780M SLI vs 980M

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Combined performance score

GTX 980M
18.99

780M SLI outperforms 980M by 6% in our combined benchmark results.

General info

GPU architecture, market segment, value for money and other general parameters compared.

Place in performance ranking271256
Place by popularitynot in top-100not in top-100
Value for money9.3841.21
ArchitectureMaxwell (2014−2018)Kepler (2012−2018)
GPU code nameGM204N14E-GTX
Market segmentLaptopLaptop
Release date7 October 2014 (9 years old)30 May 2013 (10 years old)
Current price$583 $149
Value for money

Performance to price ratio. The higher, the better.

GTX 780M SLI has 339% better value for money than GTX 980M.

Technical specs

General performance parameters such as number of shaders, GPU core base clock and boost clock speeds, manufacturing process, texturing and calculation speed. These parameters indirectly speak of performance, but for precise assessment you have to consider their benchmark and gaming test results. Note that power consumption of some graphics cards can well exceed their nominal TDP, especially when overclocked.

Pipelines / CUDA cores15363072
CUDA cores1536no data
Core clock speed1038 MHz823 MHz
Boost clock speed1127 MHzno data
Number of transistors5,200 million7080 Million
Manufacturing process technology28 nm28 nm
Power consumption (TDP)unknown200 Watt
Texture fill rate51.84no data
Floating-point performance3,462 gflopsno data

Size and compatibility

Information on GeForce GTX 980M and GeForce GTX 780M SLI compatibility with other computer components. Useful when choosing a future computer configuration or upgrading an existing one. For notebook video cards it's notebook size, connection slot and bus, if the video card is inserted into a slot instead of being soldered to the notebook motherboard.

Laptop sizelargelarge
Bus supportPCI Express 3.0no data
InterfaceMXM-B (3.0)no data
Supplementary power connectorsNoneno data
SLI options++

Memory

Parameters of VRAM installed: its type, size, bus, clock and resulting bandwidth. Integrated GPUs have no dedicated video RAM and use a shared part of system RAM.

Memory typeGDDR5GDDR5
Maximum RAM amount8 GB2x 4 GB
Memory bus width256 Bit2x 256 Bit
Memory clock speed2500 MHz5000 MHz
Memory bandwidth160 GB/sno data
Shared memory--

Video outputs and ports

Types and number of video connectors present on the reviewed GPUs. As a rule, data in this section is precise only for desktop reference ones (so-called Founders Edition for NVIDIA chips). OEM manufacturers may change the number and type of output ports, while for notebook cards availability of certain video outputs ports depends on the laptop model rather than on the card itself.

Display ConnectorsNo outputsno data
VGA аnalog display support+no data
DisplayPort Multimode (DP++) support+no data
HDMI+no data
G-SYNC support+no data

Technologies

Supported technological solutions. This information will prove useful if you need some particular technology for your purposes.

GameStream+no data
GeForce ShadowPlay+no data
GPU Boost2.0no data
GameWorks+no data
H.264, VC1, MPEG2 1080p video decoder+no data
Optimus++
BatteryBoost+no data
Ansel+no data

API support

List of supported graphics and general-purpose computing APIs, including their specific versions.

DirectX12 (12_1)11
Shader Model6.4no data
OpenGL4.5no data
OpenCL1.1no data
Vulkan1.1.126no data
CUDA++

Synthetic benchmark performance

Non-gaming benchmark performance comparison. The combined score is measured on a 0-100 point scale.


Combined synthetic benchmark score

This is our combined benchmark performance score. We are regularly improving our combining algorithms, but if you find some perceived inconsistencies, feel free to speak up in comments section, we usually fix problems quickly.

GTX 980M 18.99
GTX 780M SLI 20.11
+5.9%

780M SLI outperforms 980M by 6% in our combined benchmark results.


3DMark Vantage Performance

3DMark Vantage is an outdated DirectX 10 benchmark using 1280x1024 screen resolution. It taxes the graphics card with two scenes, one depicting a girl escaping some militarized base located within a sea cave, the other displaying a space fleet attack on a defenseless planet. It was discontinued in April 2017, and Time Spy benchmark is now recommended to be used instead.

Benchmark coverage: 17%

GTX 980M 31944
GTX 780M SLI 36004
+12.7%

780M SLI outperforms 980M by 13% in 3DMark Vantage Performance.

