GeForce GTX 980 vs GeForce RTX 2080
The GeForce RTX 2080 pulls ahead here — in a different league, about 171% 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 RTX 2080 vs GeForce GTX 980: In-Depth Breakdown
Performance: GeForce RTX 2080 vs GeForce GTX 980
The GeForce RTX 2080 is dramatically faster, around 171% ahead of the GeForce GTX 980. That gap is enough to move it up a tier: the GeForce RTX 2080 is comfortable at 1080p, while the GeForce GTX 980 is better matched to entry-level 1080p. The GeForce RTX 2080 packs 2,944 CUDA cores versus 2,048 on the GeForce GTX 980.
Price & Value
Pricing has the GeForce GTX 980 at $313 EUR, $528 EUR under the GeForce RTX 2080's $841 EUR. Because it's both faster and competitively priced, the GeForce RTX 2080 wins on performance-per-dollar. The GeForce GTX 980 is trading below its $549 EUR MSRP — a genuine deal. The GeForce RTX 2080 still sits about $142 EUR above its $699 EUR MSRP.
Power & Efficiency
At 165W vs 225W, the GeForce GTX 980 is the gentler load on your system. The GeForce RTX 2080's extra power draw buys more performance per watt, not just more heat — worth it if your PSU has the headroom. Its more modern Turing architecture on a TSMC 12nm process is part of why it does more with each watt.
VRAM & Future-Proofing
The GeForce RTX 2080 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 RTX 2080's memory is also faster — 448 GB/s versus 224 GB/s — which helps feed the GPU at 4K and with heavy textures.
Generation & Longevity
The GeForce RTX 2080 is roughly 4 years newer than the GeForce GTX 980 (Turing vs Maxwell), so it generally benefits from a more modern architecture and longer driver-support runway.
Which should you buy: GeForce GTX 980 or GeForce RTX 2080?
The GeForce RTX 2080 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 RTX 2080 better than the GeForce GTX 980?
Which is better for 4K gaming, the GeForce GTX 980 or the GeForce RTX 2080?
Is the GeForce RTX 2080 worth the extra $528 EUR over the GeForce GTX 980?
Does the GeForce RTX 2080 have enough VRAM advantage to matter?
Which should you buy: GeForce GTX 980 or GeForce RTX 2080?
Technical Specifications Comparison
Architecture & Cores
| Specification | GeForce GTX 980 | GeForce RTX 2080 |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Maxwell | Turing |
| Process Node | TSMC 28nm | TSMC 12nm |
| CUDA Cores (CUDA Cores / CUDA Cores) | 2,048 | 2,944✓ |
| Ray Tracing Cores | — | 46 |
| Tensor / AI Cores | — | 368 |
Clock Speeds
| Specification | GeForce GTX 980 | GeForce RTX 2080 |
|---|---|---|
| Base Clock | 1,126 MHz | 1,515 MHz✓ |
| Boost Clock | 1,216 MHz | 1,710 MHz✓ |
Memory
| Specification | GeForce GTX 980 | GeForce RTX 2080 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 4 GB | 8 GB✓ |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR6 |
| Memory Bus | 256-bit | 256-bit |
| Memory Speed | 7 Gbps | 14 Gbps✓ |
| Bandwidth | 224.3 GB/s | 448 GB/s✓ |
Connectivity & Power
| Specification | GeForce GTX 980 | GeForce RTX 2080 |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 3.0 x16 |
| TDP | 165 W✓ | 225 W |
| Power Connectors | 2x 6-pin | 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin |
| Released | Sep 2014 | Sep 2018 |