GPU Comparison
Select up to 2 GPUs to analyze their pricing, performance, and specifications side-by-side.
On raw speed the GeForce GTX 980 comes out significantly faster — about 33% ahead of the GeForce GTX 1060. But the GeForce GTX 1060 is the better value, undercutting it by $361 GBP for the performance you get.
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GeForce GTX 980 vs GeForce GTX 1060: In-Depth Breakdown
Performance: GeForce GTX 980 vs GeForce GTX 1060
The GeForce GTX 980 is significantly faster, around 33% ahead of the GeForce GTX 1060. Both cards sit in the same broad class, well suited to entry-level 1080p. The GeForce GTX 980 packs 2,048 CUDA cores versus 1,280 on the GeForce GTX 1060.
Price & Value
The GeForce GTX 1060 currently lists from $134 GBP, $361 GBP less than the GeForce GTX 980 at $495 GBP. Despite being slower, the GeForce GTX 1060 offers the better performance-per-dollar (~178% better value), so budget-focused buyers should weigh it carefully. The GeForce GTX 1060 is trading below its $299 GBP MSRP — a genuine deal. The GeForce GTX 980 is trading below its $549 GBP MSRP — a genuine deal.
Power & Efficiency
At 120W against 165W, the GeForce GTX 1060 is both the lower-power and the more efficient card, making it the easier build to cool and power. 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 1060 carries 6GB versus 4GB on the GeForce GTX 980. The extra 2GB helps at 4K, with high-resolution texture packs, and for content-creation or local-AI workloads that exhaust smaller buffers. The GeForce GTX 980's memory is also faster — 224 GB/s versus 192 GB/s (256-bit vs 192-bit bus) — which helps feed the GPU at 4K and with heavy textures.
Generation & Longevity
The GeForce GTX 1060 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 1060 or GeForce GTX 980?
Choose the GeForce GTX 980 if you want the most performance and can absorb the higher price. If you're optimizing for value, the GeForce GTX 1060 stretches your money further for only slightly lower performance.