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 Tesla M40 24GB 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 Tesla M40 24GB: 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 $1,451 less on MSRP ($549 MSRP vs $2,000 MSRP).
✅Delivers 279.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 20.2 vs 5.3 G3D/$ ($549 MSRP vs $2,000 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌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.

Tesla M40 24GB

2015

Why buy it

✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 4 GB).
✅More future proof: Maxwell 2.0 (2014−2019) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌2015 hardware with 8 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
❌
264.3% HIGHER MSRP
$2,000 MSRPvs$549 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 5.3 vs 20.2 G3D/$ ($2,000 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce GTX 980 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 4.1% in PassMark G3D (11,077 vs 10,641), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.

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 980 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $1,451 cheaper on MSRP at $549 vs $2,000, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 279.2% (20.2 vs 5.3), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce GTX 980 vs Tesla M40 24GB 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.

Tesla M40 24GB

The Tesla M40 24GB is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in November 10 2015. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 948 MHz to 1112 MHz. It has 3072 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 250W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 10,641 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 980 scores 11,077 and the Tesla M40 24GB reaches 10,641 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 4.1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 980 is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the Tesla M40 24GB uses Maxwell 2.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 2,048 (GeForce GTX 980) vs 3,072 (Tesla M40 24GB). Raw compute: 4.981 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 980) vs 6.832 TFLOPS (Tesla M40 24GB). Boost clocks: 1216 MHz vs 1112 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980	Tesla M40 24GB
G3D Mark Score	11,077+4%	10,641
Architecture	Maxwell 2.0	Maxwell 2.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	2048	3072+50%
Compute (TFLOPS)	4.981 TFLOPS	6.832 TFLOPS+37%
Boost Clock	1216 MHz+9%	1112 MHz
ROPs	64	96+50%
TMUs	128	192+50%
L1 Cache	0.75 MB	1.1 MB+47%
L2 Cache	2 MB	3 MB+50%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 980 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Tesla M40 24GB leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980	Tesla M40 24GB
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	Standard

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 980 has 4 GB of VRAM, while the Tesla M40 24GB carries 8 GB. Tesla M40 24GB 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 256-bit on the Tesla M40 24GB. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 980) vs 3 MB (Tesla M40 24GB) — the Tesla M40 24GB has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980	Tesla M40 24GB
VRAM Capacity	4 GB	8 GB+100%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Bus Width	256-bit	256-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB	3 MB+50%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 980) vs 12.1 (Tesla M40 24GB). Vulkan: 1.1 vs 1.1. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.5. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 0.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980	Tesla M40 24GB
DirectX	12.1	12.1
Vulkan	1.1	1.1
OpenGL	4.5	4.5
Max Displays	4	0

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 3.0 (GeForce GTX 980) vs NVENC 4.0 (2x) (Tesla M40 24GB). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP6 vs PureVideo HD VP6. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (GeForce GTX 980) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (Tesla M40 24GB).

Feature	GeForce GTX 980	Tesla M40 24GB
Encoder	NVENC 3.0	NVENC 4.0 (2x)
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP6	PureVideo HD VP6
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 980 draws 220W versus the Tesla M40 24GB's 250W — a 12.8% difference. The GeForce GTX 980 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce GTX 980) vs 500W (Tesla M40 24GB). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 267mm vs 267mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 85°C.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980	Tesla M40 24GB
TDP	220W-12%	250W
Recommended PSU	500W	500W
Power Connector	2x 6-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	267mm	267mm
Height	111mm	112mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	80°C-6%	85°C
Perf/Watt	50.4+18%	42.6

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 980 came in at $549, while the Tesla M40 24GB launched at $2000. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 980 was 72.5% cheaper ($1451 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 20.2 (GeForce GTX 980) vs 5.3 (Tesla M40 24GB) — the GeForce GTX 980 offers 281.1% better value. The newer card here is Tesla M40 24GB (2015 vs 2014).

Feature	GeForce GTX 980	Tesla M40 24GB
MSRP	$549-73%	$2000
Performance per Dollar	20.2+281%	5.3
Codename	GM204	GM200
Release	September 19 2014	November 10 2015
Ranking	#245	#253

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