GeForce GTX 980 Ti
RadeonT RX 6850M XT
GeForce GTX 980 Ti vs RadeonT RX 6850M XT Performance Spectrum
About G3D Mark
G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.
GeForce GTX 980 Ti vs RadeonT RX 6850M XT FPS Benchmarks
Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.
Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.
Path of Exile 2
Counter-Strike 2
League of Legends
Valorant
Among Us
Apex Legends
ARC Raiders
Baldur's Gate 3
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
GeForce GTX 980 Ti vs RadeonT RX 6850M XT: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict
See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.
GeForce GTX 980 Ti
2015Why buy it
- ✅Costs $351 less on MSRP ($649 MSRP vs $1,000 MSRP).
- ✅Delivers 51% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 21.1 vs 14.0 G3D/$ ($649 MSRP vs $1,000 MSRP).
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower average FPS than RadeonT RX 6850M XT across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
- ❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
- ❌2015 hardware with 6 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
- ❌51.5% higher power demand at 250W vs 165W.
RadeonT RX 6850M XT
2022Why buy it
- ✅45.1% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
- ✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 6 GB).
- ✅Better long-term bet: RDNA 2.0 (2020−2025) on 7nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
- ✅Draws 165W instead of 250W, a 85W reduction.
Trade-offs
- ❌54.1% HIGHER MSRP$1,000 MSRPvs$649 MSRP
- ❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 14.0 vs 21.1 G3D/$ ($1,000 MSRP vs $649 MSRP).
Quick Answers
Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce GTX 980 Ti vs RadeonT RX 6850M XT Technical Specifications
Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.
GeForce GTX 980 Ti
The GeForce GTX 980 Ti is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in June 2 2015. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1000 MHz to 1075 MHz. It has 2816 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 250W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 13,711 points. Launch price was $649.
RadeonT RX 6850M XT
The RadeonT RX 6850M XT is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 4 2022. It features the RDNA 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 2321 MHz to 2581 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 165W. Manufactured using 7 nm process technology. It features 40 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 13,992 points.
Graphics Performance
The GeForce GTX 980 Ti scores 13,711 and the RadeonT RX 6850M XT reaches 13,992 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 980 Ti is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the RadeonT RX 6850M XT uses RDNA 2.0, both on 28 nm vs 7 nm. Shader units: 2,816 (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs 2,560 (RadeonT RX 6850M XT). Raw compute: 6.06 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs 13.21 TFLOPS (RadeonT RX 6850M XT). Boost clocks: 1075 MHz vs 2581 MHz.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 980 Ti | RadeonT RX 6850M XT |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 13,711 | 13,992+2% |
| Architecture | Maxwell 2.0 | RDNA 2.0 |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 7 nm |
| Shading Units | 2816+10% | 2560 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 6.06 TFLOPS | 13.21 TFLOPS+118% |
| Boost Clock | 1075 MHz | 2581 MHz+140% |
| ROPs | 96+50% | 64 |
| TMUs | 176+10% | 160 |
| L1 Cache | 1 MB+100% | 0.5 MB |
| L2 Cache | 3 MB | 3 MB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
The GeForce GTX 980 Ti gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The RadeonT RX 6850M XT leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 980 Ti | RadeonT RX 6850M XT |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | Upscaling support | FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 |
| Frame Generation | Not Supported | Not Supported |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | NVIDIA Reflex | AMD Anti-Lag |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The GeForce GTX 980 Ti has 6 GB of VRAM, while the RadeonT RX 6850M XT carries 12 GB. RadeonT RX 6850M XT gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 384-bit on the GeForce GTX 980 Ti and 128-bit on the RadeonT RX 6850M XT.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 980 Ti | RadeonT RX 6850M XT |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 6 GB | 12 GB+100% |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR6 |
| Bus Width | 384-bit+200% | 128-bit |
| L2 Cache | 3 MB | 3 MB |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs 12.2 (RadeonT RX 6850M XT). Vulkan: 1.1 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 1.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 980 Ti | RadeonT RX 6850M XT |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12.1 | 12.2 |
| Vulkan | 1.1 | 1.4+27% |
| OpenGL | 4.5 | 4.6+2% |
| Max Displays | 4+300% | 1 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: NVENC 3.0 (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs VCN 3.0 (RadeonT RX 6850M XT). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP6 vs VCN 3.0. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9 (RadeonT RX 6850M XT).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 980 Ti | RadeonT RX 6850M XT |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | NVENC 3.0 | VCN 3.0 |
| Decoder | PureVideo HD VP6 | VCN 3.0 |
| Codecs | MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC | MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9 |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce GTX 980 Ti draws 250W versus the RadeonT RX 6850M XT's 165W — a 41% difference. The RadeonT RX 6850M XT is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 600W (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs 500W (RadeonT RX 6850M XT). Power connectors: 6-pin + 8-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 267mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots. Typical load temperature: 85°C vs 85°C.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 980 Ti | RadeonT RX 6850M XT |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 250W | 165W-34% |
| Recommended PSU | 600W | 500W-17% |
| Power Connector | 6-pin + 8-pin | PCIe-powered |
| Length | 267mm | 0mm |
| Height | 111mm | 0mm |
| Slots | 2 | 0-100% |
| Temp (Load) | 85°C | 85°C |
| Perf/Watt | 54.8 | 84.8+55% |
Value Analysis
At launch, the GeForce GTX 980 Ti came in at $649, while the RadeonT RX 6850M XT launched at $1000. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 980 Ti was 35.1% cheaper ($351 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 21.1 (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs 14.0 (RadeonT RX 6850M XT) — the GeForce GTX 980 Ti offers 50.7% better value. The newer card here is RadeonT RX 6850M XT (2022 vs 2015).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 980 Ti | RadeonT RX 6850M XT |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $649-35% | $1000 |
| Performance per Dollar | 21.1+51% | 14.0 |
| Codename | GM200 | Navi 22 |
| Release | June 2 2015 | January 4 2022 |
| Ranking | #179 | #103 |
Affiliate Disclosure
ChipVERSUS is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through our links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support our work in providing comprehensive PC building guides and tools.
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.
Top Performing GPUs
The most powerful gpus ranked by G3D Mark benchmark scores.
You May Also Compare
Similar GPU comparisons based on GeForce GTX 980 Ti and RadeonT RX 6850M XT
