GPU Comparison
Select up to 2 GPUs to analyze their pricing, performance, and specifications side-by-side.
On raw speed the Radeon RX 6500 XT comes out noticeably faster — about 14% 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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Radeon RX 6500 XT vs GeForce GTX 980: In-Depth Breakdown
Performance: Radeon RX 6500 XT vs GeForce GTX 980
The Radeon RX 6500 XT is noticeably faster, around 14% ahead of the GeForce GTX 980. Both cards sit in the same broad class, well suited to entry-level 1080p.
Price & Value
The Radeon RX 6500 XT currently lists from $169 EUR, $655 EUR less than the GeForce GTX 980 at $824 EUR. Because it's both faster and competitively priced, the Radeon RX 6500 XT wins on performance-per-dollar by about 458%. The Radeon RX 6500 XT is trading below its $200 EUR MSRP — a genuine deal. The GeForce GTX 980 still sits about $275 EUR above its $549 EUR MSRP.
Power & Efficiency
At 113W against 165W, the Radeon RX 6500 XT is both the lower-power and the more efficient card, making it the easier build to cool and power. Its more modern RDNA 2 architecture on a TSMC N6 process is part of why it does more with each watt.
Generation & Longevity
The Radeon RX 6500 XT is roughly 8 years newer than the GeForce GTX 980 (RDNA 2 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 6500 XT 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 6500 XT?
The Radeon RX 6500 XT 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.