
GeForce GTX 980 vs RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU

GeForce GTX 980
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RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU
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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 RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU is significantly newer (2023 vs 2014). The RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU 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 RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.7% 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 | RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.7%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+0.7%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / Maxwell 2.0 (2014−2019)) | 🏆Elite Architecture (Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) / 5nm) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | ✨ DLSS 3/4 + Frame Gen Support |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | 🎮 High Capacity (8 GB) |
| Efficiency | Normal Efficiency | Normal Efficiency |
| Case Fit | Standard Size (267mm) | — |
💎 Value Proposition
While current pricing data is unavailable, the RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU 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 RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU

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.

RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU
The RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 9 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 1155 MHz to 2550 MHz. It has 12800 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 250W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 100 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 11,153 points.
Graphics Performance
The GeForce GTX 980 scores 11,077 and the RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU reaches 11,153 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.7% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 980 is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU uses Ada Lovelace, both on 28 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 2,048 (GeForce GTX 980) vs 12,800 (RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU). Raw compute: 4.981 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 980) vs 65.28 TFLOPS (RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU). Boost clocks: 1216 MHz vs 2550 MHz.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 980 | RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 11,077 | 11,153 |
| Architecture | Maxwell 2.0 | Ada Lovelace |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 5 nm |
| Shading Units | 2048 | 12800+525% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 4.981 TFLOPS | 65.28 TFLOPS+1211% |
| Boost Clock | 1216 MHz | 2550 MHz+110% |
| ROPs | 64 | 176+175% |
| TMUs | 128 | 400+213% |
| L1 Cache | 0.75 MB | 12.5 MB+1567% |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB | 72 MB+3500% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | GeForce GTX 980 | RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 2.1 (Compatible) | FSR 1.0 (Software) |
| Frame Generation | FSR 3 (Compatible) | Not Supported |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | Standard | NVIDIA Reflex |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The GeForce GTX 980 comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU has 8 GB. The RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 224 GB/s (GeForce GTX 980) vs 128 GB/s (RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU) — a 75% advantage for the GeForce GTX 980. Bus width: 256-bit vs 64-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 980) vs 72 MB (RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU) — the RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 980 | RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 4 GB | 8 GB+100% |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR6 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 224 GB/s+75% | 128 GB/s |
| Bus Width | 256-bit+300% | 64-bit |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB | 72 MB+3500% |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 980) vs 12.2 (RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU). Vulkan: 1.1 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 980 | RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12.1 | 12.2 |
| 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 8th Gen NVENC (RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU). 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,AV1 (RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 980 | RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | NVENC 3.0 | 8th Gen NVENC |
| Decoder | PureVideo HD VP6 | 5th Gen NVDEC |
| Codecs | MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC | MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce GTX 980 draws 220W versus the RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU's 250W — a 12.8% difference. The GeForce GTX 980 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce GTX 980) vs 500W (RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 267mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 80°C.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 980 | RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 220W-12% | 250W |
| 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 | 80°C |
| Perf/Watt | 50.4+13% | 44.6 |
Value Analysis
The RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU is the newer GPU (2023 vs 2014).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 980 | RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $549 | — |
| Avg Price (30d) | $50 | — |
| Codename | GM204 | AD102 |
| Release | September 19 2014 | August 9 2023 |
| Ranking | #245 | #16 |
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