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 185W, a 85W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon RX 580X across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation (2023).
❌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 32.7 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $229 MSRP).

Radeon RX 580X

2018

Why buy it

✅35.8% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 32.7 vs 0 G3D/$ ($229 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation (2023).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 4 GB).
✅Less risky long-term buy than GeForce GTX 980M: it remains the more sensible modern option while GeForce GTX 980M is already legacy-tier future-proofing.

Trade-offs

❌Limited future-proofing: older hardware, 8 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in upcoming AAA games.
❌85% higher power demand at 185W vs 100W.

GeForce GTX 980M

2014

Radeon RX 580X

2018

Why buy it

✅Draws 100W instead of 185W, a 85W reduction.

Why buy it

✅35.8% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 32.7 vs 0 G3D/$ ($229 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation (2023).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 4 GB).
✅Less risky long-term buy than GeForce GTX 980M: it remains the more sensible modern option while GeForce GTX 980M is already legacy-tier future-proofing.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon RX 580X across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation (2023).
❌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 32.7 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $229 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Limited future-proofing: older hardware, 8 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in upcoming AAA games.
❌85% higher power demand at 185W vs 100W.

Quick Answers

So, is Radeon RX 580X better than GeForce GTX 980M?

Yes. Radeon RX 580X is the better GPU overall here. You are getting 35.8% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data, 1.9% higher PassMark G3D performance, and 8 GB vs 4 GB of VRAM. It also comes from 2018 instead of 2014, which helps its case as the more complete modern gaming card.

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

Radeon RX 580X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2018 generation instead of 2014, more VRAM at 8 GB instead of 4 GB, better upscaling support with FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack and better frame-generation support with FSR Frame Generation (2023) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, and a 14nm process instead of 28nm. That extra memory headroom makes it the safer pick for newer games, heavier textures, and higher settings over time.

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

Radeon RX 580X is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. Radeon RX 580X is priced in an unclear MSRP range at $229 MSRP versus an unclear MSRP, and you are getting 35.8% more estimated average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and 1.9% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 100+%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.

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

Yes. GeForce GTX 980M is still a strong modern gaming GPU: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It remains a good buy when you can get it meaningfully cheaper than the alternative around an unclear MSRP, even if Radeon RX 580X is still the cleaner recommendation on overall value today.

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

Radeon RX 580X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 980M	Radeon RX 580X
1080p
low	81 FPS	113 FPS
medium	69 FPS	100 FPS
high	58 FPS	86 FPS
ultra	38 FPS	70 FPS
1440p
low	71 FPS	105 FPS
medium	62 FPS	87 FPS
high	46 FPS	68 FPS
ultra	29 FPS	56 FPS
4K
low	25 FPS	53 FPS
medium	24 FPS	47 FPS
high	16 FPS	30 FPS
ultra	14 FPS	26 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980M Open Radeon RX 580X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 980M	Radeon RX 580X
1080p
low	162 FPS	151 FPS
medium	136 FPS	131 FPS
high	112 FPS	115 FPS
ultra	82 FPS	89 FPS
1440p
low	114 FPS	90 FPS
medium	89 FPS	73 FPS
high	71 FPS	58 FPS
ultra	50 FPS	46 FPS
4K
low	49 FPS	37 FPS
medium	41 FPS	30 FPS
high	38 FPS	25 FPS
ultra	29 FPS	20 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980M Open Radeon RX 580X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 980M	Radeon RX 580X
1080p
low	331 FPS	337 FPS
medium	265 FPS	270 FPS
high	221 FPS	225 FPS
ultra	165 FPS	169 FPS
1440p
low	248 FPS	253 FPS
medium	199 FPS	202 FPS
high	165 FPS	169 FPS
ultra	124 FPS	126 FPS
4K
low	165 FPS	169 FPS
medium	132 FPS	135 FPS
high	105 FPS	112 FPS
ultra	75 FPS	84 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980M Open Radeon RX 580X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 980M	Radeon RX 580X
1080p
low	148 FPS	317 FPS
medium	123 FPS	270 FPS
high	108 FPS	225 FPS
ultra	93 FPS	169 FPS
1440p
low	111 FPS	253 FPS
medium	94 FPS	202 FPS
high	83 FPS	164 FPS
ultra	70 FPS	126 FPS
4K
low	64 FPS	137 FPS
medium	52 FPS	107 FPS
high	40 FPS	89 FPS
ultra	31 FPS	75 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980M Open Radeon RX 580X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 980M and Radeon RX 580X

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.

Radeon RX 580X

The Radeon RX 580X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 11 2018. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1257 MHz to 1340 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 185W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 7,495 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 980M scores 7,353 and the Radeon RX 580X reaches 7,495 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 980M is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the Radeon RX 580X uses GCN 4.0, both on 28 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 1,536 (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 2,304 (Radeon RX 580X). Raw compute: 1.659 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 6.175 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 580X). Boost clocks: 1127 MHz vs 1340 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M	Radeon RX 580X
G3D Mark Score	7,353	7,495+2%
Architecture	Maxwell 2.0	GCN 4.0
Process Node	28 nm	14 nm
Shading Units	1536	2304+50%
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.659 TFLOPS	6.175 TFLOPS+272%
Boost Clock	1127 MHz	1340 MHz+19%
ROPs	64+100%	32
TMUs	96	144+50%
L1 Cache	576 KB	576 KB
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the Radeon RX 580X is support for FSR Frame Generation. This allows it to generate entire frames using AI/Algorithms, essentially doubling the frame rate in CPU-bound scenarios or heavy ray-tracing titles. The GeForce GTX 980M lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.The GeForce GTX 980M gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Radeon RX 580X relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M	Radeon RX 580X
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	FSR Frame Generation
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 980M comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon RX 580X has 8 GB. The Radeon RX 580X offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 160 GB/s (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 256 GB/s (Radeon RX 580X) — a 60% advantage for the Radeon RX 580X. Bus width: 256-bit vs 256-bit.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M	Radeon RX 580X
VRAM Capacity	4 GB	8 GB+100%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	160 GB/s	256 GB/s+60%
Bus Width	256-bit	256-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 12 (FL 12_0) (Radeon RX 580X). Vulkan: 1.1 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M	Radeon RX 580X
DirectX	12.1	12 (FL 12_0)
Vulkan	1.1	1.3+18%
OpenGL	4.5	4.6+2%
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 2.0 (GeForce GTX 980M) vs VCE 3.4 (Radeon RX 580X). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP6 vs UVD 6.3. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264 (GeForce GTX 980M) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC (Radeon RX 580X).

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M	Radeon RX 580X
Encoder	NVENC 2.0	VCE 3.4
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP6	UVD 6.3
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264	H.264,H.265/HEVC

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 980M draws 100W versus the Radeon RX 580X's 185W — a 59.6% difference. The GeForce GTX 980M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 500W (Radeon RX 580X). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 8-pin. Card length: 0mm vs 241mm, occupying 0 vs 2 slots.