GeForce GTX 980M vs GeForce GTX 1060

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 980M vs GeForce GTX 1060 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 980M vs GeForce GTX 1060: 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 980M

2014

Why buy it

✅Draws 100W instead of 180W, a 80W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2014 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 40.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

Why buy it

✅65.7% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 4 GB).

Trade-offs

❌2016 hardware with 6 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
❌80% higher power demand at 180W vs 100W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce GTX 1060 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 65.7% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 36.9% in PassMark G3D (10,064 vs 7,353), so the answer here is pretty clean.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce GTX 980M 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 1060 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce GTX 1060 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce GTX 980M has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 980M vs GeForce GTX 1060 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

GeForce GTX 980M

The GeForce GTX 980M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in October 7 2014. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1038 MHz to 1127 MHz. It has 1536 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 7,353 points.

GeForce GTX 1060

The GeForce GTX 1060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 27 2016. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1607 MHz to 1733 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 180W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 10,064 points. Launch price was $599.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 980M scores 7,353 versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 10,064 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 36.9%. The GeForce GTX 980M is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the GeForce GTX 1060 uses Pascal, both on 28 nm vs 16 nm. Shader units: 1,536 (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060). Raw compute: 1.659 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060). Boost clocks: 1127 MHz vs 1733 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M	GeForce GTX 1060
G3D Mark Score	7,353	10,064+37%
Architecture	Maxwell 2.0	Pascal
Process Node	28 nm	16 nm
Shading Units	1536	2560+67%
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.659 TFLOPS	8.873 TFLOPS+435%
Boost Clock	1127 MHz	1733 MHz+54%
ROPs	64	64
TMUs	96	160+67%
L1 Cache	576 KB	960 KB+67%
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M	GeForce GTX 1060
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 980M has 4 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 1060 carries 6 GB. GeForce GTX 1060 gives you 50% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 160 GB/s (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060) — a 20% advantage for the GeForce GTX 1060. Memory bus width is 256-bit on the GeForce GTX 980M and 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 1060.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M	GeForce GTX 1060
VRAM Capacity	4 GB	6 GB+50%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	160 GB/s	192 GB/s+20%
Bus Width	256-bit+33%	192-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 12 (GeForce GTX 1060). Vulkan: 1.1 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.5. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M	GeForce GTX 1060
DirectX	12.1	12
Vulkan	1.1	1.3+18%
OpenGL	4.5	4.5
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 2.0 (GeForce GTX 980M) vs NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP6 vs NVDEC (Pascal). Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264 (GeForce GTX 980M) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060).

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M	GeForce GTX 1060
Encoder	NVENC 2.0	NVENC (Pascal)
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP6	NVDEC (Pascal)
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264	H.264,H.265/HEVC

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 980M draws 100W versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 180W — a 57.1% difference. The GeForce GTX 980M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 400W (GeForce GTX 1060). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 6-pin. Card length: 0mm vs 173mm, occupying 0 vs 2 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M	GeForce GTX 1060
TDP	100W-44%	180W
Recommended PSU	350W-13%	400W
Power Connector	1x 6-pin	6-pin
Length	0mm	173mm
Height	0mm	111mm
Slots	0-100%	2
Perf/Watt	73.5+31%	55.9

💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce GTX 1060 (2016 vs 2014).

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M	GeForce GTX 1060
MSRP	—	$249
Codename	GM204	GP104
Release	October 7 2014	May 27 2016
Ranking	#344	#137

Search GeForce GTX 980M on Amazon

Search GeForce GTX 1060 on Amazon

Affiliate Disclosure

ChipVERSUS is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through our links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support our work in providing comprehensive PC building guides and tools.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.