GeForce GT 1030 vs GeForce GTX 980 Ti
The GeForce GTX 980 Ti is dramatically faster than the GeForce GT 1030, leading by roughly 900% in our performance index. It is also the stronger value pick here, so it's the easy recommendation if your budget allows.
Market Value Leader
GeForce GTX 980 Ti is the clear winner, offering 14.1% better value than GeForce GT 1030.
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GeForce GTX 980 Ti vs GeForce GT 1030: In-Depth Breakdown
Performance: GeForce GTX 980 Ti vs GeForce GT 1030
The GeForce GTX 980 Ti is dramatically faster, around 900% ahead of the GeForce GT 1030. Both cards sit in the same broad class, well suited to entry-level 1080p. The GeForce GTX 980 Ti packs 2,816 CUDA cores versus 384 on the GeForce GT 1030.
Price & Value
Right now the GeForce GT 1030 starts at $87 EUR against $760 EUR for the GeForce GTX 980 Ti. Because it's both faster and competitively priced, the GeForce GTX 980 Ti wins on performance-per-dollar by about 14%. The GeForce GTX 980 Ti still sits about $111 EUR above its $649 EUR MSRP.
Power & Efficiency
The GeForce GT 1030 pulls less power (30W vs 250W), so it's the easier card to cool and the lighter load on your PSU. The faster GeForce GTX 980 Ti draws more overall but extracts more performance from each watt — plan for a sturdier power supply if you pick it.
VRAM & Future-Proofing
With 6GB against 2GB, the GeForce GTX 980 Ti has more headroom for 4K textures and memory-hungry creative/AI tasks where the GeForce GT 1030's 2GB can fall short. The GeForce GTX 980 Ti's memory is also faster — 337 GB/s versus 48 GB/s (384-bit vs 64-bit bus) — which helps feed the GPU at 4K and with heavy textures.
Generation & Longevity
The GeForce GT 1030 is roughly 2 years newer than the GeForce GTX 980 Ti (Pascal vs Maxwell), so it generally benefits from a more modern architecture and longer driver-support runway.
Which should you buy: GeForce GT 1030 or GeForce GTX 980 Ti?
The GeForce GTX 980 Ti is the all-round winner here — it's faster and the better value, so buy it if it fits your budget. Only consider the GeForce GT 1030 if you find it at a steep discount.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the GeForce GTX 980 Ti better than the GeForce GT 1030?
Which is better for 4K gaming, the GeForce GT 1030 or the GeForce GTX 980 Ti?
Is the GeForce GTX 980 Ti worth the extra $673 EUR over the GeForce GT 1030?
Does the GeForce GTX 980 Ti have enough VRAM advantage to matter?
Which should you buy: GeForce GT 1030 or GeForce GTX 980 Ti?
Technical Specifications Comparison
Architecture & Cores
| Specification | GeForce GT 1030 | GeForce GTX 980 Ti |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Pascal | Maxwell |
| Process Node | Samsung 14nm | TSMC 28nm |
| CUDA Cores (CUDA Cores / CUDA Cores) | 384 | 2,816✓ |
Clock Speeds
| Specification | GeForce GT 1030 | GeForce GTX 980 Ti |
|---|---|---|
| Base Clock | 1,227 MHz✓ | 1,000 MHz |
| Boost Clock | 1,468 MHz✓ | 1,075 MHz |
Memory
| Specification | GeForce GT 1030 | GeForce GTX 980 Ti |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 2 GB | 6 GB✓ |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bus | 64-bit | 384-bit✓ |
| Memory Speed | 6 Gbps | 7 Gbps✓ |
| Bandwidth | 48 GB/s | 336.5 GB/s✓ |
Connectivity & Power
| Specification | GeForce GT 1030 | GeForce GTX 980 Ti |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 3.0 x16 |
| TDP | 30 W✓ | 250 W |
| Power Connectors | None | 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin |
| Released | May 2017 | Jun 2015 |