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

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 20.2 vs 0 G3D/$ ($549 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU 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 4 Multi Frame Generation (2025).
❌Poor future-proofing: 2014-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.

RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU

2023

Why buy it

✅118.4% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation (2025).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 4 GB).
✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 20.2 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $549 MSRP).

GeForce GTX 980

2014

RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU

2023

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 20.2 vs 0 G3D/$ ($549 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Why buy it

✅118.4% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation (2025).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 4 GB).
✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU 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 4 Multi Frame Generation (2025).
❌Poor future-proofing: 2014-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 20.2 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $549 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU better than GeForce GTX 980?

Yes. RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU is clearly the better overall GPU here. RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU averages 118.4% more FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 11,153 vs 11,077 in G3D Mark. On top of that, RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU is a 2023 card with DLSS 4 + Multi Frame Gen, 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?

RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2023 generation instead of 2014, more VRAM at 8 GB instead of 4 GB, better upscaling support with DLSS 4 Super Resolution (2025) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack and better frame-generation support with DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation (2025) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, and a 5nm 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?

RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU is the smarter buy by a wide margin. RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU is priced in an unclear MSRP range at an unclear MSRP versus $549 MSRP, and you are getting 118.4% more estimated average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and 0.7% higher G3D Mark. GeForce GTX 980 really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.

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

No, not for a fresh gaming build. GeForce GTX 980 is 2014 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM, 11,077 in G3D Mark, and no meaningful modern upscaling stack. That is simply too far behind to be an easy modern recommendation.

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

RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 980	RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU
1080p
low	82 FPS	178 FPS
medium	71 FPS	153 FPS
high	60 FPS	130 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	87 FPS
1440p
low	72 FPS	144 FPS
medium	63 FPS	118 FPS
high	47 FPS	94 FPS
ultra	30 FPS	63 FPS
4K
low	26 FPS	70 FPS
medium	24 FPS	60 FPS
high	17 FPS	43 FPS
ultra	14 FPS	36 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980 Open RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 980	RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU
1080p
low	182 FPS	502 FPS
medium	156 FPS	402 FPS
high	128 FPS	335 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	251 FPS
1440p
low	127 FPS	376 FPS
medium	102 FPS	301 FPS
high	83 FPS	251 FPS
ultra	64 FPS	188 FPS
4K
low	59 FPS	251 FPS
medium	49 FPS	201 FPS
high	47 FPS	167 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	125 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980 Open RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 980	RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU
1080p
low	478 FPS	502 FPS
medium	399 FPS	402 FPS
high	332 FPS	335 FPS
ultra	249 FPS	251 FPS
1440p
low	374 FPS	376 FPS
medium	299 FPS	301 FPS
high	249 FPS	251 FPS
ultra	187 FPS	188 FPS
4K
low	242 FPS	251 FPS
medium	199 FPS	201 FPS
high	154 FPS	167 FPS
ultra	114 FPS	125 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980 Open RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 980	RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU
1080p
low	153 FPS	389 FPS
medium	127 FPS	346 FPS
high	110 FPS	303 FPS
ultra	94 FPS	251 FPS
1440p
low	114 FPS	283 FPS
medium	96 FPS	257 FPS
high	84 FPS	222 FPS
ultra	71 FPS	186 FPS
4K
low	66 FPS	188 FPS
medium	53 FPS	163 FPS
high	41 FPS	124 FPS
ultra	32 FPS	101 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980 Open RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 980 and RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU

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.

RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU

The RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 9 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 1155 MHz to 2550 MHz. It has 12800 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 250W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 100 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 11,153 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 980 scores 11,077 and the RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU reaches 11,153 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.7% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 980 is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU uses Ada Lovelace, both on 28 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 2,048 (GeForce GTX 980) vs 12,800 (RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU). Raw compute: 4.981 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 980) vs 65.28 TFLOPS (RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU). Boost clocks: 1216 MHz vs 2550 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980	RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU
G3D Mark Score	11,077	11,153
Architecture	Maxwell 2.0	Ada Lovelace
Process Node	28 nm	5 nm
Shading Units	2048	12800+525%
Compute (TFLOPS)	4.981 TFLOPS	65.28 TFLOPS+1211%
Boost Clock	1216 MHz	2550 MHz+110%
ROPs	64	176+175%
TMUs	128	400+213%
L1 Cache	0.75 MB	12.5 MB+1567%
L2 Cache	2 MB	72 MB+3500%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU is support for DLSS 4 Multi 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 RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU supports the newer DLSS 4 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 980 is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980	RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	DLSS 4 Super Resolution
Frame Generation	Not Supported	DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation
Ray Reconstruction	No	Yes (DLSS 4)
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 980 comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU has 8 GB. The RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 224 GB/s (GeForce GTX 980) vs 128 GB/s (RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU) — a 75% advantage for the GeForce GTX 980. Bus width: 256-bit vs 64-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 980) vs 72 MB (RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU) — the RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980	RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU
VRAM Capacity	4 GB	8 GB+100%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	224 GB/s+75%	128 GB/s
Bus Width	256-bit+300%	64-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB	72 MB+3500%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 980) vs 12.2 (RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU). Vulkan: 1.1 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980	RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU
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) vs 8th Gen NVENC (RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP6 vs 5th Gen NVDEC. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (GeForce GTX 980) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU).

Feature	GeForce GTX 980	RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU
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

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 980 draws 220W versus the RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU's 250W — a 12.8% difference. The GeForce GTX 980 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce GTX 980) vs 500W (RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 267mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 80°C.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980	RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU
TDP	220W-12%	250W
Recommended PSU	500W	500W
Power Connector	2x 6-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	267mm	0mm
Height	111mm	0mm
Slots	2	0-100%
Temp (Load)	80°C	80°C
Perf/Watt	50.4+13%	44.6