GeForce GTX 980M SLI vs Radeon RX 6850M

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.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar GeForce GTX 980M SLI

#22

Radeon RX 7700

MSRP: $449|Avg: $399

138%

#25

Radeon RX 7600M XT

MSRP: $329|Avg: $300

125%

#28

Radeon RX 6650M XT

MSRP: $400|Avg: $400

119%

#30

Radeon 8050S

MSRP: $400|Avg: $400

114%

#31

Radeon RX 8050S

MSRP: $400|Avg: $400

113%

#37

GeForce GTX 980M SLI

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#39

Radeon RX 7700S

MSRP: $449|Avg: $350

97%

#42

Radeon RX 6600S

MSRP: $400|Avg: $400

91%

#43

Radeon RX 8060S

MSRP: $500|Avg: $500

89%

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Per Dollar Radeon RX 6850M

#39

Radeon RX 7700S

MSRP: $449|Avg: $350

127%

#42

Radeon RX 6600S

MSRP: $400|Avg: $400

119%

#43

Radeon RX 8060S

MSRP: $500|Avg: $500

117%

#47

Radeon RX 6700S

MSRP: $479|Avg: $300

115%

#50

Radeon RX 6850M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#52

Radeon 8060S

MSRP: $800|Avg: $800

82%

#53

Radeon RX 6850M XT

MSRP: $800|Avg: $800

80%

#54

Radeon RX 6800S

MSRP: $800|Avg: $800

73%

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

⚠️ Generational Difference

The Radeon RX 6850M is significantly newer (2022 vs 2014). The Radeon RX 6850M likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The GeForce GTX 980M SLI lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.

🚀 Performance Leadership

The GeForce GTX 980M SLI is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 2% higher G3D Mark score. This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon RX 6850M.

Insight	GeForce GTX 980M SLI	Radeon RX 6850M
Performance	✅Leading raw performance (+2%)	❌Lower raw frame rates (-2%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / Maxwell (2014−2017))	🔮Strong Longevity (RDNA 2.0 (2020−2025) / 7nm)
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	❌ Less VRAM capacity	🎮 High Capacity (8 GB)
Efficiency	⚡ Higher Power Consumption	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt
Case Fit	Standard Size (267mm)	Standard Size (267mm)

💎 Value Proposition

While current pricing data is unavailable, the GeForce GTX 980M SLI 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.

GeForce GTX 980M SLI Benchmark Check

Radeon RX 6850M Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 980M SLI and Radeon RX 6850M

GeForce GTX 980M SLI

The GeForce GTX 980M SLI is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in October 7 2014. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 1038 MHz to 1127 MHz. It has 3072 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 12,523 points.

Radeon RX 6850M

The Radeon RX 6850M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 4 2022. It features the RDNA 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 2068 MHz to 2416 MHz. It has 1792 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 120W. Manufactured using 7 nm process technology. It features 28 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 12,274 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 980M SLI scores 12,523 and the Radeon RX 6850M reaches 12,274 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 980M SLI is built on Maxwell while the Radeon RX 6850M uses RDNA 2.0, both on 28 nm vs 7 nm. Shader units: 3,072 (GeForce GTX 980M SLI) vs 1,792 (Radeon RX 6850M). Boost clocks: 1127 MHz vs 2416 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M SLI	Radeon RX 6850M
G3D Mark Score	12,523+2%	12,274
Architecture	Maxwell	RDNA 2.0
Process Node	28 nm	7 nm
Shading Units	3072+71%	1792
Boost Clock	1127 MHz	2416 MHz+114%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the Radeon RX 6850M is support for FSR 3 / AFMF. 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 980M SLI lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M SLI	Radeon RX 6850M
Upscaling Tech	FSR 2.1 (Compatible)	FSR 3 (Native)
Frame Generation	FSR 3 (Compatible)	FSR 3 / AFMF (Driver)
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	Standard	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

Both cards feature 8 GB of video memory. Memory bandwidth: 160 GB/s (GeForce GTX 980M SLI) vs 432 GB/s (Radeon RX 6850M) — a 170% advantage for the Radeon RX 6850M. Bus width: 256-bit vs 192-bit.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M SLI	Radeon RX 6850M
VRAM Capacity	8 GB	8 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	160 GB/s	432 GB/s+170%
Bus Width	256-bit+33%	192-bit

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 980M SLI) vs 12.2 (Radeon RX 6850M). Vulkan: 1.1 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.4 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M SLI	Radeon RX 6850M
DirectX	12.1	12.2
Vulkan	1.1	1.4+27%
OpenGL	4.4	4.6+5%
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 4.0 (2x) (GeForce GTX 980M SLI) vs VCN 3.0 (Radeon RX 6850M). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP6 (2x) vs VCN 3.0. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (GeForce GTX 980M SLI) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9 (Radeon RX 6850M).

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M SLI	Radeon RX 6850M
Encoder	NVENC 4.0 (2x)	VCN 3.0
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP6 (2x)	VCN 3.0
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 980M SLI draws 200W versus the Radeon RX 6850M's 120W — a 50% difference. The Radeon RX 6850M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce GTX 980M SLI) vs 500W (Radeon RX 6850M). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs Mobile. Card length: 267mm vs 267mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 85°C vs 85°C.