GTX 980 Ti vs GTX 690
Head-to-head specifications
| Metric | GTX 980 Ti | GTX 690 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3DMark Time Spy | 2,121 | 2,191 | -3.2% |
| Avg FPS @ 1080p | 34 | 34 | — |
| Avg FPS @ 1440p | 19 | 19 | — |
| Avg FPS @ 4K | 10 | 10 | — |
| FP32 compute (TFLOPS) | 6.1 | 6.3 | -3.2% |
| VRAM | 6 GB GDDR5 | 4 GB GDDR5 | — |
| Memory bandwidth (GB/s) | 336 | 448 | -25.0% |
| TDP (W) | 250 | 300 | — |
| Launch MSRP (USD) | $649 | $999 | -35.0% |
- GTX 980 Ti averages 19 fps at 1440p versus 19 fps — about 0% faster.
- GTX 980 Ti draws less power (250W vs 300W).
Verdict: GTX 980 Ti or GTX 690?
GTX 980 Ti advantages
- Video memory (+33%)
- Power efficiency (+17%)
- Affordability (+35%)
GTX 690 advantages
- Memory bandwidth (+25%)
Which should you choose?
- Choose the GTX 980 Ti if you play the latest titles at high textures or do GPU-accelerated work.
- Choose the GTX 690 if you work with high-resolution textures or memory-bound workloads.
- Choose the GTX 980 Ti if you want lower power draw, heat and noise.
Value for money
GTX 980 Ti delivers more performance per dollar, making it the better value of the two at their listed prices.
GTX 980 Ti vs GTX 690: which should you choose?
GTX 980 Ti — NVIDIA desktop graphics card (2015, Maxwell) with 6 GB of GDDR5, averaging 19 fps at 1440p; launched at $649.
GTX 690 — NVIDIA desktop graphics card (2012, Kepler) with 4 GB of GDDR5, averaging 19 fps at 1440p; launched at $999.
GTX 980 Ti vs GTX 690: GTX 980 Ti is faster for gaming. GTX 980 Ti averages 19 fps at 1440p versus 19 fps — about 0% faster. GTX 980 Ti draws less power (250W vs 300W).
1080p, 1440p and 4K
At 1440p — the most common enthusiast resolution — the GTX 980 Ti averages 19 fps against 19. At 4K (10 vs 10 fps) VRAM (6GB vs 4GB) and memory bandwidth matter more.
Power and value
Board power is 250 W versus 300 W, which affects PSU headroom, case cooling and noise. At launch MSRPs of $649 vs $999, 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 980 Ti better than the GTX 690?
GTX 980 Ti is the clearly stronger overall choice, winning most of the dimensions that matter. GTX 980 Ti averages 19 fps at 1440p versus 19 fps — about 0% faster.
What is the main difference between the GTX 980 Ti and the GTX 690?
GTX 980 Ti averages 19 fps at 1440p versus 19 fps — about 0% faster. GTX 980 Ti draws less power (250W vs 300W).
Which is better value?
GTX 980 Ti delivers more performance per dollar, making it the better value of the two at their listed prices.
Which should I choose?
Choose the GTX 980 Ti if you play the latest titles at high textures or do GPU-accelerated work. Choose the GTX 690 if you work with high-resolution textures or memory-bound workloads.
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.