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 980 Ti

2015

Why buy it

✅Costs $550 less on MSRP ($649 MSRP vs $1,199 MSRP).
✅Delivers 85.4% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 21.1 vs 11.4 G3D/$ ($649 MSRP vs $1,199 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Titan X Pascal across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2015-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.

Titan X Pascal

2016

Why buy it

✅30.6% more average FPS across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 6 GB).
✅More future proof: Pascal (2016−2021) on 16nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 8 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌
84.7% HIGHER MSRP
$1,199 MSRPvs$649 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 11.4 vs 21.1 G3D/$ ($1,199 MSRP vs $649 MSRP).

GeForce GTX 980 Ti

2015

Titan X Pascal

2016

Why buy it

✅Costs $550 less on MSRP ($649 MSRP vs $1,199 MSRP).
✅Delivers 85.4% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 21.1 vs 11.4 G3D/$ ($649 MSRP vs $1,199 MSRP).

Why buy it

✅30.6% more average FPS across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 6 GB).
✅More future proof: Pascal (2016−2021) on 16nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Titan X Pascal across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2015-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.

Trade-offs

❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 8 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌
84.7% HIGHER MSRP
$1,199 MSRPvs$649 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 11.4 vs 21.1 G3D/$ ($1,199 MSRP vs $649 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Titan X Pascal better than GeForce GTX 980 Ti?

Yes. Titan X Pascal is the better GPU overall here. You are getting 30.6% more average FPS across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data, 0.4% higher PassMark G3D performance, and 8 GB vs 6 GB of VRAM. It also comes from 2016 instead of 2015, which helps its case as the more complete modern gaming card.

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

GeForce GTX 980 Ti 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?

Titan X Pascal is the smarter buy by a wide margin. Titan X Pascal is about 84.7% more expensive on MSRP at $1,199 MSRP versus $649 MSRP, and you are getting 30.6% more estimated average FPS across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data and a lower G3D Mark (13,660 vs 13,711). GeForce GTX 980 Ti really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.

When does GeForce GTX 980 Ti make more sense than Titan X Pascal?

Yes. GeForce GTX 980 Ti is still an excellent gaming GPU in 2026: it is very strong for 1080p, good for 1440p, and more limited at 4K. It makes more sense if your priority is future-proofing and staying closer to $649 MSRP more than squeezing out the extra headroom of Titan X Pascal. The trade-off is that Titan X Pascal currently gives you a lower G3D Mark (13,660 vs 13,711) and 30.6% more estimated average FPS across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data. GeForce GTX 980 Ti still holds the G3D-per-dollar lead, so the performance win comes with a real value premium.

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 980 Ti Benchmark Check

Titan X Pascal Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 980 Ti	Titan X Pascal
1080p
low	80 FPS	146 FPS
medium	69 FPS	130 FPS
high	56 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	96 FPS
1440p
low	70 FPS	126 FPS
medium	62 FPS	103 FPS
high	45 FPS	88 FPS
ultra	28 FPS	79 FPS
4K
low	26 FPS	73 FPS
medium	24 FPS	62 FPS
high	16 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	14 FPS	41 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980 Ti Open Titan X Pascal

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 980 Ti	Titan X Pascal
1080p
low	186 FPS	339 FPS
medium	164 FPS	296 FPS
high	133 FPS	221 FPS
ultra	104 FPS	177 FPS
1440p
low	128 FPS	215 FPS
medium	104 FPS	187 FPS
high	82 FPS	152 FPS
ultra	62 FPS	121 FPS
4K
low	60 FPS	104 FPS
medium	50 FPS	88 FPS
high	46 FPS	73 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	57 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980 Ti Open Titan X Pascal

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 980 Ti	Titan X Pascal
1080p
low	617 FPS	615 FPS
medium	494 FPS	492 FPS
high	411 FPS	410 FPS
ultra	308 FPS	307 FPS
1440p
low	463 FPS	461 FPS
medium	370 FPS	369 FPS
high	308 FPS	307 FPS
ultra	231 FPS	231 FPS
4K
low	308 FPS	307 FPS
medium	247 FPS	246 FPS
high	206 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	154 FPS	154 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980 Ti Open Titan X Pascal

