GPU Comparison
Select up to 2 GPUs to analyze their pricing, performance, and specifications side-by-side.
Market Value Leader
Only verified data for GeForce GTX 980 Ti is available. Benchmarks for other models are currently being processed.
On performance, the GeForce GTX 980 Ti and GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop are effectively a dead heat — under a few percent apart. The GeForce GTX 980 Ti is the cheaper option by $594 USD.
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GeForce GTX 980 Ti vs GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop: In-Depth Breakdown
Performance: GeForce GTX 980 Ti vs GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop
The GeForce GTX 980 Ti and GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop 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. The GeForce GTX 980 Ti packs 2,816 CUDA cores versus 2,048 on the GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop.
Price & Value
Right now the GeForce GTX 980 Ti starts at $115 USD against $709 USD for the GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop. The GeForce GTX 980 Ti is trading below its $649 USD MSRP — a genuine deal.
Power & Efficiency
The GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop draws just 80W versus 250W for the GeForce GTX 980 Ti, and it also delivers more performance per watt — so it runs cooler and quieter and needs less PSU headroom. Its more modern Ampere architecture on a Samsung 8nm process is part of why it does more with each watt.
VRAM & Future-Proofing
With 6GB against 4GB, the GeForce GTX 980 Ti has more headroom for 4K textures and memory-hungry creative/AI tasks where the GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop's 4GB can fall short. The GeForce GTX 980 Ti's memory is also faster — 337 GB/s versus 192 GB/s (384-bit vs 128-bit bus) — which helps feed the GPU at 4K and with heavy textures.
Generation & Longevity
The GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop is roughly 6 years newer than the GeForce GTX 980 Ti (Ampere vs Maxwell), so it generally benefits from a more modern architecture and longer driver-support runway.
Which should you buy: GeForce GTX 980 Ti or GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop?
The GeForce GTX 980 Ti is the faster card. With live pricing limited for this pair, base your decision on the spec differences above — particularly VRAM and power draw — and check current stock before buying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the GeForce GTX 980 Ti better than the GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop?
Which is better for 4K gaming, the GeForce GTX 980 Ti or the GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop?
Is the GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop worth the extra $594 USD over the GeForce GTX 980 Ti?
Does the GeForce GTX 980 Ti have enough VRAM advantage to matter?
Technical Specifications Comparison
Architecture & Cores
| Specification | GeForce GTX 980 Ti | GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Maxwell | Ampere |
| Process Node | TSMC 28nm | Samsung 8nm |
| CUDA Cores (CUDA Cores / CUDA Cores) | 2,816✓ | 2,048 |
| Ray Tracing Cores | — | 16 |
| Tensor / AI Cores | — | 64 |
Clock Speeds
| Specification | GeForce GTX 980 Ti | GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop |
|---|---|---|
| Base Clock | 1,000 MHz | 1,237 MHz✓ |
| Boost Clock | 1,075 MHz | 1,500 MHz✓ |
Memory
| Specification | GeForce GTX 980 Ti | GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 6 GB✓ | 4 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR6 |
| Memory Bus | 384-bit✓ | 128-bit |
| Memory Speed | 7 Gbps | 12 Gbps✓ |
| Bandwidth | 336.5 GB/s✓ | 192 GB/s |
Connectivity & Power
| Specification | GeForce GTX 980 Ti | GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 4.0 x8 |
| TDP | 250 W | 80 W✓ |
| Power Connectors | 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin | None |
| Released | Jun 2015 | May 2021 |