royale, reimagined for Battlefield. Witness a never-before-seen portrayal of WW2 in the single-player War Stories campaign. Assemble your Company of customized soldiers, weapons, and vehicles – then take them on an expanding journey where every chapter brings a new battlefield. You will never be the same. Available now on Origin. Battlefield V Performance 1080p Battlefield V - 691440p Battlefield V - 432160p Battlefield V - 19 Metro Exodus is an epic, story-driven first-person shooter from 4A Games that blends deadly combat and stealth with exploration and survival horror in one of the most immersive game worlds ever created. Flee the shattered ruins of dead Moscow and embark on an epic, continent-spanning journey across post-apocalyptic Russia in the greatest Metro adventure yet. Explore the Russian wilderness in vast, non-linear levels and follow a thrilling story-line inspired by the novels of Dmitry Glukhovsky that spans an entire year through spring, summer and autumn to the depths of nuclear winter. Available now on Epic Game Store. Metro Exodus Performance 1080p Metro Exodus - 39.481440p Metro Exodus - 29.422160p Metro Exodus - 16.94 Seventeen years after a global nuclear catastrophe, civilization re-emerges from the chaos to find a world dramatically changed. In Hope County, Montana, the remaining populace has gathered into different groups, each with their own rules for survival. In this new world order, the vicious Highwaymen, led by twin sisters Mickey and Lou, travel from place to place bleeding people dry of all available resources. As the Survivors try to defend their lands against the Highwaymen's relentless onslaught, it's up to you to come to their aid and lead the fight. In the latest instalment of the award-winning Far Cry franchise, you are the last line of defence in a transformed, post-apocalyptic Hope County. Help the community of Survivors grow stronger, craft a makeshift arsenal through Turf Wars and cross-country Expeditions, and form unexpected alliances to fight for survival in a dangerous new frontier. Available now on UPlay. Far Cry New Dawn Performance 1080p Far Cry New Dawn - 781440p Far Cry New Dawn - 562160p Far Cry New Dawn - 26 Seven months have passed since a deadly virus hit New York City and the rest of the world, crippling the population. When the virus hit, The Division, a unit of civilian sleeper agents, was activated as the last line of defence. Since then, Division agents have been fighting relentlessly to save what remains. For The Division, the stakes are higher than ever. Washington, D.C. – the most heavily protected city on earth – is at risk, leaving the entire nation on the brink of collapse. If Washington, D.C., is lost, then the nation falls. As a Division agent who has been in the field for seven months, you and your team are the last hope to stop the fall of society after the pandemic collapse. Available now on UPlay. The Division 2 Performance 1080p The Division 2 - 591440p The Division 2 - 352160p The Division 2 - 23 The original shooter-looter returns, packing bazillions of guns and a mayhem-fueled adventure! Blast through new worlds and enemies as one of four new Vault Hunters. Play solo or with friends to take on insane enemies, score loads of loot and save your home from the most ruthless cult leaders in the galaxy. At the hard edge of the galaxy lies a group of planets ruthlessly exploited by militarized corporations. Brimming with loot and violence, this is your home—the Borderlands. Now, a crazed cult known as The Children of the Vault has emerged and is spreading like an interstellar plague. Play solo or co-op as one of four unique Vault Hunters, score loads of loot and save the galaxy from this fanatical threat. Available now on Epic Games Store. Borderlands 3 Performance 1080p Borderlands 3 - 55.781440p Borderlands 3 - 35.32160p Borderlands 3 - 11.46 Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint puts you in the boots of the Ghosts, an Elite US Special Operations Unit stranded behind enemy lines. This time there is no briefing. All contact has been lost with Auroa. This archipelago is home to Skell Technology, a high-tech company. You are sent there with your unit for a recon mission, but your helicopters are shot down: Skell Tech has fallen into the wrong hands. The Wolves, a lethal ex-US military unit gone rogue, have taken over the island. Led by your ex-brother-in-arms, Colonel Cole D. Walker, they have reprogrammed Skell’s drones into killing machines and are ready to use them, no matter the casualties. Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint is a military shooter set in a diverse, hostile, and mysterious open world that you can play entirely solo or in four-player co-op. Injured, without support, and hunted down by ex-Ghosts, you must fight to survive while lost in Auroa. Choose the right alliances and decide how to take down your toughest enemy. Available now on UPLAY. Ghost Recon: Breakpoint 1080p Breakpoint - 561440p Breakpoint - 392160p Breakpoint - 18 Power Consumption Temperatures Acoustics Stock Overclocked FireStrike Ultra Ghost Recon Wildlands How Much Does It Cost? The Zotac GTX 1650 SUPER Twin Fan is available now from most major retailers for around £149.99, making it one of the most affordable cards launching in this wave. It's around £30 cheaper than the new one from MSI, albeit the cooler isn't quite as fancy, but it certainly has similar gaming performance. Plus, that's only £9 more than the current non-SUPER variant, which is a big performance boost given the small price difference. Of course, we expect the non-SUPER card to be quickly discontinued. Overview Zotac has a pretty strong reputation for creating decent graphics cards. They've always had their focus on delivering the best performance they can and that certainly holds true today. The new card is very competitive with the other two GTX 1650 SUPER cards we've tested today, but it remains one of the most competitive on price too. Sure, it's not the best looking card in the world, and the cooler is obviously built with a budget in mind. However, that didn't slow it down much, and I love that the angular design is still a nod to the design of their flagship RTX cards too. The design is reflective of the price, and honestly, I'm fine with that. It's up to you if you want to spend £30 more for a model with a fancy looking cooler that does the same job. Gaming Performance Make no mistake, this is a pretty solid card for those wanting to game at 1080p. It managed to deliver frame rates well over 60 FPS in most games easily enough using high settings. Plus, while it did drop below 60 FPS in Metro Exodus, that game is just pure torture for any GPU and lowering the settings is the only way to go. You could even get away with some 1440p gaming is you're a little more modest with your graphics settings. We averaged around 45 FPS at high settings, but medium settings would get you closer to 60 in most games. 60 FPS 1440p gaming for £149? Honestly, that's pretty darn impressive. For 4K gaming, well, don't be silly, not at this price. In some games, you'll be lucky to see double-digit frame rates let alone anything playable. Should I Buy One? If you're looking for an upgrade to a mid-range GPU of the last couple of years, then this likely isn't the ticket for you. However, there's a huge market for those building their first gaming PCs, as well as those planning to build something affordable for the kids this Christmas. I think the Zotac card is going to be a big hit with that part of the market. Of course, if you've got a GPU from about 5+ years ago that is struggling in even basic games today, then at £149, the Zotac GTX 1650 SUPER Twin Fan should give you the performance boost you've been looking for. ZOTAC GTX 1650 SUPER Twin Fan Review