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 980 Ti	Titan X Pascal
1080p
low	232 FPS	519 FPS
medium	197 FPS	449 FPS
high	161 FPS	386 FPS
ultra	136 FPS	307 FPS
1440p
low	177 FPS	422 FPS
medium	156 FPS	367 FPS
high	123 FPS	299 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	231 FPS
4K
low	102 FPS	259 FPS
medium	83 FPS	246 FPS
high	67 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	53 FPS	154 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980 Ti Open Titan X Pascal

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 980 Ti and Titan X Pascal

GeForce GTX 980 Ti

The GeForce GTX 980 Ti is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in June 2 2015. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1000 MHz to 1075 MHz. It has 2816 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 250W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 13,711 points. Launch price was $649.

Titan X Pascal

The Titan X Pascal is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 2 2016. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1417 MHz to 1531 MHz. It has 3584 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 250W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 13,660 points. Launch price was $1,199.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 980 Ti scores 13,711 and the Titan X Pascal reaches 13,660 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 980 Ti is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the Titan X Pascal uses Pascal, both on 28 nm vs 16 nm. Shader units: 2,816 (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs 3,584 (Titan X Pascal). Raw compute: 6.06 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs 10.97 TFLOPS (Titan X Pascal). Boost clocks: 1075 MHz vs 1531 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980 Ti	Titan X Pascal
G3D Mark Score	13,711	13,660
Architecture	Maxwell 2.0	Pascal
Process Node	28 nm	16 nm
Shading Units	2816	3584+27%
Compute (TFLOPS)	6.06 TFLOPS	10.97 TFLOPS+81%
Boost Clock	1075 MHz	1531 MHz+42%
ROPs	96	96
TMUs	176	224+27%
L1 Cache	1 MB	1.3 MB+30%
L2 Cache	3 MB	3 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 980 Ti gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Titan X Pascal relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980 Ti	Titan X Pascal
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	Standard

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 980 Ti comes with 6 GB of VRAM, while the Titan X Pascal has 8 GB. The Titan X Pascal offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 336 GB/s (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs 480 GB/s (Titan X Pascal) — a 42.9% advantage for the Titan X Pascal. Bus width: 384-bit vs 384-bit.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980 Ti	Titan X Pascal
VRAM Capacity	6 GB	8 GB+33%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5X
Memory Bandwidth	336 GB/s	480 GB/s+43%
Bus Width	384-bit	384-bit
L2 Cache	3 MB	3 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs 12.1 (Titan X Pascal). Vulkan: 1.1 vs 1.1. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.5. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980 Ti	Titan X Pascal
DirectX	12.1	12.1
Vulkan	1.1	1.1
OpenGL	4.5	4.5
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 3.0 (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs NVENC 5.0 (2x) (Titan X Pascal). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP6 vs PureVideo HD VP8. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (Titan X Pascal).

Feature	GeForce GTX 980 Ti	Titan X Pascal
Encoder	NVENC 3.0	NVENC 5.0 (2x)
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP6	PureVideo HD VP8
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 980 Ti draws 250W versus the Titan X Pascal's 250W — a 0% difference. The Titan X Pascal is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 600W (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs 600W (Titan X Pascal). Power connectors: 6-pin + 8-pin vs 6-pin + 8-pin. Card length: 267mm vs 267mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 85°C vs 85°C.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980 Ti	Titan X Pascal
TDP	250W	250W
Recommended PSU	600W	600W
Power Connector	6-pin + 8-pin	6-pin + 8-pin
Length	267mm	267mm
Height	111mm	112mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	85°C	85°C
Perf/Watt	54.8	54.6

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 980 Ti launched at $649 MSRP, while the Titan X Pascal launched at $1199. The GeForce GTX 980 Ti costs 45.9% less ($550 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 21.1 (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs 11.4 (Titan X Pascal) — the GeForce GTX 980 Ti offers 85.1% better value. The Titan X Pascal is the newer GPU (2016 vs 2015).