GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q vs GTX 980

VS

Aggregate performance score

We've compared GeForce GTX 980 with GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, including specs and performance data.

GTX 980
2014
4 GB GDDR5, 165 Watt
28.89

RTX 2070 Max-Q outperforms GTX 980 by a minimal 4% based on our aggregate benchmark results.

Primary details

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

Place in the ranking197189
Place by popularitynot in top-100not in top-100
Cost-effectiveness evaluation11.03no data
Power efficiency12.0826.04
ArchitectureMaxwell 2.0 (2014−2019)Turing (2018−2022)
GPU code nameGM204TU106B
Market segmentDesktopLaptop
Release date19 September 2014 (10 years ago)29 January 2019 (5 years ago)
Launch price (MSRP)$549 no data

Cost-effectiveness evaluation

Performance to price ratio. The higher, the better.

no data

Detailed specifications

General parameters such as number of shaders, GPU core base clock and boost clock speeds, manufacturing process, texturing and calculation speed. Note that power consumption of some graphics cards can well exceed their nominal TDP, especially when overclocked.

Pipelines / CUDA cores20482304
Core clock speed1064 MHz885 MHz
Boost clock speed1216 MHz1185 MHz
Number of transistors5,200 million10,800 million
Manufacturing process technology28 nm12 nm
Power consumption (TDP)165 Watt80 Watt
Texture fill rate155.6170.6
Floating-point processing power4.981 TFLOPS5.46 TFLOPS
ROPs6464
TMUs128144
Tensor Coresno data288
Ray Tracing Coresno data36

Form factor & compatibility

Information on compatibility with other computer components. Useful when choosing a future computer configuration or upgrading an existing one. For desktop graphics cards it's interface and bus (motherboard compatibility), additional power connectors (power supply compatibility).

Laptop sizeno datalarge
Bus supportPCI Express 3.0no data
InterfacePCIe 3.0 x16PCIe 3.0 x16
Length267 mmno data
Height4.376" (11.1 cm)no data
Width2-slotno data
Recommended system power (PSU)500 Wattno data
Supplementary power connectors2x 6-pinNone
SLI options+-

VRAM capacity and type

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 typeGDDR5GDDR6
Maximum RAM amount4 GB8 GB
Memory bus width256 Bit256 Bit
Memory clock speed7.0 GB/s1500 MHz
Memory bandwidth224 GB/s384.0 GB/s
Shared memory--

Connectivity and outputs

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 ConnectorsDual Link DVI-I, HDMI 2.0, 3x DisplayPort 1.2No outputs
Multi monitor support4 displaysno data
VGA аnalog display support+no data
DisplayPort Multimode (DP++) support+no data
HDMI+-
HDCP+-
Maximum VGA resolution2048x1536no data
G-SYNC support++
Audio input for HDMIInternalno data

Supported technologies

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

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

API compatibility

List of supported 3D and general-purpose computing APIs, including their specific versions.

DirectX12 (12_1)12 Ultimate (12_1)
Shader Model6.46.5
OpenGL4.54.6
OpenCL1.21.2
Vulkan1.1.1261.2.131
CUDA+7.5

Synthetic benchmark performance

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


Combined synthetic benchmark score

This is our combined benchmark 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 980 28.89
RTX 2070 Max-Q 30.19
+4.5%

Passmark

This is the most ubiquitous GPU benchmark. It gives the graphics card a thorough evaluation under various types of load, providing four separate benchmarks for Direct3D versions 9, 10, 11 and 12 (the last being done in 4K resolution if possible), and few more tests engaging DirectCompute capabilities.

GTX 980 11110
RTX 2070 Max-Q 11608
+4.5%

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.

GTX 980 17605
RTX 2070 Max-Q 22089
+25.5%

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.

GTX 980 37997
RTX 2070 Max-Q 48510
+27.7%

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.

GTX 980 12938
RTX 2070 Max-Q 17335
+34%

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.

GTX 980 85374
RTX 2070 Max-Q 106564
+24.8%

3DMark Ice Storm GPU

Ice Storm Graphics is an obsolete benchmark, part of 3DMark suite. Ice Storm was used to measure entry level laptops and Windows-based tablets performance. It utilizes DirectX 11 feature level 9 to display a battle between two space fleets near a frozen planet in 1280x720 resolution. Discontinued in January 2020, it is now superseded by 3DMark Night Raid.

GTX 980 323076
RTX 2070 Max-Q 413114
+27.9%

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:

Full HD92
−7.6%
99
+7.6%
1440p50
−14%
57
+14%
4K40
−2.5%
41
+2.5%

Cost per frame, $

1080p5.97no data
1440p10.98no data
4K13.73no data

FPS performance in popular games

Full HD
Low Preset

Counter-Strike 2 55−60
−5.4%
55−60
+5.4%
Cyberpunk 2077 60−65
−3.3%
60−65
+3.3%
Elden Ring 95−100
−5.2%
100−110
+5.2%

Full HD
Medium Preset

Battlefield 5 75
−1.3%
76
+1.3%
Counter-Strike 2 55−60
−5.4%
55−60
+5.4%
Cyberpunk 2077 60−65
+87.5%
32
−87.5%
Forza Horizon 4 130−140
−6.2%
130−140
+6.2%
Metro Exodus 70−75
−25.7%
93
+25.7%
Red Dead Redemption 2 60−65
−3.3%
60−65
+3.3%
Valorant 110−120
−30.4%
150
+30.4%

