GeForce GTX 970 vs GeForce GTX TITAN Z

Quick Verdict

Neither the GeForce GTX 970 nor the GeForce GTX TITAN Z pulls ahead in performance; treat them as equals on speed. It also comes out ahead on value, making it the straightforward pick if the price fits your budget.

Maximum Capacity Reached. Remove a model to add another. (2/2)

NVIDIA GeForce

GTX 970

Price

$65 USD✓

Performance

5/100✓

VRAM

4 GB GDDR5

Key Specs Advantage

+34% Boost Clock (1,178 MHz vs 876 MHz)

$369 USDGIGABYTE GeForce GTX 970 4GB GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 SLI Support ATX Graphics Card GV-N970WF3OC-4GD (rev. 1.0/1.1)

$65 USDEVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB 04G-P4-3978-KR Graphics Card (Renewed)

Used

NVIDIA GeForce

GTX TITAN Z

Price

$599 USD

Performance

5/100✓

VRAM

12 GB GDDR5✓

Key Specs Advantage

+73% CUDA Cores (2,880 vs 1,664)

+50% Bandwidth (336 GB/s vs 224.3 GB/s)

+50% Memory Bus (384-bit vs 256-bit)

$689 USDEVGAGeForce GTX TITAN Z 12GB GAMING, Fastest NVIDIA GPU Graphics Card 12G-P4-3990-KR

$599 USDRefurbished EVGA GeForce GTX TITAN Z 12GB GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 SLI Support Graphics Card 12G-P4-3990-RX

Used

Skip to Spec Sheets ↓

GeForce GTX 970 vs GeForce GTX TITAN Z: In-Depth Breakdown

Performance: GeForce GTX 970 vs GeForce GTX TITAN Z

The GeForce GTX 970 and GeForce GTX TITAN Z post nearly the same score in our performance index, so neither holds a meaningful raw-speed advantage. Both are best suited to entry-level 1080p gaming.

Price & Value

On price, expect to pay $65 USD for the GeForce GTX 970 versus $599 USD for the GeForce GTX TITAN Z. Because it's both faster and competitively priced, the GeForce GTX 970 wins on performance-per-dollar by about 822%. The GeForce GTX 970 is trading below its $329 USD MSRP — a genuine deal. The GeForce GTX TITAN Z is trading below its $2,999 USD MSRP — a genuine deal.

Power & Efficiency

The GeForce GTX 970 draws just 145W versus 375W for the GeForce GTX TITAN Z, and it also delivers more performance per watt — so it runs cooler and quieter and needs less PSU headroom.

VRAM & Future-Proofing

With 12GB against 4GB, the GeForce GTX TITAN Z has more headroom for 4K textures and memory-hungry creative/AI tasks where the GeForce GTX 970's 4GB can fall short. The GeForce GTX TITAN Z's memory is also faster — 336 GB/s versus 224 GB/s (384-bit vs 256-bit bus) — which helps feed the GPU at 4K and with heavy textures.

Which should you buy: GeForce GTX 970 or GeForce GTX TITAN Z?

The GeForce GTX 970 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 TITAN Z if you find it at a steep discount.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the GeForce GTX 970 better than the GeForce GTX TITAN Z?

They're very close on raw performance. The GeForce GTX 970 edges ahead on value, so price and availability should decide it.

Which is better for 4K gaming, the GeForce GTX 970 or the GeForce GTX TITAN Z?

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 TITAN Z worth the extra $534 USD over the GeForce GTX 970?

Only if you need the extra performance or features; on pure value the GeForce GTX 970 comes out ahead.

Does the GeForce GTX TITAN Z have enough VRAM advantage to matter?

Its 12GB (vs 4GB) gives real headroom for 4K, heavy texture mods, and creative/AI work. At 1080p the gap matters less.

Which should you buy: GeForce GTX 970 or GeForce GTX TITAN Z?

The GeForce GTX 970 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 TITAN Z if you find it at a steep discount.

Technical Specifications Comparison

Architecture & Cores

Architecture & Cores specifications comparison between GeForce GTX 970 and GeForce GTX TITAN Z
Specification	GeForce GTX 970	GeForce GTX TITAN Z
Architecture	Maxwell	Kepler
Process Node	TSMC 28nm	TSMC 28nm
CUDA Cores (CUDA Cores / CUDA Cores)	1,664	2,880✓

Clock Speeds

Clock Speeds specifications comparison between GeForce GTX 970 and GeForce GTX TITAN Z
Specification	GeForce GTX 970	GeForce GTX TITAN Z
Base Clock	1,050 MHz✓	705 MHz
Boost Clock	1,178 MHz✓	876 MHz

Memory

Memory specifications comparison between GeForce GTX 970 and GeForce GTX TITAN Z
Specification	GeForce GTX 970	GeForce GTX TITAN Z
VRAM Capacity	4 GB	12 GB✓
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bus	256-bit	384-bit✓
Memory Speed	7 Gbps	7 Gbps
Bandwidth	224.3 GB/s	336 GB/s✓

Connectivity & Power

Connectivity & Power specifications comparison between GeForce GTX 970 and GeForce GTX TITAN Z
Specification	GeForce GTX 970	GeForce GTX TITAN Z
Interface	PCIe 3.0 x16	PCIe 3.0 x16
TDP	145 W✓	375 W
Power Connectors	2x 6-pin	2x 8-pin
Released	Sep 2014	May 2014