It was an easy task to upgrade the VRAM on the card, but only TU106-based GTX 1650 can be upgraded.
GeForce GTX 1650 Modded With 8 GB GDDR6 VRAM Through Simple VRAM Modules Swap; Results in Double the Performance
One of the easiest ways many modders can improve performance is through shunt modding, or by adding more VRAM modules to the GPU's PCB. Adding VRAM modules generally requires some firmware modifications and may or may not be supported by the GPU chip. However, it becomes an easy task when all you have to do is swap the existing memory modules for higher-capacity ones.
Since GDDR6 memory modules are available in both 1 GB and 2 GB variants, it's easier to upgrade memory on the GPUs that utilize the 1 GB modules with a simple swap. NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 1650 is one of those cards that uses 1 GB GDDR6 memory modules, but not every GTX 1650 uses these. There are several variants of the GPU, including some that are based on the TU117, some on TU116, and some on the TU106.
The TU106 was later used in the mid-range RTX 20 series graphics cards for the GTX 1650, which allows it to use 1 GB GDDR6 memory chips. The YouTuber Paulo Gomes simply swapped the 4x 1 GB GDDR6 memory modules on the GTX 1650 with Samsung HC16 4x 2 GB GDDR6 modules, and the result was a GTX 1650 with 8 GB VRAM instead of 4 GB capacity. This didn't require any firmware modifications, but the YouTuber had to replace two faulty RAM chips initially.
That said, after the modification, the YouTuber ran a Unigine Superposition test, which previously yielded 624 points, but with 8 GB VRAM, the card was able to deliver 1,245 points. This is almost a 200% bump in performance through simply increasing the memory capacity on the card. Unfortunately, Paulo Gomes didn't show us gaming tests, which would have been more relevant for the viewers, as just swapping the VRAM chips won't result in 2x gains in games. However, in most titles, the final result would have been much more interesting, as modern titles are more VRAM hungry.
News Sources: Paulo Gomes, via Tweak Town
About the author: Sarfraz Khan is a hardware reporter with a focus on PC components and the builder community. With years of experience writing about PC hardware and laptops, his work has been featured on several reputable technology publications. Sarfraz's hands-on experience is demonstrated through his first-person accounts of using and comparing different hardware configurations, providing practical and relatable insights for everyday users. His technical analysis is respected by peers in the enthusiast community and has been cited by specialized hardware sites such as Germany's Igor's Lab.
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