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 165W, a 65W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon RX 7600 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 + AFMF (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 61.6 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $269 MSRP).

Radeon RX 7600

2023

Why buy it

✅115.1% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 61.6 vs 0 G3D/$ ($269 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 4 GB).
✅More future proof: RDNA 3.0 (2022−2026) on 6nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌65% higher power demand at 165W vs 100W.

GeForce GTX 980M

2014

Radeon RX 7600

2023

Why buy it

✅Draws 100W instead of 165W, a 65W reduction.

Why buy it

✅115.1% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 61.6 vs 0 G3D/$ ($269 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 4 GB).
✅More future proof: RDNA 3.0 (2022−2026) on 6nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon RX 7600 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 + AFMF (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 61.6 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $269 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌65% higher power demand at 165W vs 100W.

Quick Answers

So, is Radeon RX 7600 better than GeForce GTX 980M?

Yes. Radeon RX 7600 is clearly the better overall GPU here. Radeon RX 7600 averages 115.1% more FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 16,581 vs 7,353 in G3D Mark. On top of that, Radeon RX 7600 is a 2023 card with FSR 3 + AFMF, 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?

Radeon RX 7600 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2023 generation instead of 2014, 125.5% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 8 GB instead of 4 GB, and better upscaling support with FSR 3 (2023) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack and better frame-generation support with FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (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?

Radeon RX 7600 is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. Radeon RX 7600 is priced in an unclear MSRP range at $269 MSRP versus an unclear MSRP, and you are getting 115.1% more estimated average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and 125.5% 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 7600 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 7600 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 980M	Radeon RX 7600
1080p
low	81 FPS	168 FPS
medium	69 FPS	149 FPS
high	58 FPS	131 FPS
ultra	38 FPS	111 FPS
1440p
low	71 FPS	140 FPS
medium	62 FPS	114 FPS
high	46 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	29 FPS	91 FPS
4K
low	25 FPS	85 FPS
medium	24 FPS	72 FPS
high	16 FPS	59 FPS
ultra	14 FPS	52 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980M Open Radeon RX 7600

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 980M	Radeon RX 7600
1080p
low	162 FPS	414 FPS
medium	136 FPS	349 FPS
high	112 FPS	267 FPS
ultra	82 FPS	206 FPS
1440p
low	114 FPS	241 FPS
medium	89 FPS	205 FPS
high	71 FPS	163 FPS
ultra	50 FPS	130 FPS
4K
low	49 FPS	109 FPS
medium	41 FPS	91 FPS
high	38 FPS	75 FPS
ultra	29 FPS	57 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980M Open Radeon RX 7600

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 980M	Radeon RX 7600
1080p
low	331 FPS	746 FPS
medium	265 FPS	597 FPS
high	221 FPS	497 FPS
ultra	165 FPS	373 FPS
1440p
low	248 FPS	560 FPS
medium	199 FPS	448 FPS
high	165 FPS	373 FPS
ultra	124 FPS	280 FPS
4K
low	165 FPS	373 FPS
medium	132 FPS	298 FPS
high	105 FPS	249 FPS
ultra	75 FPS	187 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980M Open Radeon RX 7600

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 980M	Radeon RX 7600
1080p
low	148 FPS	604 FPS
medium	123 FPS	517 FPS
high	108 FPS	443 FPS
ultra	93 FPS	352 FPS
1440p
low	111 FPS	468 FPS
medium	94 FPS	397 FPS
high	83 FPS	322 FPS
ultra	70 FPS	259 FPS
4K
low	64 FPS	293 FPS
medium	52 FPS	271 FPS
high	40 FPS	235 FPS
ultra	31 FPS	187 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980M Open Radeon RX 7600

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 980M and Radeon RX 7600

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 7600

The Radeon RX 7600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in May 24 2023. It features the RDNA 3.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1720 MHz to 2655 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 165W. Manufactured using 6 nm process technology. It features 32 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 16,581 points. Launch price was $269.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 980M scores 7,353 versus the Radeon RX 7600's 16,581 — the Radeon RX 7600 leads by 125.5%. The GeForce GTX 980M is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the Radeon RX 7600 uses RDNA 3.0, both on 28 nm vs 6 nm. Shader units: 1,536 (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 2,048 (Radeon RX 7600). Raw compute: 1.659 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 21.75 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 7600). Boost clocks: 1127 MHz vs 2655 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M	Radeon RX 7600
G3D Mark Score	7,353	16,581+125%
Architecture	Maxwell 2.0	RDNA 3.0
Process Node	28 nm	6 nm
Shading Units	1536	2048+33%
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.659 TFLOPS	21.75 TFLOPS+1211%
Boost Clock	1127 MHz	2655 MHz+136%
ROPs	64	64
TMUs	96	128+33%
L1 Cache	576 KB+13%	512 KB
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the Radeon RX 7600 is support for FSR Frame Generation + AFMF. 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 7600 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M	Radeon RX 7600
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	FSR 3
Frame Generation	Not Supported	FSR Frame Generation + AFMF
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 7600 has 8 GB. The Radeon RX 7600 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 160 GB/s (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 288 GB/s (Radeon RX 7600) — a 80% advantage for the Radeon RX 7600. Bus width: 256-bit vs 128-bit.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M	Radeon RX 7600
VRAM Capacity	4 GB	8 GB+100%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	160 GB/s	288 GB/s+80%
Bus Width	256-bit+100%	128-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 12.2 (Radeon RX 7600). Vulkan: 1.1 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M	Radeon RX 7600
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 VCN 4.0 (Radeon RX 7600). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP6 vs VCN 4.0. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264 (GeForce GTX 980M) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (Radeon RX 7600).

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M	Radeon RX 7600
Encoder	NVENC 2.0	VCN 4.0
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP6	VCN 4.0
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 980M draws 100W versus the Radeon RX 7600's 165W — a 49.1% difference. The GeForce GTX 980M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 980M) vs 550W (Radeon RX 7600). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 8-pin. Card length: 0mm vs 240mm, occupying 0 vs 2 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980M	Radeon RX 7600
TDP	100W-39%	165W
Recommended PSU	350W-36%	550W
Power Connector	1x 6-pin	8-pin
Length	0mm	240mm
Height	0mm	111mm
Slots	0-100%	2
Temp (Load)	—	75°C
Perf/Watt	73.5	100.5+37%