GeForce GTX 980M vs Radeon RX 580X

GeForce GTX 980M

2014Core: 1038 MHzBoost: 1127 MHz

Radeon RX 580X

2018Core: 1257 MHzBoost: 1340 MHz

Performance Spectrum - GPU

GeForce GTX 980M

100

7,353

0.0%

GeForce GTX 880M SLI

GeForce GTX 760

GeForce GTX 970M

GeForce GTX 780 Rev. 2

GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile

GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU

GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU

GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile

Radeon RX 580X

185

7,495

+1.9%

Radeon RX 460 (móvel)

Radeon R9 M295X Mac Edition

Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire

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. The GeForce GTX 980M is positioned at rank #53 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Balanced cost-benefit for your build. 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

#19

Radeon RX 5600

MSRP: $229|Avg: $150

91%

#43

Radeon RX 550X (móvel)

MSRP: $35|Avg: $35

192%

#45

GeForce GTX 1070 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $150

174%

#46

GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $100

174%

#50

GeForce GTX 1050 (Mobile)

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50

158%

#51

Radeon RX 6300

MSRP: $60|Avg: $40

157%

#53

GeForce GTX 980M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $80

100%

#54

GeForce GTX 770M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $40

98%

#57

GeForce 770M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $40

96%

#62

Radeon 820M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $25

95%

#65

GeForce GTX 1650 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $100

93%

#66

GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50

93%

#68

GeForce GTX 850M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $40

90%

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

⚠️ Generational Difference

The Radeon RX 580X uses modern memory architecture. The Radeon RX 580X likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The GeForce GTX 980M lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.

🚀 Performance Leadership

The Radeon RX 580X is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1.9% higher G3D Mark score and 100% more VRAM (8 GB vs 4 GB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the GeForce GTX 980M.

Insight	GeForce GTX 980M	Radeon RX 580X
Performance	❌Lower raw frame rates (-1.9%)	✅Leading raw performance (+1.9%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / Maxwell 2.0 (2014−2019))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2018 / GCN 4.0 (2016−2020))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	❌ Less VRAM capacity	✅ More VRAM (+100%)
Efficiency	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt	⚡ Higher Power Consumption
Case Fit	—	📏 Compact / SFF Friendly

💎 Value Proposition

The Radeon RX 580X offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. Priced at $60 versus $80 for the GeForce GTX 980M, it costs 25% less. While it maintains competitive performance, this results in a 35.9% higher cost efficiency score.

Insight	GeForce GTX 980M	Radeon RX 580X
Cost Efficiency	❌Lower cost efficiency	✅Better overall value (+35.9%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️Higher upfront cost ($80)	✅More affordable ($60)

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 Benchmark Check

Radeon RX 580X Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 980M and Radeon RX 580X

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.

Radeon RX 580X

The Radeon RX 580X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 11 2018. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1257 MHz to 1340 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 185W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 7,495 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 980M scores 7,353 and the Radeon RX 580X reaches 7,495 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 980M is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the Radeon RX 580X uses GCN 4.0, both on 28 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 1,536 (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 2,304 (Radeon RX 580X). Raw compute: 1.659 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 6.175 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 580X). Boost clocks: 1127 MHz vs 1340 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M	Radeon RX 580X
G3D Mark Score	7,353	7,495+2%
Architecture	Maxwell 2.0	GCN 4.0
Process Node	28 nm	14 nm
Shading Units	1536	2304+50%
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.659 TFLOPS	6.175 TFLOPS+272%
Boost Clock	1127 MHz	1340 MHz+19%
ROPs	64+100%	32
TMUs	96	144+50%
L1 Cache	576 KB	576 KB
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M	Radeon RX 580X
Upscaling Tech	FSR 2.1 (Compatible)	FSR 2.1
Frame Generation	FSR 3 (Compatible)	FSR 3 (Compatible)
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	Standard	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 980M comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon RX 580X has 8 GB. The Radeon RX 580X offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 160 GB/s (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 256 GB/s (Radeon RX 580X) — a 60% advantage for the Radeon RX 580X. Bus width: 256-bit vs 256-bit.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M	Radeon RX 580X
VRAM Capacity	4 GB	8 GB+100%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	160 GB/s	256 GB/s+60%
Bus Width	256-bit	256-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 12 (FL 12_0) (Radeon RX 580X). Vulkan: 1.1 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M	Radeon RX 580X
DirectX	12.1	12 (FL 12_0)
Vulkan	1.1	1.3+18%
OpenGL	4.5	4.6+2%
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 2.0 (GeForce GTX 980M) vs VCE 3.4 (Radeon RX 580X). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP6 vs UVD 6.3. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264 (GeForce GTX 980M) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC (Radeon RX 580X).

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M	Radeon RX 580X
Encoder	NVENC 2.0	VCE 3.4
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP6	UVD 6.3
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264	H.264,H.265/HEVC

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 980M draws 100W versus the Radeon RX 580X's 185W — a 59.6% difference. The GeForce GTX 980M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 500W (Radeon RX 580X). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 8-pin. Card length: 0mm vs 241mm, occupying 0 vs 2 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M	Radeon RX 580X
TDP	100W-46%	185W
Recommended PSU	350W-30%	500W
Power Connector	1x 6-pin	8-pin
Length	0mm	241mm
Height	0mm	111mm
Slots	0-100%	2
Perf/Watt	73.5+81%	40.5

💰

Value Analysis

The Radeon RX 580X costs 25% less ($20 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 91.9 (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 124.9 (Radeon RX 580X) — the Radeon RX 580X offers 35.9% better value. The Radeon RX 580X is the newer GPU (2018 vs 2014).