GeForce GTX 980 vs GeForce GTX TITAN Z
The GeForce GTX 980 pulls ahead here — in a different league, about 40% ahead of the GeForce GTX TITAN Z. It also wins on performance-per-dollar, making it the cleaner choice when you can afford it.
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GeForce GTX 980 vs GeForce GTX TITAN Z: In-Depth Breakdown
Performance: GeForce GTX 980 vs GeForce GTX TITAN Z
The GeForce GTX 980 is dramatically faster, around 40% ahead of the GeForce GTX TITAN Z. Both cards sit in the same broad class, well suited to entry-level 1080p.
Price & Value
Pricing has the GeForce GTX 980 at $495 CAD, $603 CAD under the GeForce GTX TITAN Z's $1,098 CAD. Because it's both faster and competitively priced, the GeForce GTX 980 wins on performance-per-dollar by about 211%. The GeForce GTX 980 is trading below its $549 CAD MSRP — a genuine deal. The GeForce GTX TITAN Z is trading below its $2,999 CAD MSRP — a genuine deal.
Power & Efficiency
Power draw favors the GeForce GTX 980 (165W vs 375W), and it's the more efficient card too, so it's the easy pick if thermals or a smaller PSU matter.
VRAM & Future-Proofing
The GeForce GTX TITAN Z carries 12GB versus 4GB on the GeForce GTX 980. The extra 8GB helps at 4K, with high-resolution texture packs, and for content-creation or local-AI workloads that exhaust smaller buffers. The GeForce GTX TITAN Z's memory is also faster — 336 GB/s versus 224 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 980 or GeForce GTX TITAN Z?
The GeForce GTX 980 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 TITAN Z if you find it at a steep discount.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the GeForce GTX 980 better than the GeForce GTX TITAN Z?
Which is better for 4K gaming, the GeForce GTX 980 or the GeForce GTX TITAN Z?
Is the GeForce GTX TITAN Z worth the extra $603 CAD over the GeForce GTX 980?
Does the GeForce GTX TITAN Z have enough VRAM advantage to matter?
Which should you buy: GeForce GTX 980 or GeForce GTX TITAN Z?
Technical Specifications Comparison
Architecture & Cores
| Specification | GeForce GTX 980 | GeForce GTX TITAN Z |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Maxwell | Kepler |
| Process Node | TSMC 28nm | TSMC 28nm |
| CUDA Cores (CUDA Cores / CUDA Cores) | 2,048 | 2,880✓ |
Clock Speeds
| Specification | GeForce GTX 980 | GeForce GTX TITAN Z |
|---|---|---|
| Base Clock | 1,126 MHz✓ | 705 MHz |
| Boost Clock | 1,216 MHz✓ | 876 MHz |
Memory
| Specification | GeForce GTX 980 | GeForce GTX TITAN Z |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 4 GB | 12 GB✓ |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bus | 256-bit | 384-bit✓ |
| Memory Speed | 7 Gbps | 7 Gbps |
| Bandwidth | 224.3 GB/s | 336 GB/s✓ |
Connectivity & Power
| Specification | GeForce GTX 980 | GeForce GTX TITAN Z |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 3.0 x16 |
| TDP | 165 W✓ | 375 W |
| Power Connectors | 2x 6-pin | 2x 8-pin |
| Released | Sep 2014 | May 2014 |