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 RTX A1000 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 RTX A1000: 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

✅Costs $200 less on MSRP ($549 MSRP vs $749 MSRP).
✅Delivers 39.7% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 20.2 vs 14.4 G3D/$ ($549 MSRP vs $749 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than RTX A1000 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2014 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
❌340% higher power demand at 220W vs 50W.
❌63.8% longer card at 267mm vs 163mm.

RTX A1000

2024

Why buy it

✅20.6% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 4 GB).
✅Better long-term bet: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
✅Draws 50W instead of 220W, a 170W reduction.
✅Measures 163mm instead of 267mm, a 104mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌
36.4% HIGHER MSRP
$749 MSRPvs$549 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 14.4 vs 20.2 G3D/$ ($749 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

RTX A1000 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 20.6% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward GeForce GTX 980 instead at 11,077 vs 10,814, 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?

RTX A1000 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 8 GB vs 4 GB of VRAM, a 8nm process instead of 28nm, 18 vs 0 ray-tracing units, and a newer 2024 generation instead of 2014. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce GTX 980 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $200 cheaper on MSRP at $549 vs $749, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 39.7% (20.2 vs 14.4), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce GTX 980 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, RTX A1000 has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 980 vs RTX A1000 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.

RTX A1000

The RTX A1000 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in April 16 2024. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 727 MHz to 1462 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 18 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 10,814 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 980 scores 11,077 and the RTX A1000 reaches 10,814 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 980 is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the RTX A1000 uses Ampere, both on 28 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 2,048 (GeForce GTX 980) vs 2,304 (RTX A1000). Raw compute: 4.981 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 980) vs 6.737 TFLOPS (RTX A1000). Boost clocks: 1216 MHz vs 1462 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980	RTX A1000
G3D Mark Score	11,077+2%	10,814
Architecture	Maxwell 2.0	Ampere
Process Node	28 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	2048	2304+13%
Compute (TFLOPS)	4.981 TFLOPS	6.737 TFLOPS+35%
Boost Clock	1216 MHz	1462 MHz+20%
ROPs	64+100%	32
TMUs	128+78%	72
L1 Cache	0.75 MB	2.3 MB+207%
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 980	RTX A1000
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 980 has 4 GB of VRAM, while the RTX A1000 carries 8 GB. RTX A1000 gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 256-bit on the GeForce GTX 980 and 128-bit on the RTX A1000.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980	RTX A1000
VRAM Capacity	4 GB	8 GB+100%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Bus Width	256-bit+100%	128-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 980) vs 12.2 (RTX A1000). Vulkan: 1.1 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980	RTX A1000
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 7th Gen NVENC (RTX A1000). 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 (Decode) (RTX A1000).

Feature	GeForce GTX 980	RTX A1000
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,AV1 (Decode)

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 980 draws 220W versus the RTX A1000's 50W — a 125.9% difference. The RTX A1000 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce GTX 980) vs 500W (RTX A1000). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 267mm vs 163mm, occupying 2 vs 1 slots. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 75°C.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980	RTX A1000
TDP	220W	50W-77%
Recommended PSU	500W	500W
Power Connector	2x 6-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	267mm	163mm
Height	111mm	69mm
Slots	2	1-50%
Temp (Load)	80°C	75°C-6%
Perf/Watt	50.4	216.3+329%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 980 came in at $549, while the RTX A1000 launched at $749. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 980 was 26.7% cheaper ($200 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 20.2 (GeForce GTX 980) vs 14.4 (RTX A1000) — the GeForce GTX 980 offers 40.3% better value. The newer card here is RTX A1000 (2024 vs 2014).

Feature	GeForce GTX 980	RTX A1000
MSRP	$549-27%	$749
Performance per Dollar	20.2+40%	14.4
Codename	GM204	GA107
Release	September 19 2014	April 16 2024
Ranking	#245	#251

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