GeForce GTX 980 vs GeForce RTX 2070 with Max-Q Design
GeForce GTX 980
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GeForce RTX 2070 with Max-Q Design
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Performance Spectrum - GPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Per Dollar GeForce RTX 2070 with Max-Q Design
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The GeForce RTX 2070 with Max-Q Design uses modern memory architecture. The GeForce RTX 2070 with Max-Q Design likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The GeForce GTX 980 lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.
🚀 Performance Leadership
The GeForce RTX 2070 with Max-Q Design is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 3.5% higher G3D Mark score and 100% more VRAM (8 GB vs 4 GB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the GeForce GTX 980.
| Insight | GeForce GTX 980 | GeForce RTX 2070 with Max-Q Design |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-3.5%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+3.5%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / Maxwell 2.0 (2014−2019)) | Turing (2018−2022) (12nm) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | ✨ DLSS 2 Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | 🎮 High Capacity (8 GB) |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | Standard Size (267mm) | — |
💎 Value Proposition
While current pricing data is unavailable, the GeForce RTX 2070 with Max-Q Design remains the clear technical winner. Check real-time availability to determine if the performance gap justifies the market price.
Performance Check
Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 7800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.
Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 980 and GeForce RTX 2070 with Max-Q Design
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 RTX 2070 with Max-Q Design
The GeForce RTX 2070 with Max-Q Design is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 29 2019. It features the Turing architecture. The core clock ranges from 885 MHz to 1185 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 80W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. It features 36 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 11,461 points.
Graphics Performance
The GeForce GTX 980 scores 11,077 and the GeForce RTX 2070 with Max-Q Design reaches 11,461 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 3.5% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 980 is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the GeForce RTX 2070 with Max-Q Design uses Turing, both on 28 nm vs 12 nm. Shader units: 2,048 (GeForce GTX 980) vs 2,304 (GeForce RTX 2070 with Max-Q Design). Raw compute: 4.981 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 980) vs 5.46 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 2070 with Max-Q Design). Boost clocks: 1216 MHz vs 1185 MHz.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 980 | GeForce RTX 2070 with Max-Q Design |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 11,077 | 11,461+3% |
| Architecture | Maxwell 2.0 | Turing |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 12 nm |
| Shading Units | 2048 | 2304+13% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 4.981 TFLOPS | 5.46 TFLOPS+10% |
| Boost Clock | 1216 MHz+3% | 1185 MHz |
| ROPs | 64 | 64 |
| TMUs | 128 | 144+13% |
| L1 Cache | 0.75 MB | 2.3 MB+207% |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB | 4 MB+100% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | GeForce GTX 980 | GeForce RTX 2070 with Max-Q Design |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 2.1 (Compatible) | DLSS 2.0 |
| Frame Generation | FSR 3 (Compatible) | FSR 3 / AFMF (Compatible) |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | Standard | NVIDIA Reflex |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The GeForce GTX 980 comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 2070 with Max-Q Design has 8 GB. The GeForce RTX 2070 with Max-Q Design offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 224 GB/s (GeForce GTX 980) vs 384 GB/s (GeForce RTX 2070 with Max-Q Design) — a 71.4% advantage for the GeForce RTX 2070 with Max-Q Design. Bus width: 256-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 980) vs 4 MB (GeForce RTX 2070 with Max-Q Design) — the GeForce RTX 2070 with Max-Q Design has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 980 | GeForce RTX 2070 with Max-Q Design |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 4 GB | 8 GB+100% |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR6 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 224 GB/s | 384 GB/s+71% |
| Bus Width | 256-bit | 256-bit |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB | 4 MB+100% |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 980) vs 12.2 (GeForce RTX 2070 with Max-Q Design). Vulkan: 1.1 vs 1.1. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 980 | GeForce RTX 2070 with Max-Q Design |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12.1 | 12.2 |
| Vulkan | 1.1 | 1.1 |
| OpenGL | 4.5 | 4.6+2% |
| Max Displays | 4 | 4 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: NVENC 3.0 (GeForce GTX 980) vs 7th Gen NVENC (GeForce RTX 2070 with Max-Q Design). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP6 vs 5th Gen NVDEC. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (GeForce GTX 980) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9 (GeForce RTX 2070 with Max-Q Design).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 980 | GeForce RTX 2070 with Max-Q Design |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | NVENC 3.0 | 7th Gen NVENC |
| Decoder | PureVideo HD VP6 | 5th Gen NVDEC |
| Codecs | MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC | MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9 |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce GTX 980 draws 220W versus the GeForce RTX 2070 with Max-Q Design's 80W — a 93.3% difference. The GeForce RTX 2070 with Max-Q Design is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce GTX 980) vs 500W (GeForce RTX 2070 with Max-Q Design). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 267mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 85°C.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 980 | GeForce RTX 2070 with Max-Q Design |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 220W | 80W-64% |
| Recommended PSU | 500W | 500W |
| Power Connector | 2x 6-pin | PCIe-powered |
| Length | 267mm | 0mm |
| Height | 111mm | 0mm |
| Slots | 2 | 0-100% |
| Temp (Load) | 80°C-6% | 85°C |
| Perf/Watt | 50.4 | 143.3+184% |
Value Analysis
The GeForce RTX 2070 with Max-Q Design is the newer GPU (2019 vs 2014).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 980 | GeForce RTX 2070 with Max-Q Design |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $549 | — |
| Avg Price (30d) | $50 | — |
| Codename | GM204 | TU106B |
| Release | September 19 2014 | January 29 2019 |
| Ranking | #245 | #237 |
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