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GPU Comparison

Select up to 2 GPUs to analyze their pricing, performance, and specifications side-by-side.

Market Value Leader

Only verified data for GeForce GTX 980 is available. Benchmarks for other models are currently being processed.

Quick Verdict

The GeForce GTX 1060 and GeForce GTX 980 trade blows on raw performance, landing within a few percent of each other.

Maximum Capacity Reached. Remove a model to add another. (2/2)

VS
NVIDIA
GeForce GTX 1060
Price
Awaiting Data
Performance
7/100✓
VRAM
6 GB GDDR5✓
Key Specs Advantage
+40% Boost Clock (1,708 MHz vs 1,216 MHz)
NVIDIA
GeForce GTX 980
Price
€998✓
Performance
7/100✓
VRAM
4 GB GDDR5
Key Specs Advantage
+60% CUDA Cores (2,048 vs 1,280)
+33% Memory Bus (256-bit vs 192-bit)
+17% Bandwidth (224.3 GB/s vs 192 GB/s)
Skip to Spec Sheets ↓

GeForce GTX 1060 vs GeForce GTX 980: In-Depth Breakdown

Performance: GeForce GTX 1060 vs GeForce GTX 980

The GeForce GTX 1060 and GeForce GTX 980 post nearly the same score in our performance index, so neither holds a meaningful raw-speed advantage. Both are best suited to entry-level 1080p gaming.

Power & Efficiency

At 120W against 165W, the GeForce GTX 1060 is both the lower-power and the more efficient card, making it the easier build to cool and power. 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 1060 carries 6GB versus 4GB on the GeForce GTX 980. The extra 2GB helps at 4K, with high-resolution texture packs, and for content-creation or local-AI workloads that exhaust smaller buffers. The GeForce GTX 980's memory is also faster — 224 GB/s versus 192 GB/s (256-bit vs 192-bit bus) — which helps feed the GPU at 4K and with heavy textures.

Generation & Longevity

The GeForce GTX 1060 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 1060 or GeForce GTX 980?

The GeForce GTX 1060 is the faster card. With live pricing limited for this pair, base your decision on the spec differences above — particularly VRAM and power draw — and check current stock before buying.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the GeForce GTX 1060 better than the GeForce GTX 980?

They're very close on raw performance. Pick based on price, VRAM, and power draw rather than speed.

Which is better for 4K gaming, the GeForce GTX 1060 or the GeForce GTX 980?

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.

Does the GeForce GTX 1060 have enough VRAM advantage to matter?

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

Technical Specifications Comparison

Architecture & Cores

SpecificationGeForce GTX 1060GeForce GTX 980
ArchitecturePascalMaxwell
Process NodeTSMC 16nmTSMC 28nm
CUDA Cores (CUDA Cores / CUDA Cores)1,2802,048✓

Clock Speeds

SpecificationGeForce GTX 1060GeForce GTX 980
Base Clock1,506 MHz✓1,126 MHz
Boost Clock1,708 MHz✓1,216 MHz

Memory

SpecificationGeForce GTX 1060GeForce GTX 980
VRAM Capacity6 GB✓4 GB
Memory TypeGDDR5GDDR5
Memory Bus192-bit256-bit✓
Memory Speed8 Gbps✓7 Gbps
Bandwidth192 GB/s224.3 GB/s✓

Connectivity & Power

SpecificationGeForce GTX 1060GeForce GTX 980
InterfacePCIe 3.0 x16PCIe 3.0 x16
TDP120 W✓165 W
Power Connectors1x 6-pin2x 6-pin
ReleasedJul 2016Sep 2014
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