GeForce GTX 980

The GeForce GTX 980 was NVIDIA's flagship Maxwell-architecture consumer GPU at launch in late 2014, succeeding the Kepler-based GTX 780 and representing the top of the GTX 900 series before the Ti variant arrived. It set a new standard for performance-per-watt in the high-end gaming segment.

The GTX 980 features 4GB of GDDR5 memory and a TDP of 165W, a notably low power draw for a flagship card of its generation. Maxwell's architectural efficiency meant the GTX 980 could match or exceed the performance of the previous-generation GTX 780 Ti while consuming significantly less power. It carries no hardware ray-tracing cores, no Tensor cores, and no DLSS capability.

Targeting 1440p gaming and 4K gaming at reduced settings, the GTX 980 was positioned for enthusiasts who wanted the best single-GPU gaming performance available at release. It is a legacy card today, but its launch represented a meaningful generational leap in efficiency for NVIDIA's flagship tier.