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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, raw graphics performance, VRAM, feature set, power efficiency, pricing context, and long-term value so you can see which GPU actually makes more sense.

GeForce GTX 980

2014

Why buy it

✅Costs $250 less on MSRP ($549 MSRP vs $799 MSRP).
✅Draws 220W instead of 285W, a 65W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 4070 Ti across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
❌Poor future-proofing: 2014-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 20.2 vs 39.5 G3D/$ ($549 MSRP vs $799 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 4070 Ti

2023

Why buy it

✅187.9% more average FPS across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 95.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 39.5 vs 20.2 G3D/$ ($799 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
✅200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 4 GB).
✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 4nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌29.5% higher power demand at 285W vs 220W.

GeForce GTX 980

2014

GeForce RTX 4070 Ti

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $250 less on MSRP ($549 MSRP vs $799 MSRP).
✅Draws 220W instead of 285W, a 65W reduction.

Why buy it

✅187.9% more average FPS across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 95.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 39.5 vs 20.2 G3D/$ ($799 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
✅200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 4 GB).
✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 4nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 4070 Ti across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
❌Poor future-proofing: 2014-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 20.2 vs 39.5 G3D/$ ($549 MSRP vs $799 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌29.5% higher power demand at 285W vs 220W.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 4070 Ti better than GeForce GTX 980?

Yes. GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is clearly the better overall GPU here. GeForce RTX 4070 Ti averages 187.9% more FPS across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 31,578 vs 11,077 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is a 2023 card with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation, while GeForce GTX 980 is a 2014 model from an older generation with no meaningful modern upscaling stack. So this is not really a tight same-tier comparison. It is more a modern card against an older, weaker alternative.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2023 generation instead of 2014, 185.1% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 12 GB instead of 4 GB, and better upscaling support with DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution (2023) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack and better frame-generation support with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack. That leaves it with more room for heavier textures, tougher ray tracing loads, and higher-end 1440p or 4K gaming over the next few years.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?

GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is about 45.5% more expensive on MSRP at $799 MSRP versus $549 MSRP, and you are getting 187.9% more estimated average FPS across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data and 185.1% higher G3D Mark. GeForce GTX 980 really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.

Is GeForce GTX 980 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

No, not for a fresh gaming build. GeForce GTX 980 is 2014 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM, 11,077 in G3D Mark, and no meaningful modern upscaling stack. That is simply too far behind to be an easy modern recommendation.

Games Benchmarks

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 9800X3D 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.

GeForce GTX 980 Benchmark Check

GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 980	GeForce RTX 4070 Ti
1080p
low	82 FPS	188 FPS
medium	71 FPS	171 FPS
high	60 FPS	155 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	135 FPS
1440p
low	72 FPS	151 FPS
medium	63 FPS	125 FPS
high	47 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	30 FPS	102 FPS
4K
low	26 FPS	92 FPS
medium	24 FPS	79 FPS
high	17 FPS	66 FPS
ultra	14 FPS	59 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980 Open GeForce RTX 4070 Ti

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 980	GeForce RTX 4070 Ti
1080p
low	182 FPS	664 FPS
medium	156 FPS	539 FPS
high	128 FPS	415 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	366 FPS
1440p
low	127 FPS	496 FPS
medium	102 FPS	400 FPS
high	83 FPS	329 FPS
ultra	64 FPS	269 FPS
4K
low	59 FPS	250 FPS
medium	49 FPS	211 FPS
high	47 FPS	187 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	159 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980 Open GeForce RTX 4070 Ti

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 980	GeForce RTX 4070 Ti
1080p
low	478 FPS	921 FPS
medium	399 FPS	742 FPS
high	332 FPS	652 FPS
ultra	249 FPS	569 FPS
1440p
low	374 FPS	720 FPS
medium	299 FPS	578 FPS
high	249 FPS	497 FPS
ultra	187 FPS	427 FPS
4K
low	242 FPS	498 FPS
medium	199 FPS	403 FPS
high	154 FPS	352 FPS
ultra	114 FPS	296 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980 Open GeForce RTX 4070 Ti

