GPU Comparison

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

Quick Verdict

The GeForce GTX 980 is noticeably faster than the Radeon RX 580, leading by roughly 17% in our performance index. The Radeon RX 580, however, delivers more performance per dollar — $675 EUR cheaper.

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VS
Price
€824
Performance
7%
VRAM
4 GB GDDR5
Key Specs Advantage

Comparable or lower specs

AMD
Radeon RX 580
Price
€149
Performance
6%
VRAM
8 GB GDDR5
Key Specs Advantage
+14% Bandwidth (256 GB/s vs 224.3 GB/s)
+13% Stream Processors (2,304 vs 2,048)
+10% Boost Clock (1,340 MHz vs 1,216 MHz)

GeForce GTX 980 vs Radeon RX 580: In-Depth Breakdown

Performance: GeForce GTX 980 vs Radeon RX 580

The GeForce GTX 980 is noticeably faster, around 17% ahead of the Radeon RX 580. Both cards sit in the same broad class, well suited to entry-level 1080p.

Price & Value

Right now the Radeon RX 580 starts at $149 EUR against $824 EUR for the GeForce GTX 980. Despite being slower, the Radeon RX 580 offers the better performance-per-dollar (~373% better value), so budget-focused buyers should weigh it carefully. The Radeon RX 580 is trading below its $229 EUR MSRP — a genuine deal. The GeForce GTX 980 still sits about $275 EUR above its $549 EUR MSRP.

Power & Efficiency

The GeForce GTX 980 draws just 165W versus 185W for the Radeon RX 580, and it also delivers more performance per watt — so it runs cooler and quieter and needs less PSU headroom.

VRAM & Future-Proofing

With 8GB against 4GB, the Radeon RX 580 has more headroom for 4K textures and memory-hungry creative/AI tasks where the GeForce GTX 980's 4GB can fall short.

Generation & Longevity

The Radeon RX 580 is roughly 3 years newer than the GeForce GTX 980 (GCN 4.0 (Polaris) vs Maxwell), so it generally benefits from a more modern architecture and longer driver-support runway.

Features & Ecosystem

Beyond raw numbers, the GeForce GTX 980 brings NVIDIA DLSS upscaling/frame generation and stronger ray tracing, while the Radeon RX 580 offers AMD FSR upscaling and strong rasterization value. If you lean on upscaling or ray tracing, that ecosystem difference can matter as much as the frame-rate gap.

Which should you buy: GeForce GTX 980 or Radeon RX 580?

Choose the GeForce GTX 980 if you want the most performance and can absorb the higher price. If you're optimizing for value, the Radeon RX 580 stretches your money further for only slightly lower performance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the GeForce GTX 980 better than the Radeon RX 580?

The GeForce GTX 980 is noticeably faster, roughly 17% ahead. The Radeon RX 580 is still worth it if value matters more than top-end frames.

Which is better for 4K gaming, the GeForce GTX 980 or the Radeon RX 580?

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.

Is the GeForce GTX 980 worth the extra $675 EUR over the Radeon RX 580?

Only if you need the extra performance or features; on pure value the Radeon RX 580 comes out ahead.

Does the Radeon RX 580 have enough VRAM advantage to matter?

Its 8GB (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 980Radeon RX 580
ArchitectureMaxwellGCN 4.0 (Polaris)
Process NodeTSMC 28nmGloFo 14nm
CUDA Cores (CUDA Cores / Stream Processors)2,0482,304

Clock Speeds

SpecificationGeForce GTX 980Radeon RX 580
Base Clock1,126 MHz1,257 MHz
Boost Clock1,216 MHz1,340 MHz

Memory

SpecificationGeForce GTX 980Radeon RX 580
VRAM Capacity4 GB8 GB
Memory TypeGDDR5GDDR5
Memory Bus256-bit256-bit
Memory Speed7 Gbps8 Gbps
Bandwidth224.3 GB/s256 GB/s

Connectivity & Power

SpecificationGeForce GTX 980Radeon RX 580
InterfacePCIe 3.0 x16PCIe 3.0 x16
TDP165 W185 W
Power Connectors2x 6-pin1x 8-pin
ReleasedSep 2014Apr 2017