GeForce GTX 980M vs GeForce RTX 4060 Ti
GeForce GTX 980M
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GeForce RTX 4060 Ti
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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. 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.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar GeForce GTX 980M
Performance Per Dollar GeForce RTX 4060 Ti
Why is GeForce RTX 4060 Ti better than GeForce GTX 980M?
The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 16GB outperforms the GTX 980M by approximately 209% in aggregate benchmarks, representing nearly a decade of GPU advancement. The RTX 4060 Ti features 4352 CUDA cores on Ada Lovelace (5nm) versus the 980M's 1536 cores on Maxwell (28nm), along with hardware ray tracing, tensor cores, and DLSS 3.0 support.
The RTX 4060 Ti delivers excellent 1080p and capable 1440p gaming with 16 GB GDDR6 memory at 288 GB/s bandwidth, meeting 100% of modern game requirements. The GTX 980M, despite being a high-end mobile GPU in 2014, only satisfies 79% of recommended requirements for current titles.
For anyone upgrading from a GTX 980M laptop to a modern desktop system, the RTX 4060 Ti offers a transformative experience with ray tracing support, AI-powered upscaling, and vastly improved frame rates in all modern games. The value proposition is also significantly better, with 744% improved cost-per-frame compared to the desktop GTX 980.
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is significantly newer (2023 vs 2014). The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 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 GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 208.1% 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 | GeForce RTX 4060 Ti |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-208.1%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+208.1%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / Maxwell 2.0 (2014−2019)) | 🏆Elite Architecture (Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) / 5nm) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | ✨ DLSS 3/4 + Frame Gen Support |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | 🎮 High Capacity (8 GB) |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | — | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
The GeForce GTX 980M offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. Priced at $80 versus $380 for the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti, it costs 79% less. While it maintains significantly lower raw performance, this results in a 54.2% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | GeForce GTX 980M | GeForce RTX 4060 Ti |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+54.2%) | ❌Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅More affordable ($80) | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($380) |
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 and GeForce RTX 4060 Ti
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 RTX 4060 Ti
The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 18 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 2310 MHz to 2535 MHz. It has 4352 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 160W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 34 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 22,651 points. Launch price was $399.
Graphics Performance
In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 980M scores 7,353 versus the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti's 22,651 — the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti leads by 208.1%. The GeForce GTX 980M is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti uses Ada Lovelace, both on 28 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 1,536 (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 4,352 (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti). Raw compute: 1.659 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 22.06 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti). Boost clocks: 1127 MHz vs 2535 MHz.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 980M | GeForce RTX 4060 Ti |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 7,353 | 22,651+208% |
| Architecture | Maxwell 2.0 | Ada Lovelace |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 5 nm |
| Shading Units | 1536 | 4352+183% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 1.659 TFLOPS | 22.06 TFLOPS+1230% |
| Boost Clock | 1127 MHz | 2535 MHz+125% |
| ROPs | 64+33% | 48 |
| TMUs | 96 | 136+42% |
| L1 Cache | 0.56 MB | 4.3 MB+668% |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB | 32 MB+1500% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
A critical advantage for the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is support for DLSS 3 Frame Gen. 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 lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 980M | GeForce RTX 4060 Ti |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 2.1 (Compatible) | DLSS 3.5 |
| Frame Generation | FSR 3 (Compatible) | DLSS 3.0 (Native) |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | Yes (DLSS 3.5) |
| Low Latency | Standard | NVIDIA Reflex |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The GeForce GTX 980M comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti has 8 GB. The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 160 GB/s (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 288 GB/s (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti) — a 80% advantage for the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti. Bus width: 256-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 32 MB (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti) — the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 980M | GeForce RTX 4060 Ti |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 4 GB | 8 GB+100% |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR6 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 160 GB/s | 288 GB/s+80% |
| Bus Width | 256-bit+100% | 128-bit |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB | 32 MB+1500% |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 12.2 (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti). Vulkan: 1.1 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 980M | GeForce RTX 4060 Ti |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12.1 | 12.2 |
| 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 8th Gen NVENC (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP6 vs 5th Gen NVDEC. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264 (GeForce GTX 980M) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 980M | GeForce RTX 4060 Ti |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | NVENC 2.0 | 8th Gen NVENC |
| Decoder | PureVideo HD VP6 | 5th Gen NVDEC |
| Codecs | MPEG-2,H.264 | MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce GTX 980M draws 100W versus the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti's 160W — a 46.2% difference. The GeForce GTX 980M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 550W (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 8-pin. Card length: 0mm vs 240mm, occupying 0 vs 2 slots.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 980M | GeForce RTX 4060 Ti |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 100W-38% | 160W |
| Recommended PSU | 350W-36% | 550W |
| Power Connector | 1x 6-pin | 8-pin |
| Length | 0mm | 240mm |
| Height | 0mm | 111mm |
| Slots | 0-100% | 2 |
| Temp (Load) | — | 70°C |
| Perf/Watt | 73.5 | 141.6+93% |
Value Analysis
The GeForce GTX 980M costs 78.9% less ($300 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 91.9 (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 59.6 (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti) — the GeForce GTX 980M offers 54.2% better value. The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is the newer GPU (2023 vs 2014).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 980M | GeForce RTX 4060 Ti |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | — | $399 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $80-79% | $380 |
| Performance per Dollar | 91.9+54% | 59.6 |
| Codename | GM204 | AD106 |
| Release | October 7 2014 | May 18 2023 |
| Ranking | #344 | #59 |
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