GTX 980 vs RTX 2060 Max-Q
Head-to-head specifications
| Metric | GTX 980 | RTX 2060 Max-Q | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3DMark Time Spy | 1,743 | 1,581 | +10.2% |
| Avg FPS @ 1080p | 31 | 30 | +3.3% |
| Avg FPS @ 1440p | 17 | 16 | +6.3% |
| Avg FPS @ 4K | 9 | 8 | +12.5% |
| FP32 compute (TFLOPS) | 5.0 | 4.5 | +10.2% |
| VRAM | 4 GB GDDR5 | 6 GB GDDR6 | — |
| Memory bandwidth (GB/s) | 224 | 336 | -33.3% |
| TDP (W) | 165 | 72 | — |
- GTX 980 averages 17 fps at 1440p versus 16 fps — about 6% faster.
- RTX 2060 Max-Q draws less power (72W vs 165W).
Verdict: GTX 980 or RTX 2060 Max-Q?
GTX 980 advantages
- 1440p gaming (+6%)
- 4K gaming (+11%)
- Synthetic benchmark performance (+9%)
RTX 2060 Max-Q advantages
- Video memory (+33%)
- Memory bandwidth (+33%)
- Power efficiency (+56%)
Which should you choose?
- Choose the GTX 980 if you game at 1440p.
- Choose the RTX 2060 Max-Q if you play the latest titles at high textures or do GPU-accelerated work.
- Choose the GTX 980 if you game at 4K or drive a high-resolution display.
GTX 980 vs RTX 2060 Max-Q: which should you choose?
GTX 980 — NVIDIA desktop graphics card (2014, Maxwell) with 4 GB of GDDR5, averaging 17 fps at 1440p; launched at $549.
RTX 2060 Max-Q — NVIDIA laptop graphics card (2019, Turing) with 6 GB of GDDR6, averaging 16 fps at 1440p.
GTX 980 vs RTX 2060 Max-Q: GTX 980 is faster for gaming. GTX 980 averages 17 fps at 1440p versus 16 fps — about 6% faster. RTX 2060 Max-Q draws less power (72W vs 165W).
1080p, 1440p and 4K
At 1440p — the most common enthusiast resolution — the GTX 980 averages 17 fps against 16. At 4K (9 vs 8 fps) VRAM (4GB vs 6GB) and memory bandwidth matter more.
Power and value
Board power is 165 W versus 72 W, which affects PSU headroom, case cooling and noise.
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 better than the RTX 2060 Max-Q?
GTX 980 takes the overall edge, though RTX 2060 Max-Q wins in specific areas worth weighing. GTX 980 averages 17 fps at 1440p versus 16 fps — about 6% faster.
What is the main difference between the GTX 980 and the RTX 2060 Max-Q?
GTX 980 averages 17 fps at 1440p versus 16 fps — about 6% faster. RTX 2060 Max-Q draws less power (72W vs 165W).
Which should I choose?
Choose the GTX 980 if you game at 1440p. Choose the RTX 2060 Max-Q 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.