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

2014

Why buy it

✅Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 4060 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 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.
❌
83.6% HIGHER MSRP
$549 MSRPvs$299 MSRP

GeForce RTX 4060

2023

Why buy it

✅95.6% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $250 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
✅Delivers 224% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 65.4 vs 20.2 G3D/$ ($299 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 4 GB).

Trade-offs

❌Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.

GeForce GTX 980

2014

GeForce RTX 4060

2023

Why buy it

✅Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

Why buy it

✅95.6% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $250 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
✅Delivers 224% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 65.4 vs 20.2 G3D/$ ($299 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 4 GB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 4060 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 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.
❌
83.6% HIGHER MSRP
$549 MSRPvs$299 MSRP

Trade-offs

❌Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 4060 better than GeForce GTX 980?

Yes. GeForce RTX 4060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. GeForce RTX 4060 averages 95.6% more FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 19,548 vs 11,077 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 4060 is a 2023 card with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation, while GeForce GTX 980 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 4060 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2023 generation instead of 2014, 76.5% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 8 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 4060 is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce RTX 4060 is about $250 cheaper on MSRP at $299 MSRP versus $549 MSRP, and you are getting 95.6% more estimated average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and 76.5% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 224%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.

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

Yes. GeForce GTX 980 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 $549 MSRP, even if GeForce RTX 4060 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 Benchmark Check

GeForce RTX 4060 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 980	GeForce RTX 4060
1080p
low	82 FPS	167 FPS
medium	71 FPS	152 FPS
high	60 FPS	134 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	115 FPS
1440p
low	72 FPS	137 FPS
medium	63 FPS	114 FPS
high	47 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	30 FPS	90 FPS
4K
low	26 FPS	86 FPS
medium	24 FPS	74 FPS
high	17 FPS	62 FPS
ultra	14 FPS	55 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980 Open GeForce RTX 4060

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 980	GeForce RTX 4060
1080p
low	182 FPS	392 FPS
medium	156 FPS	334 FPS
high	128 FPS	268 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	211 FPS
1440p
low	127 FPS	240 FPS
medium	102 FPS	209 FPS
high	83 FPS	169 FPS
ultra	64 FPS	137 FPS
4K
low	59 FPS	119 FPS
medium	49 FPS	98 FPS
high	47 FPS	82 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	63 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980 Open GeForce RTX 4060

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 980	GeForce RTX 4060
1080p
low	478 FPS	812 FPS
medium	399 FPS	642 FPS
high	332 FPS	551 FPS
ultra	249 FPS	440 FPS
1440p
low	374 FPS	535 FPS
medium	299 FPS	443 FPS
high	249 FPS	379 FPS
ultra	187 FPS	329 FPS
4K
low	242 FPS	365 FPS
medium	199 FPS	297 FPS
high	154 FPS	234 FPS
ultra	114 FPS	186 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980 Open GeForce RTX 4060

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 980	GeForce RTX 4060
1080p
low	153 FPS	746 FPS
medium	127 FPS	613 FPS
high	110 FPS	536 FPS
ultra	94 FPS	440 FPS
1440p
low	114 FPS	594 FPS
medium	96 FPS	486 FPS
high	84 FPS	421 FPS
ultra	71 FPS	330 FPS
4K
low	66 FPS	358 FPS
medium	53 FPS	308 FPS
high	41 FPS	285 FPS
ultra	32 FPS	220 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980 Open GeForce RTX 4060

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 980 and GeForce RTX 4060

GeForce GTX 980

The GeForce GTX 980 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 19 2014. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1064 MHz to 1216 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 220W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 11,077 points. Launch price was $549.

GeForce RTX 4060

The GeForce RTX 4060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 18 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 1830 MHz to 2460 MHz. It has 3072 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 115W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 24 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 19,548 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 980 scores 11,077 versus the GeForce RTX 4060's 19,548 — the GeForce RTX 4060 leads by 76.5%. The GeForce GTX 980 is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the GeForce RTX 4060 uses Ada Lovelace, both on 28 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 2,048 (GeForce GTX 980) vs 3,072 (GeForce RTX 4060). Raw compute: 4.981 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 980) vs 15.11 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4060). Boost clocks: 1216 MHz vs 2460 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980	GeForce RTX 4060
G3D Mark Score	11,077	19,548+76%
Architecture	Maxwell 2.0	Ada Lovelace
Process Node	28 nm	5 nm
Shading Units	2048	3072+50%
Compute (TFLOPS)	4.981 TFLOPS	15.11 TFLOPS+203%
Boost Clock	1216 MHz	2460 MHz+102%
ROPs	64+33%	48
TMUs	128+33%	96
L1 Cache	0.75 MB	3 MB+300%
L2 Cache	2 MB	24 MB+1100%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the GeForce RTX 4060 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 980 lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.The GeForce RTX 4060 supports the newer DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 980 is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980	GeForce RTX 4060
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 980 comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 4060 has 8 GB. The GeForce RTX 4060 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 224 GB/s (GeForce GTX 980) vs 272 GB/s (GeForce RTX 4060) — a 21.4% advantage for the GeForce RTX 4060. Bus width: 256-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 980) vs 24 MB (GeForce RTX 4060) — the GeForce RTX 4060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980	GeForce RTX 4060
VRAM Capacity	4 GB	8 GB+100%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	224 GB/s	272 GB/s+21%
Bus Width	256-bit+100%	128-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB	24 MB+1100%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 980) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 4060). Vulkan: 1.1 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980	GeForce RTX 4060
DirectX	12.1	12 Ultimate
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) vs NVENC 8th gen (GeForce RTX 4060). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP6 vs NVDEC 5th gen. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (GeForce GTX 980) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1 (GeForce RTX 4060).

Feature	GeForce GTX 980	GeForce RTX 4060
Encoder	NVENC 3.0	NVENC 8th gen
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP6	NVDEC 5th gen
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC	H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 980 draws 220W versus the GeForce RTX 4060's 115W — a 62.7% difference. The GeForce RTX 4060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce GTX 980) vs 550W (GeForce RTX 4060). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs 8-pin. Card length: 267mm vs 240mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 73°C.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980	GeForce RTX 4060
TDP	220W	115W-48%
Recommended PSU	500W-9%	550W
Power Connector	2x 6-pin	8-pin
Length	267mm	240mm
Height	111mm	111mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	80°C	73°C-9%
Perf/Watt	50.4	170.0+237%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 980 launched at $549 MSRP, while the GeForce RTX 4060 launched at $299. The GeForce RTX 4060 costs 45.5% less ($250 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 20.2 (GeForce GTX 980) vs 65.4 (GeForce RTX 4060) — the GeForce RTX 4060 offers 223.8% better value. The GeForce RTX 4060 is the newer GPU (2023 vs 2014).