GeForce GTX 1080 vs GeForce GTX 980
The GeForce GTX 1080 pulls ahead here — in a different league, about 86% ahead of the GeForce GTX 980. It also wins on performance-per-dollar, making it the cleaner choice when you can afford it.
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Comparable or lower specs
GeForce GTX 1080 vs GeForce GTX 980: In-Depth Breakdown
Performance: GeForce GTX 1080 vs GeForce GTX 980
The GeForce GTX 1080 is dramatically faster, around 86% ahead of the GeForce GTX 980. Both cards sit in the same broad class, well suited to entry-level 1080p. The GeForce GTX 1080 packs 2,560 CUDA cores versus 2,048 on the GeForce GTX 980.
Price & Value
Pricing has the GeForce GTX 1080 at $270 CAD, $225 CAD under the GeForce GTX 980's $495 CAD. Because it's both faster and competitively priced, the GeForce GTX 1080 wins on performance-per-dollar by about 240%. The GeForce GTX 1080 is trading below its $599 CAD MSRP — a genuine deal. The GeForce GTX 980 is trading below its $549 CAD MSRP — a genuine deal.
Power & Efficiency
At 165W vs 180W, the GeForce GTX 980 is the gentler load on your system. The GeForce GTX 1080's extra power draw buys more performance per watt, not just more heat — worth it if your PSU has the headroom. 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 1080 carries 8GB versus 4GB on the GeForce GTX 980. The extra 4GB helps at 4K, with high-resolution texture packs, and for content-creation or local-AI workloads that exhaust smaller buffers. The GeForce GTX 1080's memory is also faster — 320 GB/s versus 224 GB/s — which helps feed the GPU at 4K and with heavy textures.
Generation & Longevity
The GeForce GTX 1080 is roughly 2 years newer than the GeForce GTX 980 (Pascal vs Maxwell), so it generally benefits from a more modern architecture and longer driver-support runway.
Which should you buy: GeForce GTX 1080 or GeForce GTX 980?
The GeForce GTX 1080 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 if you find it at a steep discount.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the GeForce GTX 1080 better than the GeForce GTX 980?
Which is better for 4K gaming, the GeForce GTX 1080 or the GeForce GTX 980?
Is the GeForce GTX 980 worth the extra $225 CAD over the GeForce GTX 1080?
Does the GeForce GTX 1080 have enough VRAM advantage to matter?
Which should you buy: GeForce GTX 1080 or GeForce GTX 980?
Technical Specifications Comparison
Architecture & Cores
| Specification | GeForce GTX 1080 | GeForce GTX 980 |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Pascal | Maxwell |
| Process Node | TSMC 16nm | TSMC 28nm |
| CUDA Cores (CUDA Cores / CUDA Cores) | 2,560✓ | 2,048 |
Clock Speeds
| Specification | GeForce GTX 1080 | GeForce GTX 980 |
|---|---|---|
| Base Clock | 1,607 MHz✓ | 1,126 MHz |
| Boost Clock | 1,733 MHz✓ | 1,216 MHz |
Memory
| Specification | GeForce GTX 1080 | GeForce GTX 980 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 8 GB✓ | 4 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5X | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bus | 256-bit | 256-bit |
| Memory Speed | 10 Gbps✓ | 7 Gbps |
| Bandwidth | 320 GB/s✓ | 224.3 GB/s |
Connectivity & Power
| Specification | GeForce GTX 1080 | GeForce GTX 980 |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 3.0 x16 |
| TDP | 180 W | 165 W✓ |
| Power Connectors | 1x 8-pin | 2x 6-pin |
| Released | May 2016 | Sep 2014 |