GeForce GTX 980M SLI vs RTX A3000 Mobile
GeForce GTX 980M SLI
Popular choices:
RTX A3000 Mobile
Popular choices:
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 GeForce GTX 980M SLI
Performance Per Dollar RTX A3000 Mobile
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The RTX A3000 Mobile is significantly newer (2021 vs 2014). The RTX A3000 Mobile 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 RTX A3000 Mobile is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1.6% higher G3D Mark score. This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the GeForce GTX 980M SLI.
| Insight | GeForce GTX 980M SLI | RTX A3000 Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-1.6%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+1.6%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / Maxwell (2014−2017)) | 🔮Strong Longevity (Ampere (2020−2025) / 8nm) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | ✨ DLSS 2 Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | 🎮 High Capacity (8 GB) |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | Standard Size (267mm) | — |
💎 Value Proposition
While current pricing data is unavailable, the RTX A3000 Mobile 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 980M SLI and RTX A3000 Mobile
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.
RTX A3000 Mobile
The RTX A3000 Mobile is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in April 12 2021. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 600 MHz to 1230 MHz. It has 4096 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 70W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 32 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 12,720 points.
Graphics Performance
The GeForce GTX 980M SLI scores 12,523 and the RTX A3000 Mobile reaches 12,720 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.6% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 980M SLI is built on Maxwell while the RTX A3000 Mobile uses Ampere, both on 28 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 3,072 (GeForce GTX 980M SLI) vs 4,096 (RTX A3000 Mobile). Boost clocks: 1127 MHz vs 1230 MHz.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 980M SLI | RTX A3000 Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 12,523 | 12,720+2% |
| Architecture | Maxwell | Ampere |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 8 nm |
| Shading Units | 3072 | 4096+33% |
| Boost Clock | 1127 MHz | 1230 MHz+9% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | GeForce GTX 980M SLI | RTX A3000 Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| 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)
Both cards feature 8 GB of video memory. Bus width: 256-bit vs 128-bit.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 980M SLI | RTX A3000 Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 8 GB | 8 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR6 |
| Bus Width | 256-bit+100% | 128-bit |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 980M SLI) vs 12.2 (RTX A3000 Mobile). Vulkan: 1.1 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.4 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 980M SLI | RTX A3000 Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12.1 | 12.2 |
| Vulkan | 1.1 | 1.3+18% |
| OpenGL | 4.4 | 4.6+5% |
| Max Displays | 4 | 4 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: NVENC 4.0 (2x) (GeForce GTX 980M SLI) vs 7th Gen NVENC (RTX A3000 Mobile). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP6 (2x) vs 5th Gen NVDEC. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (GeForce GTX 980M SLI) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (Decode) (RTX A3000 Mobile).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 980M SLI | RTX A3000 Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | NVENC 4.0 (2x) | 7th Gen NVENC |
| Decoder | PureVideo HD VP6 (2x) | 5th Gen NVDEC |
| Codecs | MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC | MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (Decode) |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce GTX 980M SLI draws 200W versus the RTX A3000 Mobile's 70W — a 96.3% difference. The RTX A3000 Mobile is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce GTX 980M SLI) vs 500W (RTX A3000 Mobile). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 267mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots. Typical load temperature: 85°C vs 80°C.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 980M SLI | RTX A3000 Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 200W | 70W-65% |
| Recommended PSU | 500W | 500W |
| Power Connector | 1x 6-pin | PCIe-powered |
| Length | 267mm | 0mm |
| Height | 111mm | 0mm |
| Slots | 2 | 0-100% |
| Temp (Load) | 85°C | 80°C-6% |
| Perf/Watt | 62.6 | 181.7+190% |
Top Performing GPUs
The most powerful gpus ranked by G3D Mark benchmark scores.
You May Also Compare
Similar GPU comparisons based on GeForce GTX 980M SLI and RTX A3000 Mobile
