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 200W, a 100W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (7,353 vs 26,919).
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + 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 44.9 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $599 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 4070

2023

Why buy it

✅+266.1% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.9 vs 0 G3D/$ ($599 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
✅200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 4 GB).
✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌100% higher power demand at 200W vs 100W.

GeForce GTX 980M

2014

GeForce RTX 4070

2023

Why buy it

✅Draws 100W instead of 200W, a 100W reduction.

Why buy it

✅+266.1% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.9 vs 0 G3D/$ ($599 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
✅200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 4 GB).
✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (7,353 vs 26,919).
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + 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 44.9 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $599 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌100% higher power demand at 200W vs 100W.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 4070 better than GeForce GTX 980M?

Yes. GeForce RTX 4070 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 26,919 vs 7,353 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 4070 is a 2023 card with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation, 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 4070 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2023 generation instead of 2014, 266.1% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 12 GB instead of 4 GB, and better upscaling support with DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution (2023) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack and better frame-generation support with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023) 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 4070 is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce RTX 4070 is priced in an unclear MSRP range at $599 MSRP versus an unclear MSRP, and you are getting 266.1% 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 GeForce RTX 4070 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

GeForce RTX 4070 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 980M	GeForce RTX 4070
1080p
low	105 FPS	183 FPS
medium	90 FPS	167 FPS
high	75 FPS	151 FPS
ultra	44 FPS	131 FPS
1440p
low	91 FPS	150 FPS
medium	80 FPS	124 FPS
high	59 FPS	110 FPS
ultra	33 FPS	101 FPS
4K
low	28 FPS	92 FPS
medium	27 FPS	78 FPS
high	18 FPS	65 FPS
ultra	16 FPS	58 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980M Open GeForce RTX 4070

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 980M	GeForce RTX 4070
1080p
low	162 FPS	544 FPS
medium	136 FPS	454 FPS
high	112 FPS	353 FPS
ultra	82 FPS	299 FPS
1440p
low	114 FPS	351 FPS
medium	89 FPS	288 FPS
high	71 FPS	235 FPS
ultra	50 FPS	197 FPS
4K
low	49 FPS	172 FPS
medium	41 FPS	144 FPS
high	38 FPS	125 FPS
ultra	29 FPS	101 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980M Open GeForce RTX 4070

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 980M	GeForce RTX 4070
1080p
low	331 FPS	884 FPS
medium	265 FPS	713 FPS
high	221 FPS	643 FPS
ultra	165 FPS	569 FPS
1440p
low	248 FPS	684 FPS
medium	199 FPS	549 FPS
high	165 FPS	483 FPS
ultra	124 FPS	424 FPS
4K
low	165 FPS	467 FPS
medium	132 FPS	373 FPS
high	105 FPS	326 FPS
ultra	75 FPS	277 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980M Open GeForce RTX 4070

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 980M	GeForce RTX 4070
1080p
low	148 FPS	751 FPS
medium	123 FPS	612 FPS
high	108 FPS	536 FPS
ultra	93 FPS	497 FPS
1440p
low	111 FPS	615 FPS
medium	94 FPS	500 FPS
high	83 FPS	433 FPS
ultra	70 FPS	395 FPS
4K
low	64 FPS	384 FPS
medium	52 FPS	324 FPS
high	40 FPS	301 FPS
ultra	31 FPS	272 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980M Open GeForce RTX 4070

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 980M and GeForce RTX 4070

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 4070

The GeForce RTX 4070 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in April 12 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 1920 MHz to 2475 MHz. It has 5888 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 46 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 26,919 points. Launch price was $599.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 980M scores 7,353 versus the GeForce RTX 4070's 26,919 — the GeForce RTX 4070 leads by 266.1%. The GeForce GTX 980M is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the GeForce RTX 4070 uses Ada Lovelace, both on 28 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 1,536 (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 5,888 (GeForce RTX 4070). Raw compute: 1.659 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 29.15 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4070). Boost clocks: 1127 MHz vs 2475 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M	GeForce RTX 4070
G3D Mark Score	7,353	26,919+266%
Architecture	Maxwell 2.0	Ada Lovelace
Process Node	28 nm	5 nm
Shading Units	1536	5888+283%
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.659 TFLOPS	29.15 TFLOPS+1657%
Boost Clock	1127 MHz	2475 MHz+120%
ROPs	64	64
TMUs	96	184+92%
L1 Cache	0.56 MB	5.8 MB+936%
L2 Cache	2 MB	36 MB+1700%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the GeForce RTX 4070 is support for DLSS 3.5 + 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 RTX 4070 supports the newer DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 980M is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M	GeForce RTX 4070
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution
Frame Generation	Not Supported	DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation
Ray Reconstruction	No	Yes (DLSS 3.5)
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 980M comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 4070 has 12 GB. The GeForce RTX 4070 offers 200% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 160 GB/s (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 504 GB/s (GeForce RTX 4070) — a 215% advantage for the GeForce RTX 4070. Bus width: 256-bit vs 192-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 36 MB (GeForce RTX 4070) — the GeForce RTX 4070 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M	GeForce RTX 4070
VRAM Capacity	4 GB	12 GB+200%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6X
Memory Bandwidth	160 GB/s	504 GB/s+215%
Bus Width	256-bit+33%	192-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB	36 MB+1700%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 12.2 (GeForce RTX 4070). Vulkan: 1.1 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M	GeForce RTX 4070
DirectX	12.1	12.2
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 8th Gen NVENC (2x) (GeForce RTX 4070). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP6 vs 5th Gen NVDEC. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264 (GeForce GTX 980M) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (GeForce RTX 4070).

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M	GeForce RTX 4070
Encoder	NVENC 2.0	8th Gen NVENC (2x)
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP6	5th Gen NVDEC
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 980M draws 100W versus the GeForce RTX 4070's 200W — a 66.7% difference. The GeForce GTX 980M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 650W (GeForce RTX 4070). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 8-pin. Card length: 0mm vs 304mm, occupying 0 vs 3 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M	GeForce RTX 4070
TDP	100W-50%	200W
Recommended PSU	350W-46%	650W
Power Connector	1x 6-pin	8-pin
Length	0mm	304mm
Height	0mm	137mm
Slots	0-100%	3
Temp (Load)	—	80°C
Perf/Watt	73.5	134.6+83%