Radeon RX 6850M vs GeForce GTX 980M SLI

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 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 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 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	Radeon RX 6850M	GeForce GTX 980M SLI
Performance	❌Lower raw frame rates (-2%)	✅Leading raw performance (+2%)
Longevity	🔮Strong Longevity (RDNA 2.0 (2020−2025) / 7nm)	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / Maxwell (2014−2017))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	🎮 High Capacity (8 GB)	✅ More VRAM (+0%)
Efficiency	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt	⚡ Higher Power Consumption
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.

Radeon RX 6850M Benchmark Check

GeForce GTX 980M SLI Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

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

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.

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.

⚡

Graphics Performance

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

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

✨

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

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

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

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

🖥️

Display & API Support

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

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

🎬

Media & Encoding

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

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

🔌

Power & Dimensions

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