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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, raw graphics performance, VRAM, feature set, power efficiency, pricing context, and long-term value so you can see which GPU actually makes more sense.

GeForce GTX 970

2014

Why buy it

✅Costs $5,370 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $5,699 MSRP).
✅Delivers 1642.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 29.3 vs 1.7 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $5,699 MSRP).
✅Draws 150W instead of 225W, a 75W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Poor future-proofing: 2014-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.

GRID P40-2Q

2015

Why buy it

✅More future proof: Maxwell 2.0 (2014−2019) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Poor future-proofing: 2015-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌
1632.2% HIGHER MSRP
$5,699 MSRPvs$329 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 1.7 vs 29.3 G3D/$ ($5,699 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
❌50% higher power demand at 225W vs 150W.

GeForce GTX 970

2014

GRID P40-2Q

2015

Why buy it

✅Costs $5,370 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $5,699 MSRP).
✅Delivers 1642.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 29.3 vs 1.7 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $5,699 MSRP).
✅Draws 150W instead of 225W, a 75W reduction.

Why buy it

✅More future proof: Maxwell 2.0 (2014−2019) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Poor future-proofing: 2014-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.

Trade-offs

❌Poor future-proofing: 2015-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌
1632.2% HIGHER MSRP
$5,699 MSRPvs$329 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 1.7 vs 29.3 G3D/$ ($5,699 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
❌50% higher power demand at 225W vs 150W.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce GTX 970 better than GRID P40-2Q?

Yes, but this is not really about a huge raw performance gap. The broader synthetic picture is also very close at 9,640 vs 9,581 in G3D Mark. The bigger reason to prefer GeForce GTX 970 is the overall package: you are getting no meaningful modern upscaling stack, plus much lower power draw (150W vs 225W).

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce GTX 970 is the safer long-term GPU choice because it gives you the stronger overall hardware and feature outlook for modern games.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?

GeForce GTX 970 can still make sense if you find it at the right price, especially around $329 MSRP. GeForce GTX 970 is still the smarter buy for most people, though, because the raw performance is close while the overall package is cleaner. GeForce GTX 970 is about $5,370 cheaper on MSRP at $329 MSRP versus $5,699 MSRP, and you are getting 0.6% higher G3D Mark. GRID P40-2Q is the newer 2015 card, so it still has a real case if you care more about newer architecture than about squeezing out the strongest gaming value today.

When does GRID P40-2Q make more sense than GeForce GTX 970?

Yes. GRID P40-2Q is still an excellent gaming GPU in 2026: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It makes more sense if your priority is newer architecture and staying closer to $5,699 MSRP more than squeezing out the extra headroom of GeForce GTX 970. The trade-off is that GeForce GTX 970 currently gives you 0.6% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 1642.9%.

Games Benchmarks

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 9800X3D 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 970 Benchmark Check

GRID P40-2Q Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 970	GRID P40-2Q
1080p
low	81 FPS	104 FPS
medium	69 FPS	90 FPS
high	58 FPS	73 FPS
ultra	38 FPS	44 FPS
1440p
low	70 FPS	91 FPS
medium	62 FPS	80 FPS
high	46 FPS	58 FPS
ultra	29 FPS	33 FPS
4K
low	26 FPS	29 FPS
medium	24 FPS	27 FPS
high	17 FPS	18 FPS
ultra	14 FPS	16 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 970 Open GRID P40-2Q

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 970	GRID P40-2Q
1080p
low	185 FPS	162 FPS
medium	152 FPS	128 FPS
high	122 FPS	94 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	75 FPS
1440p
low	132 FPS	119 FPS
medium	102 FPS	92 FPS
high	81 FPS	74 FPS
ultra	60 FPS	57 FPS
4K
low	63 FPS	68 FPS
medium	50 FPS	52 FPS
high	46 FPS	43 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	32 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 970 Open GRID P40-2Q

