GTX 780 Ti vs GTX 980
Head-to-head specifications
| Metric | GTX 780 Ti | GTX 980 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3DMark Time Spy | 1,872 | 1,743 | +7.4% |
| Avg FPS @ 1080p | 32 | 31 | +3.2% |
| Avg FPS @ 1440p | 18 | 17 | +5.9% |
| Avg FPS @ 4K | 9 | 9 | — |
| FP32 compute (TFLOPS) | 5.4 | 5.0 | +7.4% |
| VRAM | 3 GB GDDR5 | 4 GB GDDR5 | — |
| Memory bandwidth (GB/s) | 336 | 224 | +50.0% |
| TDP (W) | 250 | 165 | — |
| Launch MSRP (USD) | $699 | $549 | +27.3% |
- GTX 780 Ti averages 18 fps at 1440p versus 17 fps — about 6% faster.
- GTX 980 draws less power (165W vs 250W).
Verdict: GTX 780 Ti or GTX 980?
GTX 780 Ti advantages
- 1440p gaming (+6%)
- Synthetic benchmark performance (+7%)
- Memory bandwidth (+33%)
GTX 980 advantages
- Video memory (+25%)
- Power efficiency (+34%)
- Affordability (+21%)
Which should you choose?
- Choose the GTX 780 Ti if you game at 1440p.
- Choose the GTX 980 if you play the latest titles at high textures or do GPU-accelerated work.
- Choose the GTX 780 Ti if you want the higher benchmark performance overall.
Value for money
GTX 980 delivers more performance per dollar, making it the better value of the two at their listed prices.
GTX 780 Ti vs GTX 980: which should you choose?
GTX 780 Ti — NVIDIA desktop graphics card (2013, Kepler) with 3 GB of GDDR5, averaging 18 fps at 1440p; launched at $699.
GTX 980 — NVIDIA desktop graphics card (2014, Maxwell) with 4 GB of GDDR5, averaging 17 fps at 1440p; launched at $549.
GTX 780 Ti vs GTX 980: GTX 780 Ti is faster for gaming. GTX 780 Ti averages 18 fps at 1440p versus 17 fps — about 6% faster. GTX 980 draws less power (165W vs 250W).
1080p, 1440p and 4K
At 1440p — the most common enthusiast resolution — the GTX 780 Ti averages 18 fps against 17. At 4K (9 vs 9 fps) VRAM (3GB vs 4GB) and memory bandwidth matter more.
Power and value
Board power is 250 W versus 165 W, which affects PSU headroom, case cooling and noise. At launch MSRPs of $699 vs $549, weigh the frame-rate lead against price and power draw for your target resolution.
The verdict
Both are credible choices in the graphics card comparison space; the specification table above lays out every metric so you can weigh the trade-offs that matter to you. Pick the one whose strengths line up with how you will actually use it.
Frequently asked questions
Is the GTX 780 Ti better than the GTX 980?
These two are closely matched — the right pick comes down to which specific strengths you value and the price you actually pay. GTX 780 Ti averages 18 fps at 1440p versus 17 fps — about 6% faster.
What is the main difference between the GTX 780 Ti and the GTX 980?
GTX 780 Ti averages 18 fps at 1440p versus 17 fps — about 6% faster. GTX 980 draws less power (165W vs 250W).
Which is better value?
GTX 980 delivers more performance per dollar, making it the better value of the two at their listed prices.
Which should I choose?
Choose the GTX 780 Ti if you game at 1440p. Choose the GTX 980 if you play the latest titles at high textures or do GPU-accelerated work.
Methodology
Graphics cards are compared on 3DMark Time Spy scores, average gaming frame rates at 1080p/1440p/4K, FP32 compute throughput, VRAM capacity and type, memory bandwidth, board power (TDP) and launch MSRP — plus AI workload throughput (Stable Diffusion iterations/s and local LLM tokens/s) where measured. Vintage and server GPUs without modern benchmark results are compared on specifications only, clearly labelled. Frame rates are averages across a game suite at high settings; specific titles vary.