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

✅+15.3% higher PassMark G3D performance.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3050 OEM across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2015-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌
160.6% HIGHER MSRP
$649 MSRPvs$249 MSRP

GeForce RTX 3050 OEM

2022

Why buy it

✅5.1% more average FPS across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $400 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $649 MSRP).
✅Delivers 126.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 47.8 vs 21.1 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $649 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 6 GB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (11,892 vs 13,711).

GeForce GTX 980 Ti

2015

GeForce RTX 3050 OEM

2022

Why buy it

✅+15.3% higher PassMark G3D performance.

Why buy it

✅5.1% more average FPS across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $400 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $649 MSRP).
✅Delivers 126.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 47.8 vs 21.1 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $649 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 6 GB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3050 OEM across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2015-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌
160.6% HIGHER MSRP
$649 MSRPvs$249 MSRP

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (11,892 vs 13,711).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3050 OEM better than GeForce GTX 980 Ti?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is clearly the better overall GPU here. GeForce RTX 3050 OEM averages 5.1% more FPS across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 11,892 vs 13,711 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is a 2022 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while GeForce GTX 980 Ti is a 2015 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 3050 OEM is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2022 generation instead of 2015, more VRAM at 8 GB instead of 6 GB, better upscaling support with DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, and a 8nm 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?

GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is about $400 cheaper on MSRP at $249 MSRP versus $649 MSRP, and you are getting 5.1% more estimated average FPS across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data and a lower G3D Mark (11,892 vs 13,711). It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 126.1%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.

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

Yes. GeForce GTX 980 Ti is still a strong modern gaming GPU: it is very strong for 1080p, good for 1440p, and more limited at 4K. It remains a good buy when you can get it meaningfully cheaper than the alternative around $649 MSRP, even if GeForce RTX 3050 OEM 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 980 Ti Benchmark Check

GeForce RTX 3050 OEM Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 980 Ti	GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
1080p
low	80 FPS	130 FPS
medium	69 FPS	113 FPS
high	56 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	83 FPS
1440p
low	70 FPS	119 FPS
medium	62 FPS	96 FPS
high	45 FPS	81 FPS
ultra	28 FPS	69 FPS
4K
low	26 FPS	64 FPS
medium	24 FPS	57 FPS
high	16 FPS	39 FPS
ultra	14 FPS	33 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980 Ti Open GeForce RTX 3050 OEM

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 980 Ti	GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
1080p
low	186 FPS	239 FPS
medium	164 FPS	206 FPS
high	133 FPS	164 FPS
ultra	104 FPS	128 FPS
1440p
low	128 FPS	163 FPS
medium	104 FPS	135 FPS
high	82 FPS	112 FPS
ultra	62 FPS	92 FPS
4K
low	60 FPS	88 FPS
medium	50 FPS	74 FPS
high	46 FPS	62 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	49 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980 Ti Open GeForce RTX 3050 OEM

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 980 Ti	GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
1080p
low	617 FPS	535 FPS
medium	494 FPS	428 FPS
high	411 FPS	357 FPS
ultra	308 FPS	268 FPS
1440p
low	463 FPS	401 FPS
medium	370 FPS	321 FPS
high	308 FPS	268 FPS
ultra	231 FPS	201 FPS
4K
low	308 FPS	268 FPS
medium	247 FPS	214 FPS
high	206 FPS	178 FPS
ultra	154 FPS	134 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980 Ti Open GeForce RTX 3050 OEM

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 980 Ti	GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
1080p
low	232 FPS	467 FPS
medium	197 FPS	414 FPS
high	161 FPS	335 FPS
ultra	136 FPS	268 FPS
1440p
low	177 FPS	372 FPS
medium	156 FPS	321 FPS
high	123 FPS	236 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	197 FPS
4K
low	102 FPS	199 FPS
medium	83 FPS	175 FPS
high	67 FPS	150 FPS
ultra	53 FPS	125 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980 Ti Open GeForce RTX 3050 OEM

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 980 Ti and GeForce RTX 3050 OEM

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.

GeForce RTX 3050 OEM

The GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 4 2022. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1515 MHz to 1755 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 130W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 20 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 11,892 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 980 Ti scores 13,711 versus the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM's 11,892 — the GeForce GTX 980 Ti leads by 15.3%. The GeForce GTX 980 Ti is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM uses Ampere, both on 28 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 2,816 (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs 2,560 (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM). Raw compute: 6.06 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs 8.986 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM). Boost clocks: 1075 MHz vs 1755 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980 Ti	GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
G3D Mark Score	13,711+15%	11,892
Architecture	Maxwell 2.0	Ampere
Process Node	28 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	2816+10%	2560
Compute (TFLOPS)	6.06 TFLOPS	8.986 TFLOPS+48%
Boost Clock	1075 MHz	1755 MHz+63%
ROPs	96+200%	32
TMUs	176+120%	80
L1 Cache	1 MB	2.5 MB+150%
L2 Cache	3 MB+50%	2 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3050 OEM supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 980 Ti is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980 Ti	GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	DLSS 2 Super Resolution
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 980 Ti comes with 6 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM has 8 GB. The GeForce RTX 3050 OEM offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 336 GB/s (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs 224 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM) — a 50% advantage for the GeForce GTX 980 Ti. Bus width: 384-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs 2 MB (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM) — the GeForce GTX 980 Ti has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980 Ti	GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
VRAM Capacity	6 GB	8 GB+33%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	336 GB/s+50%	224 GB/s
Bus Width	384-bit+200%	128-bit
L2 Cache	3 MB+50%	2 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs 12.2 (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM). Vulkan: 1.1 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980 Ti	GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
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 3.0 (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs 8th Gen NVENC (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP6 vs 5th Gen NVDEC. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (Decode) (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM).

Feature	GeForce GTX 980 Ti	GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
Encoder	NVENC 3.0	8th Gen NVENC
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP6	5th Gen NVDEC
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (Decode)

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 980 Ti draws 250W versus the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM's 130W — a 63.2% difference. The GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 600W (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs 450W (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM). Power connectors: 6-pin + 8-pin vs 8-pin. Card length: 267mm vs 235mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 85°C vs 75°C.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980 Ti	GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
TDP	250W	130W-48%
Recommended PSU	600W	450W-25%
Power Connector	6-pin + 8-pin	8-pin
Length	267mm	235mm
Height	111mm	124mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	85°C	75°C-12%
Perf/Watt	54.8	91.5+67%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 980 Ti launched at $649 MSRP, while the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM launched at $249. The GeForce RTX 3050 OEM costs 61.6% less ($400 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 21.1 (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs 47.8 (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM) — the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM offers 126.5% better value. The GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is the newer GPU (2022 vs 2015).