GeForce GTX 980M vs GeForce GTX 1060

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 980M

2014

Why buy it

✅Draws 100W instead of 180W, a 80W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1060 across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2014-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 40.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

Why buy it

✅66.8% more average FPS across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 4 GB).

Trade-offs

❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌80% higher power demand at 180W vs 100W.

GeForce GTX 980M

2014

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

Why buy it

✅Draws 100W instead of 180W, a 80W reduction.

Why buy it

✅66.8% more average FPS across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 4 GB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1060 across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2014-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 40.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌80% higher power demand at 180W vs 100W.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce GTX 1060 better than GeForce GTX 980M?

Yes. GeForce GTX 1060 is the better GPU overall here. You are getting 66.8% more average FPS across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data, 36.9% higher PassMark G3D performance, and 6 GB vs 4 GB of VRAM. It also comes from 2016 instead of 2014, which helps its case as the more complete modern gaming card.

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

GeForce GTX 980M 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 1060 is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce GTX 1060 is priced in an unclear MSRP range at $249 MSRP versus an unclear MSRP, and you are getting 66.8% more estimated average FPS across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data and 36.9% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 100+%. GeForce GTX 980M is the more forward-looking alternative, so it still has a real case if you care more about lower power draw (100W vs 180W) and future-proofing than about squeezing out the strongest gaming value today.

When does GeForce GTX 980M make more sense than GeForce GTX 1060?

Yes. GeForce GTX 980M 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 lower power draw (100W vs 180W), future-proofing, and staying closer to an unclear MSRP more than squeezing out the extra headroom of GeForce GTX 1060. The trade-off is that GeForce GTX 1060 currently gives you 36.9% higher G3D Mark and 66.8% more estimated average FPS across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 100+%.

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 980M Benchmark Check

GeForce GTX 1060 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 980M	GeForce GTX 1060
1080p
low	81 FPS	117 FPS
medium	69 FPS	105 FPS
high	58 FPS	91 FPS
ultra	38 FPS	77 FPS
1440p
low	71 FPS	103 FPS
medium	62 FPS	87 FPS
high	46 FPS	76 FPS
ultra	29 FPS	67 FPS
4K
low	25 FPS	55 FPS
medium	24 FPS	49 FPS
high	16 FPS	41 FPS
ultra	14 FPS	37 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980M Open GeForce GTX 1060

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 980M	GeForce GTX 1060
1080p
low	162 FPS	216 FPS
medium	136 FPS	181 FPS
high	112 FPS	148 FPS
ultra	82 FPS	113 FPS
1440p
low	114 FPS	134 FPS
medium	89 FPS	107 FPS
high	71 FPS	87 FPS
ultra	50 FPS	68 FPS
4K
low	49 FPS	62 FPS
medium	41 FPS	51 FPS
high	38 FPS	49 FPS
ultra	29 FPS	41 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980M Open GeForce GTX 1060

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 980M	GeForce GTX 1060
1080p
low	331 FPS	453 FPS
medium	265 FPS	362 FPS
high	221 FPS	302 FPS
ultra	165 FPS	226 FPS
1440p
low	248 FPS	340 FPS
medium	199 FPS	272 FPS
high	165 FPS	226 FPS
ultra	124 FPS	170 FPS
4K
low	165 FPS	226 FPS
medium	132 FPS	181 FPS
high	105 FPS	151 FPS
ultra	75 FPS	113 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980M Open GeForce GTX 1060

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 980M	GeForce GTX 1060
1080p
low	148 FPS	358 FPS
medium	123 FPS	302 FPS
high	108 FPS	260 FPS
ultra	93 FPS	226 FPS
1440p
low	111 FPS	299 FPS
medium	94 FPS	254 FPS
high	83 FPS	208 FPS
ultra	70 FPS	170 FPS
4K
low	64 FPS	170 FPS
medium	52 FPS	133 FPS
high	40 FPS	123 FPS
ultra	31 FPS	102 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980M Open GeForce GTX 1060

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 980M and GeForce GTX 1060

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 GTX 1060

The GeForce GTX 1060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 27 2016. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1607 MHz to 1733 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 180W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 10,064 points. Launch price was $599.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 980M scores 7,353 versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 10,064 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 36.9%. The GeForce GTX 980M is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the GeForce GTX 1060 uses Pascal, both on 28 nm vs 16 nm. Shader units: 1,536 (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060). Raw compute: 1.659 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060). Boost clocks: 1127 MHz vs 1733 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M	GeForce GTX 1060
G3D Mark Score	7,353	10,064+37%
Architecture	Maxwell 2.0	Pascal
Process Node	28 nm	16 nm
Shading Units	1536	2560+67%
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.659 TFLOPS	8.873 TFLOPS+435%
Boost Clock	1127 MHz	1733 MHz+54%
ROPs	64	64
TMUs	96	160+67%
L1 Cache	576 KB	960 KB+67%
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M	GeForce GTX 1060
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 980M comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 1060 has 6 GB. The GeForce GTX 1060 offers 50% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 160 GB/s (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060) — a 20% advantage for the GeForce GTX 1060. Bus width: 256-bit vs 192-bit.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M	GeForce GTX 1060
VRAM Capacity	4 GB	6 GB+50%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	160 GB/s	192 GB/s+20%
Bus Width	256-bit+33%	192-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 12 (GeForce GTX 1060). Vulkan: 1.1 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.5. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M	GeForce GTX 1060
DirectX	12.1	12
Vulkan	1.1	1.3+18%
OpenGL	4.5	4.5
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 2.0 (GeForce GTX 980M) vs NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP6 vs NVDEC (Pascal). Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264 (GeForce GTX 980M) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060).

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M	GeForce GTX 1060
Encoder	NVENC 2.0	NVENC (Pascal)
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP6	NVDEC (Pascal)
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264	H.264,H.265/HEVC

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 980M draws 100W versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 180W — a 57.1% difference. The GeForce GTX 980M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 400W (GeForce GTX 1060). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 6-pin. Card length: 0mm vs 173mm, occupying 0 vs 2 slots.