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 970	GRID P40-2Q
1080p
low	405 FPS	431 FPS
medium	347 FPS	345 FPS
high	289 FPS	287 FPS
ultra	217 FPS	216 FPS
1440p
low	325 FPS	323 FPS
medium	260 FPS	259 FPS
high	217 FPS	216 FPS
ultra	163 FPS	162 FPS
4K
low	210 FPS	216 FPS
medium	174 FPS	172 FPS
high	129 FPS	144 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	108 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 970 Open GRID P40-2Q

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 970	GRID P40-2Q
1080p
low	179 FPS	182 FPS
medium	138 FPS	148 FPS
high	120 FPS	133 FPS
ultra	103 FPS	103 FPS
1440p
low	138 FPS	132 FPS
medium	107 FPS	110 FPS
high	94 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	77 FPS
4K
low	80 FPS	77 FPS
medium	59 FPS	60 FPS
high	46 FPS	49 FPS
ultra	36 FPS	36 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 970 Open GRID P40-2Q

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 970 and GRID P40-2Q

GeForce GTX 970

The GeForce GTX 970 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 19 2014. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1050 MHz to 1178 MHz. It has 1664 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 9,640 points. Launch price was $329.

GRID P40-2Q

The GRID P40-2Q is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 30 2015. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 557 MHz to 1178 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 225W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 9,581 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 970 scores 9,640 and the GRID P40-2Q reaches 9,581 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.6% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 970 is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the GRID P40-2Q uses Maxwell 2.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 1,664 (GeForce GTX 970) vs 2,048 (GRID P40-2Q). Raw compute: 3.92 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 970) vs 4.825 TFLOPS (GRID P40-2Q). Boost clocks: 1178 MHz vs 1178 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970	GRID P40-2Q
G3D Mark Score	9,640	9,581
Architecture	Maxwell 2.0	Maxwell 2.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	1664	2048+23%
Compute (TFLOPS)	3.92 TFLOPS	4.825 TFLOPS+23%
Boost Clock	1178 MHz	1178 MHz
ROPs	56	64+14%
TMUs	104	128+23%
L1 Cache	624 KB	768 KB+23%
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 970 gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The GRID P40-2Q relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970	GRID P40-2Q
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	Standard

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

Both cards feature 4 GB of video memory. Bus width: 256-bit vs 128-bit.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970	GRID P40-2Q
VRAM Capacity	4 GB	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Bus Width	256-bit+100%	128-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (FL 12_1) (GeForce GTX 970) vs 12.1 (GRID P40-2Q). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.1. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.5. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 0.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970	GRID P40-2Q
DirectX	12 (FL 12_1)	12.1
Vulkan	1.3+18%	1.1
OpenGL	4.6+2%	4.5
Max Displays	4	0

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 2nd gen (GeForce GTX 970) vs NVENC 4.0 (2x) (GRID P40-2Q). Decoder: PureVideo VP6 vs PureVideo HD VP6. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 970) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (GRID P40-2Q).

Feature	GeForce GTX 970	GRID P40-2Q
Encoder	NVENC 2nd gen	NVENC 4.0 (2x)
Decoder	PureVideo VP6	PureVideo HD VP6
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 970 draws 150W versus the GRID P40-2Q's 225W — a 40% difference. The GeForce GTX 970 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce GTX 970) vs 500W (GRID P40-2Q). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 267mm vs 267mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 85°C.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970	GRID P40-2Q
TDP	150W-33%	225W
Recommended PSU	500W	500W
Power Connector	2x 6-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	267mm	267mm
Height	111mm	112mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	80°C-6%	85°C
Perf/Watt	64.3+51%	42.6

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 970 launched at $329 MSRP, while the GRID P40-2Q launched at $5699. The GeForce GTX 970 costs 94.2% less ($5370 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 29.3 (GeForce GTX 970) vs 1.7 (GRID P40-2Q) — the GeForce GTX 970 offers 1623.5% better value. The GRID P40-2Q is the newer GPU (2015 vs 2014).