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 980	GeForce RTX 4070 Ti
1080p
low	153 FPS	879 FPS
medium	127 FPS	731 FPS
high	110 FPS	664 FPS
ultra	94 FPS	600 FPS
1440p
low	114 FPS	706 FPS
medium	96 FPS	585 FPS
high	84 FPS	514 FPS
ultra	71 FPS	460 FPS
4K
low	66 FPS	477 FPS
medium	53 FPS	408 FPS
high	41 FPS	366 FPS
ultra	32 FPS	324 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980 Open GeForce RTX 4070 Ti

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 980 and GeForce RTX 4070 Ti

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 4070 Ti

The GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 3 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 2310 MHz to 2610 MHz. It has 7680 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 285W. Manufactured using 4 nm process technology. It features 60 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 31,578 points. Launch price was $799.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 980 scores 11,077 versus the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti's 31,578 — the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti leads by 185.1%. The GeForce GTX 980 is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti uses Ada Lovelace, both on 28 nm vs 4 nm. Shader units: 2,048 (GeForce GTX 980) vs 7,680 (GeForce RTX 4070 Ti). Raw compute: 4.981 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 980) vs 40.09 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4070 Ti). Boost clocks: 1216 MHz vs 2610 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980	GeForce RTX 4070 Ti
G3D Mark Score	11,077	31,578+185%
Architecture	Maxwell 2.0	Ada Lovelace
Process Node	28 nm	4 nm
Shading Units	2048	7680+275%
Compute (TFLOPS)	4.981 TFLOPS	40.09 TFLOPS+705%
Boost Clock	1216 MHz	2610 MHz+115%
ROPs	64	80+25%
TMUs	128	240+88%
L1 Cache	0.75 MB	7.5 MB+900%
L2 Cache	2 MB	48 MB+2300%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is support for DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation. This allows it to generate entire frames using AI/Algorithms, essentially doubling the frame rate in CPU-bound scenarios or heavy ray-tracing titles. The GeForce GTX 980 lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.The GeForce RTX 4070 Ti supports the newer DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 980 is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980	GeForce RTX 4070 Ti
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution
Frame Generation	Not Supported	DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation
Ray Reconstruction	No	Yes (DLSS 3.5)
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 980 comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti has 12 GB. The GeForce RTX 4070 Ti offers 200% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 224 GB/s (GeForce GTX 980) vs 504 GB/s (GeForce RTX 4070 Ti) — a 125% advantage for the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti. Bus width: 256-bit vs 192-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 980) vs 48 MB (GeForce RTX 4070 Ti) — the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980	GeForce RTX 4070 Ti
VRAM Capacity	4 GB	12 GB+200%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6X
Memory Bandwidth	224 GB/s	504 GB/s+125%
Bus Width	256-bit+33%	192-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB	48 MB+2300%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 980) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 4070 Ti). Vulkan: 1.1 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980	GeForce RTX 4070 Ti
DirectX	12.1	12 Ultimate
Vulkan	1.1	1.3+18%
OpenGL	4.5	4.6+2%
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 3.0 (GeForce GTX 980) vs NVENC (8th Gen) (GeForce RTX 4070 Ti). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP6 vs NVDEC (5th Gen). Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (GeForce GTX 980) vs AV1,H.264,H.265,VP9 (GeForce RTX 4070 Ti).

Feature	GeForce GTX 980	GeForce RTX 4070 Ti
Encoder	NVENC 3.0	NVENC (8th Gen)
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP6	NVDEC (5th Gen)
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC	AV1,H.264,H.265,VP9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 980 draws 220W versus the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti's 285W — a 25.7% difference. The GeForce GTX 980 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce GTX 980) vs 700W (GeForce RTX 4070 Ti). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs 8-pin. Card length: 267mm vs 285mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 70°C.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980	GeForce RTX 4070 Ti
TDP	220W-23%	285W
Recommended PSU	500W-29%	700W
Power Connector	2x 6-pin	8-pin
Length	267mm	285mm
Height	111mm	112mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	80°C	70°C-13%
Perf/Watt	50.4	110.8+120%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 980 launched at $549 MSRP, while the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti launched at $799. The GeForce GTX 980 costs 31.3% less ($250 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 20.2 (GeForce GTX 980) vs 39.5 (GeForce RTX 4070 Ti) — the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti offers 95.5% better value. The GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is the newer GPU (2023 vs 2014).