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 $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.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2014-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option 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

❌Poor future-proofing: 2015-era hardware with 8 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option 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).

GeForce GTX 980

2014

Tesla M40 24GB

2015

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).

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

❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2014-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.

Trade-offs

❌Poor future-proofing: 2015-era hardware with 8 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option 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

So, is GeForce GTX 980 better than Tesla M40 24GB?

Yes, but this is not really about a huge raw performance gap. The broader synthetic picture is also very close at 11,077 vs 10,641 in G3D Mark. The bigger reason to prefer GeForce GTX 980 is the overall package: you are getting no meaningful modern upscaling stack.

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

GeForce GTX 980 is the safer long-term GPU choice because it gives you the stronger overall hardware and feature outlook for modern games.

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

GeForce GTX 980 can still make sense if you find it at the right price, especially around $549 MSRP. GeForce GTX 980 is still the smarter buy for most people, though, because the raw performance is close while the overall package is cleaner. GeForce GTX 980 is about $1,451 cheaper on MSRP at $549 MSRP versus $2,000 MSRP, and you are getting 4.1% higher G3D Mark. Tesla M40 24GB is the newer 2015 card, so it still has a real case if you care more about newer architecture than about squeezing out the strongest gaming value today.

When does Tesla M40 24GB make more sense than GeForce GTX 980?

Yes. Tesla M40 24GB is still an excellent gaming GPU in 2026: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It makes more sense if your priority is newer architecture and staying closer to $2,000 MSRP more than squeezing out the extra headroom of GeForce GTX 980. The trade-off is that GeForce GTX 980 currently gives you 4.1% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 279.2%.

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

Tesla M40 24GB Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 980	Tesla M40 24GB
1080p
low	82 FPS	151 FPS
medium	71 FPS	130 FPS
high	60 FPS	106 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	65 FPS
1440p
low	72 FPS	121 FPS
medium	63 FPS	103 FPS
high	47 FPS	76 FPS
ultra	30 FPS	47 FPS
4K
low	26 FPS	42 FPS
medium	24 FPS	38 FPS
high	17 FPS	24 FPS
ultra	14 FPS	20 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980 Open Tesla M40 24GB

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 980	Tesla M40 24GB
1080p
low	182 FPS	248 FPS
medium	156 FPS	214 FPS
high	128 FPS	163 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	128 FPS
1440p
low	127 FPS	173 FPS
medium	102 FPS	142 FPS
high	83 FPS	115 FPS
ultra	64 FPS	89 FPS
4K
low	59 FPS	96 FPS
medium	49 FPS	78 FPS
high	47 FPS	65 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	49 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980 Open Tesla M40 24GB

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 980	Tesla M40 24GB
1080p
low	478 FPS	479 FPS
medium	399 FPS	383 FPS
high	332 FPS	319 FPS
ultra	249 FPS	239 FPS
1440p
low	374 FPS	359 FPS
medium	299 FPS	287 FPS
high	249 FPS	239 FPS
ultra	187 FPS	180 FPS
4K
low	242 FPS	239 FPS
medium	199 FPS	192 FPS
high	154 FPS	160 FPS
ultra	114 FPS	120 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980 Open Tesla M40 24GB

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 980	Tesla M40 24GB
1080p
low	153 FPS	293 FPS
medium	127 FPS	252 FPS
high	110 FPS	210 FPS
ultra	94 FPS	163 FPS
1440p
low	114 FPS	217 FPS
medium	96 FPS	192 FPS
high	84 FPS	154 FPS
ultra	71 FPS	118 FPS
4K
low	66 FPS	120 FPS
medium	53 FPS	96 FPS
high	41 FPS	80 FPS
ultra	32 FPS	61 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980 Open Tesla M40 24GB

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 980 and Tesla M40 24GB

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 gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Tesla M40 24GB relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

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 comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the Tesla M40 24GB has 8 GB. The Tesla M40 24GB offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 256-bit vs 256-bit. 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

The GeForce GTX 980 launched at $549 MSRP, while the Tesla M40 24GB launched at $2000. The GeForce GTX 980 costs 72.5% less ($1451 savings) on MSRP. 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 Tesla M40 24GB is the newer GPU (2015 vs 2014).