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. But the GeForce GTX 980 is the better value, undercutting it by $137,623 JPY for the performance you get.
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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 $28,966 JPY, $137,623 JPY under the GeForce RTX 2080's $166,589 JPY. Despite being slower, the GeForce GTX 980 offers the better performance-per-dollar (~112% 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 RTX 2080 still sits about $165,890 JPY above its $699 JPY 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?
Choose the GeForce RTX 2080 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 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 $137,623 JPY 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 |