NVIDIA GeForce GT 545 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Comparison

NVIDIA’s GeForce GTX 650 and GeForce GT 545 are two end-of-life desktop GPUs from different architectural generations. The GTX 650, based on the 28 nm Kepler design, is the newer part, while the GT 545 belongs to the older 40 nm Fermi 2.0 family. Benchmark data from the FACT PACK shows a single head-to-head comparison, with the GTX 650 winning decisively. However, the two cards serve different roles in the lineup, and their architectural and specification differences explain why one is a clear performance upgrade while the other remains a serviceable entry-level option.

Where Each One Wins

The GTX 650 wins the only direct benchmark comparison available in the data. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the GTX 650 scores 4545 points against the GT 545’s 3594 points, a 26.5% advantage. This is the sole head-to-head result, and it establishes the GTX 650 as the faster card for compute workloads. The GTX 650 also appears in two additional benchmarks—Geekbench Metal at 2400 and Geekbench Vulkan at 4524—whereas the GT 545 has no corresponding entries, suggesting the newer card has broader API support and is more capable in modern test scenarios.

The GT 545’s wins are less about raw performance and more about hardware configuration. It offers more memory capacity, with 1536 MB of DDR3 versus the GTX 650’s 1024 MB of GDDR5, and a wider 192-bit memory bus compared to the GTX 650’s 128-bit bus. This does not translate into higher bandwidth—the GTX 650’s GDDR5 at 80.00 GB/s more than doubles the GT 545’s 38.40 GB/s—but it does mean the GT 545 can hold more data locally, which can be beneficial for certain memory-heavy tasks. The GT 545 also has no external power connector requirement, drawing power solely from the PCIe slot, while the GTX 650 needs a single 6-pin connector. In a system with a modest power supply, the GT 545 is the simpler drop-in option.

For raw compute and modern API support, the GTX 650 is the clear winner. For legacy compatibility and lower system demands, the GT 545 has a niche. The data shows the GTX 650 sits at the 22nd percentile among all GPUs, while the GT 545 is at the 21st, so both are near the bottom of the performance scale, but the GTX 650 is consistently ahead in every measurable test.

Architecture Differences

The two cards come from different NVIDIA architectures, which explains most of their performance gap. The GTX 650 uses the GK106 chip built on Kepler, manufactured on a 28 nm process at TSMC. The GT 545 uses the GF116 chip built on Fermi 2.0, on a 40 nm process, also at TSMC. The process node difference is significant: 28 nm allows for a much denser transistor layout, and the GTX 650 packs 2,540 million transistors into a 221 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 11.5M per mm². The GT 545 has 1,170 million transistors on a larger 238 mm² die, giving it a density of just 4.9M per mm². This means the GTX 650 crams more than twice the transistors into a slightly smaller physical area.

The shading unit count reflects the architectural leap. The GTX 650 has 384 shading units, 32 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 16 raster output units (ROPs). The GT 545 has only 144 shading units, 24 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. The GTX 650’s compute throughput is roughly double: it delivers 812.5 GFLOPS of FP32 performance versus the GT 545’s 414.7 GFLOPS. Pixel and texture rates follow suit—the GTX 650 hits 8.464 GPixel/s and 33.86 GTexel/s, while the GT 545 manages 4.320 GPixel/s and 17.28 GTexel/s.

Memory architecture also differs fundamentally. The GTX 650 uses GDDR5 with a 128-bit bus and 80.00 GB/s bandwidth, while the GT 545 uses DDR3 with a 192-bit bus and 38.40 GB/s bandwidth. The GTX 650’s memory clock is 1250 MHz (5 Gbps effective), whereas the GT 545 runs at 800 MHz (1600 Mbps effective). The GT 545’s wider bus compensates somewhat, but not enough to overcome the GDDR5 speed advantage. Both cards support DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6, but the GTX 650 adds Vulkan 1.2.175 support, while the GT 545 has no Vulkan listing. The GTX 650 also uses PCIe 3.0 x16 versus the GT 545’s PCIe 2.0 x16.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in compute benchmarks?

A: The GTX 650. In the Geekbench OpenCL head-to-head, it scores 4545 versus the GT 545’s 3594, a 26.5% advantage. The GTX 650 also has a higher average benchmark score of 3823 across all its tests, compared to the GT 545’s 3594.

Q: Does the GT 545 have more memory bandwidth?

A: No. Despite having a wider 192-bit bus, the GT 545’s DDR3 memory provides only 38.40 GB/s of bandwidth. The GTX 650’s GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus delivers 80.00 GB/s, more than double.

Q: Why does the GT 545 have a lower transistor density?

