GeForce RTX 3060 Ti vs GeForce GTX 980M
GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
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GeForce GTX 980M
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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. 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 RTX 3060 Ti
Performance Per Dollar GeForce GTX 980M
Why is GeForce RTX 3060 Ti better than GeForce GTX 980M?
The matchup between the powerful GeForce RTX 3060 Ti and the legacy mobile flagship GeForce GTX 980M illustrate over a decade of astronomical GPU progress. The RTX 3060 Ti is roughly 400-500% faster, representing the jump from the absolute height of 2014 notebook power to a modern desktop icon that masters 1440p Ultra with high refresh rates and cinematic graphics.
Technically, the RTX 3060 Ti wins on absolute architectural scale, featuring 8GB of fast VRAM and specialized hardware for Ray Tracing and DLSS. The GeForce GTX 980M remains a robust legacy legend for its era, but it lacks the core count and feature set needed for uncompromised modern graphics in 2026. Moving from any notebook with legacy Maxwell graphics to an RTX 3060 Ti powered desktop is a life-changing improvement, providing the speed and visual stability needed for professional creative work.
There is no contest here; the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is the absolute winner. it provides a level of detail and speed that turns the most demanding games into fluid, immersive experiences. The GeForce GTX 980M is now strictly for entry-level use on legacy systems. if you are looking to revitalize your PC experience with a performance boost that is truly night and day, the 30-series discrete card is the definitive and superior choice.
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is significantly newer (2020 vs 2014). The GeForce RTX 3060 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 3060 Ti is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 176.2% 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 RTX 3060 Ti | GeForce GTX 980M |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+176.2%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-176.2%) |
| Longevity | 🔮Strong Longevity (Ampere (2020−2025) / 8nm) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / Maxwell 2.0 (2014−2019)) |
| Ecosystem | ✨ DLSS 2 Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | 🎮 High Capacity (8 GB) | ❌ Less VRAM capacity |
| Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption |
| Case Fit | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly | — |
💎 Value Proposition
The GeForce GTX 980M offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. Priced at $80 versus $280 for the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, it costs 71% less. While it maintains significantly lower raw performance, this results in a 26.7% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | GeForce RTX 3060 Ti | GeForce GTX 980M |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌Lower cost efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+26.7%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($280) | ✅More affordable ($80) |
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 RTX 3060 Ti and GeForce GTX 980M
GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in December 1 2020. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1410 MHz to 1665 MHz. It has 4864 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 38 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 20,312 points. Launch price was $399.
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.
Graphics Performance
In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti scores 20,312 versus the GeForce GTX 980M's 7,353 — the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti leads by 176.2%. The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is built on Ampere while the GeForce GTX 980M uses Maxwell 2.0, both on 8 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 4,864 (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 1,536 (GeForce GTX 980M). Raw compute: 16.2 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 1.659 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 980M). Boost clocks: 1665 MHz vs 1127 MHz.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 Ti | GeForce GTX 980M |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 20,312+176% | 7,353 |
| Architecture | Ampere | Maxwell 2.0 |
| Process Node | 8 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 4864+217% | 1536 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 16.2 TFLOPS+876% | 1.659 TFLOPS |
| Boost Clock | 1665 MHz+48% | 1127 MHz |
| ROPs | 80+25% | 64 |
| TMUs | 152+58% | 96 |
| L1 Cache | 4.8 MB+757% | 0.56 MB |
| L2 Cache | 4 MB+100% | 2 MB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The GeForce GTX 980M relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 Ti | GeForce GTX 980M |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | DLSS 2.0 | FSR 2.1 (Compatible) |
| Frame Generation | FSR 3 / AFMF (Compatible) | FSR 3 (Compatible) |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | NVIDIA Reflex | Standard |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti comes with 8 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 980M has 4 GB. The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 448 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 160 GB/s (GeForce GTX 980M) — a 180% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti. Bus width: 256-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 4 MB (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 2 MB (GeForce GTX 980M) — the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 Ti | GeForce GTX 980M |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 8 GB+100% | 4 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR6 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 448 GB/s+180% | 160 GB/s |
| Bus Width | 256-bit | 256-bit |
| L2 Cache | 4 MB+100% | 2 MB |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (12_2) (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 12.1 (GeForce GTX 980M). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.1. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.5. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 Ti | GeForce GTX 980M |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 Ultimate (12_2) | 12.1 |
| Vulkan | 1.3+18% | 1.1 |
| OpenGL | 4.6+2% | 4.5 |
| Max Displays | 4 | 4 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: NVENC (Ampere) (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs NVENC 2.0 (GeForce GTX 980M). Decoder: NVDEC (Ampere) vs PureVideo HD VP6. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265,VP9,AV1 (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs MPEG-2,H.264 (GeForce GTX 980M).
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 Ti | GeForce GTX 980M |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | NVENC (Ampere) | NVENC 2.0 |
| Decoder | NVDEC (Ampere) | PureVideo HD VP6 |
| Codecs | H.264,H.265,VP9,AV1 | MPEG-2,H.264 |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti draws 200W versus the GeForce GTX 980M's 100W — a 66.7% difference. The GeForce GTX 980M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 600W (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 350W (GeForce GTX 980M). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 1x 6-pin. Card length: 242mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 Ti | GeForce GTX 980M |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 200W | 100W-50% |
| Recommended PSU | 600W | 350W-42% |
| Power Connector | 8-pin | 1x 6-pin |
| Length | 242mm | 0mm |
| Height | 112mm | 0mm |
| Slots | 2 | 0-100% |
| Temp (Load) | 75 | — |
| Perf/Watt | 101.6+38% | 73.5 |
Value Analysis
The GeForce GTX 980M costs 71.4% less ($200 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 72.5 (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 91.9 (GeForce GTX 980M) — the GeForce GTX 980M offers 26.8% better value. The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is the newer GPU (2020 vs 2014).
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 Ti | GeForce GTX 980M |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $399 | — |
| Avg Price (30d) | $280 | $80-71% |
| Performance per Dollar | 72.5 | 91.9+27% |
| Codename | GA104 | GM204 |
| Release | December 1 2020 | October 7 2014 |
| Ranking | #73 | #344 |
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