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. But the GeForce GTX 980 is the better value, undercutting it by $79,835 JPY for the performance you get.
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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 980 at $28,966 JPY, $79,835 JPY under the GeForce GTX 1080's $108,801 JPY. Despite being slower, the GeForce GTX 980 offers the better performance-per-dollar (~102% better value), so budget-focused buyers should weigh it carefully. The GeForce GTX 980 still sits about $28,417 JPY above its $549 JPY MSRP. The GeForce GTX 1080 still sits about $108,202 JPY above its $599 JPY MSRP.
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?
Choose the GeForce GTX 1080 if you want the most performance and can absorb the higher price. If you're optimizing for value, the GeForce GTX 980 stretches your money further for only slightly lower performance.
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 1080 worth the extra $79,835 JPY over the GeForce GTX 980?
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 |