A: The GT 545 uses an older 40 nm process at TSMC, yielding 4.9M transistors per mm². The GTX 650 uses a newer 28 nm process, achieving 11.5M transistors per mm². The GTX 650 fits 2,540 million transistors on a 221 mm² die, while the GT 545 fits 1,170 million on a larger 238 mm² die.

Q: Can the GT 545 run Vulkan applications?

A: The FACT PACK lists no Vulkan support for the GT 545, while the GTX 650 supports Vulkan 1.2.175. The GT 545 is limited to DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6.

Q: Which card requires a power connector?

A: The GTX 650 requires a single 6-pin power connector. The GT 545 has no power connectors, drawing all power from the PCIe slot. Both cards have a suggested PSU of 250 W.

Q: How do their memory capacities compare?

A: The GT 545 has more memory at 1536 MB, while the GTX 650 has 1024 MB. However, the GTX 650’s GDDR5 is faster, so the GT 545’s capacity advantage does not translate into a bandwidth win.

Specification Differences

| Specification | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 | NVIDIA GeForce GT 545 |

|---|---|---|

| Chip | GK106 | GF116 |

| Architecture | Kepler | Fermi 2.0 |

| Generation | GeForce 600 | GeForce 500 |

| Process Node | 28 nm | 40 nm |

| Transistors | 2,540 million | 1,170 million |

| Die Size | 221 mm² | 238 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 11.5M / mm² | 4.9M / mm² |

| Memory Clock | 1250 MHz (5 Gbps effective) | 800 MHz (1600 Mbps effective) |

| Memory Size | 1024 MB | 1536 MB |

| Memory Type | GDDR5 | DDR3 |

| Memory Bus Width | 128 bit | 192 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 80.00 GB/s | 38.40 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 384 | 144 |

| TMUs | 32 | 24 |

| ROPs | 16 | 16 |

| Pixel Rate | 8.464 GPixel/s | 4.320 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 33.86 GTexel/s | 17.28 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Performance | 812.5 GFLOPS | 414.7 GFLOPS |

| TDP | 65 W | 70 W |

| Power Connectors | 1x 6-pin | None |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 2.0 x16 |

| Display Outputs | 1x DVI, 2x DisplayPort 1.2 | 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.3a, 1x VGA |

| Vulkan Support | 1.2.175 | None |

| Release Date | 2013-11-26 | 2011-05-13 |

| Predecessor | GeForce 500 | GeForce 400 |

| Successor | GeForce 700 | GeForce 600 |

| Launch MSRP | Not available | 149 USD |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark comparison in the data is Geekbench OpenCL, and the result is a decisive win for the GTX 650. The GTX 650 scores 4545 points, while the GT 545 scores 3594 points. That is a delta of 26.5%, a substantial gap that reflects the architectural improvements of Kepler over Fermi. The GTX 650’s 384 shading units and 812.5 GFLOPS of FP32 compute give it a clear edge in OpenCL workloads, which often scale with raw shader throughput. The GT 545’s 144 shading units and 414.7 GFLOPS are simply not enough to compete.

Beyond the head-to-head, the GTX 650 also shows consistency across other benchmarks. Its Geekbench Vulkan score of 4524 nearly matches its OpenCL score, indicating stable compute performance across different APIs. The Geekbench Metal score of 2400 is lower, but that test is less relevant for a Windows-oriented desktop GPU. The GT 545 has no other benchmark entries, so its OpenCL result stands alone. Its average benchmark score is 3594, which is exactly its OpenCL score, while the GTX 650’s average is 3823, boosted by the higher OpenCL and Vulkan results.

Looking at nearest rivals, the GTX 650’s average score of 3823 places it just 0.3% behind the NVIDIA GeForce MX110 and 0.8% ahead of the Intel UHD Graphics 710. It trails the AMD Radeon R5 Graphics by 1.5% and the NVIDIA Quadro 2000 by 1.9%. The GT 545’s average of 3594 puts it within 0.1% of the NVIDIA RTX 5000 Mobile Ada Generation—a surprising pairing that highlights how close the low end of the GPU market is—and 0.6% behind the GeForce GT 735M. It is 1% behind the GeForce GTX 1050 and 1.5% behind the AMD Radeon HD 6770. These percentile rankings (22nd for the GTX 650, 21st for the GT 545) confirm both are entry-level parts, but the GTX 650’s advantage in the head-to-head test is real and measurable.

The GTX 650’s win is not just about raw score; it also delivers higher pixel and texture rates, more than double the FP32 throughput, and double the memory bandwidth. The GT 545’s only advantages are its larger memory pool, wider bus, and lack of a power connector. In a direct compute comparison, the GTX 650 is the superior part by a clear margin. The data leaves no ambiguity: for anyone choosing between these two, the GTX 650 is the performance pick.