Full HD
High Preset

Battlefield 5 77
−32.5%
102
+32.5%
Counter-Strike 2 55−60
−5.4%
55−60
+5.4%
Cyberpunk 2077 60−65
+122%
27
−122%
Dota 2 48
−113%
102
+113%
Elden Ring 95−100
−5.2%
100−110
+5.2%
Far Cry 5 80−85
+0%
83
+0%
Fortnite 105
−36.2%
140−150
+36.2%
Forza Horizon 4 130−140
−6.2%
130−140
+6.2%
Grand Theft Auto V 72
−25%
90
+25%
Metro Exodus 70−75
+8.8%
68
−8.8%
PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS 194
−10.3%
214
+10.3%
Red Dead Redemption 2 60−65
+27.1%
48
−27.1%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 67
−50.7%
100−110
+50.7%
Valorant 110−120
+79.7%
64
−79.7%
World of Tanks 270−280
−0.7%
270−280
+0.7%

Full HD
Ultra Preset

Battlefield 5 67
+3.1%
65
−3.1%
Counter-Strike 2 55−60
−5.4%
55−60
+5.4%
Cyberpunk 2077 60−65
+161%
23
−161%
Dota 2 95−100
−24.7%
121
+24.7%
Far Cry 5 80−85
−55.4%
129
+55.4%
Forza Horizon 4 130−140
−6.2%
130−140
+6.2%
PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS 69
−13%
78
+13%
Valorant 110−120
−12.2%
129
+12.2%

1440p
High Preset

Dota 2 50−55
−6%
50−55
+6%
Elden Ring 50−55
−5.7%
55−60
+5.7%
Grand Theft Auto V 50−55
−6%
50−55
+6%
PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS 170−180
+0%
170−180
+0%
Red Dead Redemption 2 27−30
−7.4%
29
+7.4%
World of Tanks 180−190
−3.7%
190−200
+3.7%

1440p
Ultra Preset

Battlefield 5 47
−17%
55
+17%
Counter-Strike 2 24−27
−3.8%
27−30
+3.8%
Cyberpunk 2077 24−27
−3.8%
27−30
+3.8%
Far Cry 5 85−90
−5.7%
90−95
+5.7%
Forza Horizon 4 75−80
−5.1%
80−85
+5.1%
Metro Exodus 65−70
−10.8%
72
+10.8%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 45−50
−4.4%
45−50
+4.4%
Valorant 80−85
−17.3%
95
+17.3%

4K
High Preset

Counter-Strike 2 27−30
−7.4%
27−30
+7.4%
Dota 2 59
−16.9%
69
+16.9%
Elden Ring 24−27
−8.3%
24−27
+8.3%
Grand Theft Auto V 59
−16.9%
69
+16.9%
Metro Exodus 21−24
+4.5%
22
−4.5%
PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS 70
−42.9%
100
+42.9%
Red Dead Redemption 2 18−20
−5.6%
19
+5.6%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 59
−16.9%
69
+16.9%

4K
Ultra Preset

Battlefield 5 22
−31.8%
29
+31.8%
Counter-Strike 2 27−30
−7.4%
27−30
+7.4%
Cyberpunk 2077 10−11
−10%
10−12
+10%
Dota 2 50−55
−78.8%
93
+78.8%
Far Cry 5 35−40
−5.1%
40−45
+5.1%
Fortnite 30
−6.7%
32
+6.7%
Forza Horizon 4 45−50
−6.7%
45−50
+6.7%
Valorant 40−45
−37.5%
55
+37.5%

This is how GTX 980 and RTX 2070 Max-Q compete in popular games:

  • RTX 2070 Max-Q is 8% faster in 1080p
  • RTX 2070 Max-Q is 14% faster in 1440p
  • RTX 2070 Max-Q is 3% faster in 4K

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

  • in Cyberpunk 2077, with 1080p resolution and the Ultra Preset, the GTX 980 is 161% faster.
  • in Dota 2, with 1080p resolution and the High Preset, the RTX 2070 Max-Q is 113% faster.

All in all, in popular games:

  • GTX 980 is ahead in 8 tests (13%)
  • RTX 2070 Max-Q is ahead in 53 tests (84%)
  • there's a draw in 2 tests (3%)

Pros & cons summary


Performance score 28.89 30.19
Recency 19 September 2014 29 January 2019
Maximum RAM amount 4 GB 8 GB
Chip lithography 28 nm 12 nm
Power consumption (TDP) 165 Watt 80 Watt

RTX 2070 Max-Q has a 4.5% higher aggregate performance score, an age advantage of 4 years, a 100% higher maximum VRAM amount, a 133.3% more advanced lithography process, and 106.3% lower power consumption.

Given the minimal performance differences, no clear winner can be declared between GeForce GTX 980 and GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q.

Be aware that GeForce GTX 980 is a desktop card while GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q is a notebook one.


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

Vote for your favorite

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NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980
GeForce GTX 980
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q

Other comparisons

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Community ratings

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Questions & comments

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