3DMark 11 Performance GPU

3DMark 11 is an obsolete DirectX 11 benchmark by Futuremark. It used four tests based on two scenes, one being few submarines exploring the submerged wreck of a sunken ship, the other is an abandoned temple deep in the jungle. All the tests are heavy with volumetric lighting and tessellation, and despite being done in 1280x720 resolution, are relatively taxing. Discontinued in January 2020, 3DMark 11 is now superseded by Time Spy.

Benchmark coverage: 17%

GTX 980M 12517
GTX 780M SLI 14140
+13%

780M SLI outperforms 980M by 13% in 3DMark 11 Performance GPU.

3DMark Fire Strike Graphics

Fire Strike is a DirectX 11 benchmark for gaming PCs. It features two separate tests displaying a fight between a humanoid and a fiery creature made of lava. Using 1920x1080 resolution, Fire Strike shows off some realistic graphics and is quite taxing on hardware.

Benchmark coverage: 14%

GTX 980M 9682
GTX 780M SLI 10091
+4.2%

780M SLI outperforms 980M by 4% in 3DMark Fire Strike Graphics.

3DMark Cloud Gate GPU

Cloud Gate is an outdated DirectX 11 feature level 10 benchmark that was used for home PCs and basic notebooks. It displays a few scenes of some weird space teleportation device launching spaceships into unknown, using fixed resolution of 1280x720. Just like Ice Storm benchmark, it has been discontinued in January 2020 and replaced by 3DMark Night Raid.

Benchmark coverage: 14%

GTX 980M 65241
GTX 780M SLI 66148
+1.4%

780M SLI outperforms 980M by 1% in 3DMark Cloud Gate GPU.

Unigine Heaven 3.0

This is an old DirectX 11 benchmark using Unigine, a 3D game engine by eponymous Russian company. It displays a fantasy medieval town sprawling over several flying islands. Version 3.0 was released in 2012, and in 2013 it was superseded by Heaven 4.0, which introduced several slight improvements, including a newer version of Unigine.

Benchmark coverage: 4%

GTX 980M 111
GTX 780M SLI 133
+20.1%

780M SLI outperforms 980M by 20% in Unigine Heaven 3.0.

Gaming performance

Let's see how good the compared graphics cards are for gaming. Particular gaming benchmark results are measured in FPS.

Average FPS across all PC games

Here are the average frames per second in a large set of popular games across different resolutions:

900p173
−4%
180−190
+4%
Full HD72
−37.5%
99
+37.5%
1440p36
+2.9%
35−40
−2.9%
4K27
+0%
27−30
+0%

Performance in popular games

Full HD
Low Preset

Cyberpunk 2077 30−33
−6.7%
30−35
+6.7%

Full HD
Medium Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey 51
+24.4%
40−45
−24.4%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla 30−35
−6.1%
35−40
+6.1%
Battlefield 5 82
+22.4%
65−70
−22.4%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 45−50
−6.1%
50−55
+6.1%
Cyberpunk 2077 30−33
−6.7%
30−35
+6.7%
Far Cry 5 58
+9.4%
50−55
−9.4%
Far Cry New Dawn 60
+11.1%
50−55
−11.1%
Forza Horizon 4 74
+7.2%
65−70
−7.2%
Hitman 3 55−60
−5.5%
55−60
+5.5%
Horizon Zero Dawn 40−45
−7.5%
40−45
+7.5%
Red Dead Redemption 2 30−35
−6.5%
30−35
+6.5%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 51
+18.6%
40−45
−18.6%
Watch Dogs: Legion 35−40
−8.3%
35−40
+8.3%

Full HD
High Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey 44
+7.3%
40−45
−7.3%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla 30−35
−6.1%
35−40
+6.1%
Battlefield 5 68
+1.5%
65−70
−1.5%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 45−50
−6.1%
50−55
+6.1%
Cyberpunk 2077 30−33
−6.7%
30−35
+6.7%
Far Cry 5 53
+0%
50−55
+0%
Far Cry New Dawn 56
+3.7%
50−55
−3.7%
Forza Horizon 4 68
−1.5%
65−70
+1.5%
Hitman 3 55−60
−5.5%
55−60
+5.5%
Horizon Zero Dawn 40−45
−7.5%
40−45
+7.5%
Metro Exodus 31
−3.2%
30−35
+3.2%
Red Dead Redemption 2 30−35
−6.5%
30−35
+6.5%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 42
−2.4%
40−45
+2.4%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 61
+38.6%
40−45
−38.6%
Watch Dogs: Legion 35−40
−8.3%
35−40
+8.3%

