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 170W, a 70W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU across 37 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2014-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

2022

Why buy it

✅90.6% more average FPS across 37 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 4 GB).
✅More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌70% higher power demand at 170W vs 100W.

GeForce GTX 980M

2014

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

2022

Why buy it

✅Draws 100W instead of 170W, a 70W reduction.

Why buy it

✅90.6% more average FPS across 37 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 4 GB).
✅More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU across 37 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2014-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.

Trade-offs

❌70% higher power demand at 170W vs 100W.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU better than GeForce GTX 980M?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is clearly the better overall GPU here. GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU averages 90.6% more FPS across 37 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 13,170 vs 7,353 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is a 2022 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while GeForce GTX 980M is a 2014 model from an older generation with no meaningful modern upscaling stack. So this is not really a tight same-tier comparison. It is more a modern card against an older, weaker alternative.

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

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2022 generation instead of 2014, 79.1% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 6 GB instead of 4 GB, and better upscaling support with DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack. That leaves it with more room for heavier textures, tougher ray tracing loads, and higher-end 1440p or 4K gaming over the next few years.

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

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is priced in an unclear MSRP range at an unclear MSRP versus an unclear MSRP, and you are getting 90.6% more estimated average FPS across 37 tracked games in our benchmark data and 79.1% higher G3D Mark. G3D-per-dollar is basically tied between them. If you are comfortable paying the premium for the stronger gaming result, GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is the one to buy. If staying closer to budget matters more, GeForce GTX 980M still makes more sense on price alone, but the performance trade-off is much harder to justify by current standards.

Is GeForce GTX 980M still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. GeForce GTX 980M is still a strong gaming GPU in 2026: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. This mostly comes down to price. If you want to stay closer to an unclear MSRP, it remains a strong choice; if you are comfortable paying more, GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU earns that extra money with a clearly stronger gaming result and a more complete overall package.

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 RTX 3060 Laptop GPU Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 980M	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
1080p
low	81 FPS	109 FPS
medium	69 FPS	98 FPS
high	58 FPS	84 FPS
ultra	38 FPS	70 FPS
1440p
low	71 FPS	95 FPS
medium	62 FPS	83 FPS
high	46 FPS	70 FPS
ultra	29 FPS	59 FPS
4K
low	25 FPS	48 FPS
medium	24 FPS	43 FPS
high	16 FPS	30 FPS
ultra	14 FPS	26 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980M Open GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 980M	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
1080p
low	162 FPS	357 FPS
medium	136 FPS	310 FPS
high	112 FPS	248 FPS
ultra	82 FPS	195 FPS
1440p
low	114 FPS	221 FPS
medium	89 FPS	190 FPS
high	71 FPS	154 FPS
ultra	50 FPS	123 FPS
4K
low	49 FPS	108 FPS
medium	41 FPS	89 FPS
high	38 FPS	72 FPS
ultra	29 FPS	55 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980M Open GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 980M	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
1080p
low	331 FPS	593 FPS
medium	265 FPS	474 FPS
high	221 FPS	395 FPS
ultra	165 FPS	296 FPS
1440p
low	248 FPS	444 FPS
medium	199 FPS	356 FPS
high	165 FPS	296 FPS
ultra	124 FPS	222 FPS
4K
low	165 FPS	296 FPS
medium	132 FPS	237 FPS
high	105 FPS	198 FPS
ultra	75 FPS	148 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980M Open GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 980M	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
1080p
low	148 FPS	565 FPS
medium	123 FPS	474 FPS
high	108 FPS	395 FPS
ultra	93 FPS	296 FPS
1440p
low	111 FPS	444 FPS
medium	94 FPS	356 FPS
high	83 FPS	296 FPS
ultra	70 FPS	222 FPS
4K
low	64 FPS	296 FPS
medium	52 FPS	237 FPS
high	40 FPS	198 FPS
ultra	31 FPS	148 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980M Open GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 980M and GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

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 RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in October 12 2022. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1320 MHz to 1777 MHz. It has 3584 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 170W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 28 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 13,170 points.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 980M scores 7,353 versus the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU's 13,170 — the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU leads by 79.1%. The GeForce GTX 980M is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU uses Ampere, both on 28 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 1,536 (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Raw compute: 1.659 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Boost clocks: 1127 MHz vs 1777 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
G3D Mark Score	7,353	13,170+79%
Architecture	Maxwell 2.0	Ampere
Process Node	28 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	1536	3584+133%
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.659 TFLOPS	12.74 TFLOPS+668%
Boost Clock	1127 MHz	1777 MHz+58%
ROPs	64+33%	48
TMUs	96	112+17%
L1 Cache	0.56 MB	3.5 MB+525%
L2 Cache	2 MB	3 MB+50%

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 980M is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	DLSS 2 Super Resolution
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 980M comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU has 6 GB. The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU offers 50% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 160 GB/s (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 336 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) — a 110% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU. Bus width: 256-bit vs 192-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) — the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
VRAM Capacity	4 GB	6 GB+50%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	160 GB/s	336 GB/s+110%
Bus Width	256-bit+33%	192-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB	3 MB+50%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Vulkan: 1.1 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
DirectX	12.1	12 Ultimate
Vulkan	1.1	1.4+27%
OpenGL	4.5	4.6+2%
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 2.0 (GeForce GTX 980M) vs NVENC (7th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP6 vs NVDEC (5th Gen). Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264 (GeForce GTX 980M) vs H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode),VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU).

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
Encoder	NVENC 2.0	NVENC (7th Gen)
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP6	NVDEC (5th Gen)
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264	H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode),VP9

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 980M draws 100W versus the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU's 170W — a 51.9% difference. The GeForce GTX 980M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 500W (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs Mobile.