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GeForce GTX 1070 vs GeForce GTX 980 Ti

Quick Verdict

Performance-wise the GeForce GTX 1070 is out front, noticeably faster, roughly 10% up on the GeForce GTX 980 Ti. It is also the stronger value pick here, so it's the easy recommendation if your budget allows.

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VS
NVIDIA GeForce
GTX 1070
Price
$250 CAD
Performance
11/100
VRAM
8 GB GDDR5
Key Specs Advantage
+57% Boost Clock (1,683 MHz vs 1,075 MHz)
NVIDIA GeForce
GTX 980 Ti
Price
$635 CAD
Performance
10/100
VRAM
6 GB GDDR5
Key Specs Advantage
+50% Memory Bus (384-bit vs 256-bit)
+47% CUDA Cores (2,816 vs 1,920)
+31% Bandwidth (336.5 GB/s vs 256 GB/s)

GeForce GTX 1070 vs GeForce GTX 980 Ti: In-Depth Breakdown

Performance: GeForce GTX 1070 vs GeForce GTX 980 Ti

The GeForce GTX 1070 is noticeably faster, around 10% ahead of the GeForce GTX 980 Ti. Both cards sit in the same broad class, well suited to entry-level 1080p.

Price & Value

Right now the GeForce GTX 1070 starts at $250 CAD against $635 CAD for the GeForce GTX 980 Ti. Because it's both faster and competitively priced, the GeForce GTX 1070 wins on performance-per-dollar by about 179%. The GeForce GTX 1070 is trading below its $379 CAD MSRP — a genuine deal.

Power & Efficiency

The GeForce GTX 1070 sips power at 150W next to the GeForce GTX 980 Ti's 250W, and still leads on performance-per-watt — quieter, cooler, and gentler on your PSU. Its more modern Pascal architecture on a TSMC 16nm process is part of why it does more with each watt.

VRAM & Future-Proofing

The GeForce GTX 1070's 8GB (vs 6GB on the GeForce GTX 980 Ti) gives it more room for 4K textures and memory-hungry creative or AI workloads. The GeForce GTX 980 Ti's memory is also faster — 337 GB/s versus 256 GB/s (384-bit vs 256-bit bus) — which helps feed the GPU at 4K and with heavy textures.

Which should you buy: GeForce GTX 1070 or GeForce GTX 980 Ti?

The GeForce GTX 1070 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 GTX 980 Ti if you find it at a steep discount.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the GeForce GTX 1070 better than the GeForce GTX 980 Ti?

The GeForce GTX 1070 is noticeably faster, roughly 10% ahead. If your budget allows, it's the stronger pick.

Which is better for 4K gaming, the GeForce GTX 1070 or the GeForce GTX 980 Ti?

Neither is a dedicated 4K card; both are best at entry-level 1080p. For 4K you'd want a faster GPU, or lean on upscaling.

Is the GeForce GTX 980 Ti worth the extra $385 CAD over the GeForce GTX 1070?

Only if you need the extra performance or features; on pure value the GeForce GTX 1070 comes out ahead.

Does the GeForce GTX 1070 have enough VRAM advantage to matter?

Its 8GB (vs 6GB) gives real headroom for 4K, heavy texture mods, and creative/AI work. At 1080p the gap matters less.

Which should you buy: GeForce GTX 1070 or GeForce GTX 980 Ti?

The GeForce GTX 1070 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 GTX 980 Ti if you find it at a steep discount.

Technical Specifications Comparison

Architecture & Cores

Architecture & Cores specifications comparison between GeForce GTX 1070 and GeForce GTX 980 Ti
SpecificationGeForce GTX 1070GeForce GTX 980 Ti
ArchitecturePascalMaxwell
Process NodeTSMC 16nmTSMC 28nm
CUDA Cores (CUDA Cores / CUDA Cores)1,9202,816

Clock Speeds

Clock Speeds specifications comparison between GeForce GTX 1070 and GeForce GTX 980 Ti
SpecificationGeForce GTX 1070GeForce GTX 980 Ti
Base Clock1,506 MHz1,000 MHz
Boost Clock1,683 MHz1,075 MHz

Memory

Memory specifications comparison between GeForce GTX 1070 and GeForce GTX 980 Ti
SpecificationGeForce GTX 1070GeForce GTX 980 Ti
VRAM Capacity8 GB6 GB
Memory TypeGDDR5GDDR5
Memory Bus256-bit384-bit
Memory Speed8 Gbps7 Gbps
Bandwidth256 GB/s336.5 GB/s

Connectivity & Power

Connectivity & Power specifications comparison between GeForce GTX 1070 and GeForce GTX 980 Ti
SpecificationGeForce GTX 1070GeForce GTX 980 Ti
InterfacePCIe 3.0 x16PCIe 3.0 x16
TDP150 W250 W
Power Connectors1x 8-pin1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin
ReleasedJun 2016Jun 2015