Full HD
Ultra Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey 26
−57.7%
40−45
+57.7%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla 30−35
−6.1%
35−40
+6.1%
Battlefield 5 61
−9.8%
65−70
+9.8%
Cyberpunk 2077 30−33
−6.7%
30−35
+6.7%
Far Cry 5 50
−6%
50−55
+6%
Far Cry New Dawn 51
−5.9%
50−55
+5.9%
Forza Horizon 4 47
−46.8%
65−70
+46.8%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 33
−33.3%
40−45
+33.3%
Watch Dogs: Legion 35−40
−8.3%
35−40
+8.3%

1440p
High Preset

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 27−30
−7.1%
30−33
+7.1%
Hitman 3 30−33
−10%
30−35
+10%
Horizon Zero Dawn 24−27
−8%
27−30
+8%
Metro Exodus 19
+0%
18−20
+0%
Red Dead Redemption 2 14−16
−7.1%
14−16
+7.1%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 25
−4%
24−27
+4%

1440p
Ultra Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey 20
−5%
21−24
+5%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla 16−18
−11.8%
18−20
+11.8%
Battlefield 5 45
+0%
45−50
+0%
Cyberpunk 2077 10−12
−9.1%
12−14
+9.1%
Far Cry 5 34
+0%
30−35
+0%
Far Cry New Dawn 38
−2.6%
35−40
+2.6%
Forza Horizon 4 39
−5.1%
40−45
+5.1%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 21−24
−4.8%
21−24
+4.8%
Watch Dogs: Legion 12−14
−7.7%
14−16
+7.7%

4K
High Preset

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 14−16
−7.1%
14−16
+7.1%
Hitman 3 18−20
−5.6%
18−20
+5.6%
Horizon Zero Dawn 12−14
−8.3%
12−14
+8.3%
Metro Exodus 12
+0%
12−14
+0%
Red Dead Redemption 2 10−11
−10%
10−12
+10%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 12
−8.3%
12−14
+8.3%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 22
+4.8%
21−24
−4.8%

4K
Ultra Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey 12
+0%
12−14
+0%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla 10−11
+0%
10−11
+0%
Battlefield 5 23
+0%
21−24
+0%
Cyberpunk 2077 4−5
+0%
4−5
+0%
Far Cry 5 16
+0%
16−18
+0%
Far Cry New Dawn 20
+5.3%
18−20
−5.3%
Forza Horizon 4 26
−7.7%
27−30
+7.7%
Watch Dogs: Legion 8−9
−12.5%
9−10
+12.5%

This is how GTX 980M and GTX 780M SLI compete in popular games:

900p resolution:

  • GTX 780M SLI is 4% faster than GTX 980M

1080p resolution:

  • GTX 780M SLI is 37.5% faster than GTX 980M

1440p resolution:

  • GTX 980M is 2.9% faster than GTX 780M SLI

4K resolution:

  • GTX 780M SLI is 0% faster than GTX 980M

Here's the range of performance differences observed across popular games:

  • in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, with 1080p resolution and the High Preset, the GTX 980M is 38.6% faster than the GTX 780M SLI.
  • in Assassin's Creed Odyssey, with 1080p resolution and the Ultra Preset, the GTX 780M SLI is 57.7% faster than the GTX 980M.

All in all, in popular games:

  • GTX 980M is ahead in 12 tests (18%)
  • GTX 780M SLI is ahead in 46 tests (68%)
  • there's a draw in 10 tests (15%)

Advantages and disadvantages


Performance score 18.99 20.11
Recency 7 October 2014 30 May 2013

We couldn't decide between GeForce GTX 980M and GeForce GTX 780M SLI. The differences in performance seem too small.


Should you still have questions concerning choice between the reviewed GPUs, ask them in Comments section, and we shall answer.

User ratings

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NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M
GeForce GTX 980M
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M SLI
GeForce GTX 780M SLI

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