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 vs GeForce GTX 1060 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.

GeForce GTX 980 vs GeForce GTX 1060: 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

2014

Why buy it

✅+10.1% higher PassMark G3D performance.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2014 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
❌
120.5% HIGHER MSRP
$549 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 20.2 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($549 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

Why buy it

✅42.2% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $300 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
✅Delivers 100.3% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 20.2 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 4 GB).
✅Draws 180W instead of 220W, a 40W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (10,064 vs 11,077).
❌2016 hardware with 6 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce GTX 1060 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 42.2% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward GeForce GTX 980 instead at 11,077 vs 10,064, so for this question the real-game FPS result matters more than the synthetic split.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce GTX 980 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond because it comes out ahead on the available hardware-headroom signals for this matchup.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce GTX 1060 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $300 cheaper on MSRP at $249 vs $549, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 100.3% (40.4 vs 20.2), so the value case lines up with the gaming result. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce GTX 1060 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce GTX 980 has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 980 vs GeForce GTX 1060 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

GeForce GTX 980

The GeForce GTX 980 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 19 2014. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1064 MHz to 1216 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 220W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 11,077 points. Launch price was $549.

GeForce GTX 1060

The GeForce GTX 1060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 27 2016. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1607 MHz to 1733 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 180W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 10,064 points. Launch price was $599.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 980 scores 11,077 versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 10,064 — the GeForce GTX 980 leads by 10.1%. The GeForce GTX 980 is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the GeForce GTX 1060 uses Pascal, both on 28 nm vs 16 nm. Shader units: 2,048 (GeForce GTX 980) vs 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060). Raw compute: 4.981 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 980) vs 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060). Boost clocks: 1216 MHz vs 1733 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980	GeForce GTX 1060
G3D Mark Score	11,077+10%	10,064
Architecture	Maxwell 2.0	Pascal
Process Node	28 nm	16 nm
Shading Units	2048	2560+25%
Compute (TFLOPS)	4.981 TFLOPS	8.873 TFLOPS+78%
Boost Clock	1216 MHz	1733 MHz+43%
ROPs	64	64
TMUs	128	160+25%
L1 Cache	768 KB	960 KB+25%
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 MB

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 980	GeForce GTX 1060
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 980 has 4 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 1060 carries 6 GB. GeForce GTX 1060 gives you 50% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 224 GB/s (GeForce GTX 980) vs 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060) — a 16.7% advantage for the GeForce GTX 980. Memory bus width is 256-bit on the GeForce GTX 980 and 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 1060.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980	GeForce GTX 1060
VRAM Capacity	4 GB	6 GB+50%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	224 GB/s+17%	192 GB/s
Bus Width	256-bit+33%	192-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 980) vs 12 (GeForce GTX 1060). Vulkan: 1.1 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.5. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980	GeForce GTX 1060
DirectX	12.1	12
Vulkan	1.1	1.3+18%
OpenGL	4.5	4.5
Max Displays	4	4

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Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 3.0 (GeForce GTX 980) vs NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP6 vs NVDEC (Pascal). Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (GeForce GTX 980) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060).

Feature	GeForce GTX 980	GeForce GTX 1060
Encoder	NVENC 3.0	NVENC (Pascal)
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP6	NVDEC (Pascal)
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC	H.264,H.265/HEVC

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 980 draws 220W versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 180W — a 20% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce GTX 980) vs 400W (GeForce GTX 1060). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs 6-pin. Card length: 267mm vs 173mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980	GeForce GTX 1060
TDP	220W	180W-18%
Recommended PSU	500W	400W-20%
Power Connector	2x 6-pin	6-pin
Length	267mm	173mm
Height	111mm	111mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	80°C	—
Perf/Watt	50.4	55.9+11%

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Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 980 came in at $549, while the GeForce GTX 1060 launched at $249. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 1060 was 54.6% cheaper ($300 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 20.2 (GeForce GTX 980) vs 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 100% better value. The newer card here is GeForce GTX 1060 (2016 vs 2014).

Feature	GeForce GTX 980	GeForce GTX 1060
MSRP	$549	$249-55%
Performance per Dollar	20.2	40.4+100%
Codename	GM204	GP104
Release	September 19 2014	May 27 2016
Ranking	#245	#137

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