NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti vs NVIDIA TITAN RTX Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a decisive sweep for the NVIDIA TITAN RTX across every shared benchmark. In the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, the TITAN RTX scores 3794 against the GTX 980 Ti's 1321, a delta of 187.2%. This is not a marginal improvement; it is a near tripling of the raw DX12 rasterization throughput. The gap indicates that the newer architecture handles modern API workloads with far greater efficiency.

The compute-oriented results show an even wider chasm. In Geekbench OpenCL, the TITAN RTX reaches 144858 points, while the GTX 980 Ti manages 43513. The delta here is 232.9%, meaning the TITAN RTX is more than triple the score of the older card. This metric is critical, as it reflects raw shader and compute throughput, where the TITAN RTX's 4608 shading units and 576 tensor cores dominate the GTX 980 Ti's 2816 shading units.

Vulkan results follow the same pattern. The TITAN RTX scores 136073, versus 47724 for the GTX 980 Ti, a delta of 185.1%. Vulkan's lower-level API access benefits the newer architecture's scheduling and cache hierarchy. The data does not show a single test where the GTX 980 Ti closes the gap to under 100%, so the head-to-head record stands at 3 wins for the TITAN RTX and 0 for the GTX 980 Ti.

The average benchmark score across all tests in the database confirms the pattern: the TITAN RTX sits at 31676, while the GTX 980 Ti averages 28020. The percentile ranking versus all GPUs is close (76th for the TITAN RTX, 73rd for the GTX 980 Ti), but the raw scores reveal that the TITAN RTX's lead is substantial in the specific tests that matter for modern gaming and compute. For context, the TITAN RTX's nearest rivals in the database, such as the NVIDIA RTX PRO 4500 Blackwell (avg 31532, delta 0.5%) and the Intel Arc Pro A30M (avg 31894, delta -0.7%), are within a 1.5% band of its average score. The GTX 980 Ti's nearest rivals, including the AMD Radeon Pro W5500X (avg 27973, delta 0.2%) and the AMD FirePro S7150 (avg 28117, delta -0.3%), show that it is firmly anchored in its own performance tier.

Where Each One Wins

The TITAN RTX wins in every scenario where the benchmark data has been recorded. For DX12 gaming, the 3DMark Steel Nomad result of 3794 versus 1321 indicates a clear advantage for high-fidelity rasterized games that leverage async compute and hardware features introduced in newer APIs. The TITAN RTX's architecture is built for the modern graphics pipeline, and the data reflects that.

For compute workloads, the Geekbench OpenCL score is the most telling. A 232.9% lead means tasks like machine learning inference, video encoding, and scientific simulations that offload to the GPU will see massive reductions in processing time on the TITAN RTX. The GTX 980 Ti's 6 GB of GDDR5 memory and 6.060 TFLOPS FP32 are simply not enough to compete with the TITAN RTX's 24 GB GDDR6 and 16.31 TFLOPS FP32.

The GTX 980 Ti does have a niche, but it is not performance-based. It has a lower power draw of 250 W versus 280 W, and it uses a simpler power connector configuration (1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin versus 2x 8-pin). For systems with strict power delivery constraints, the GTX 980 Ti is easier to accommodate. The data also shows that the GTX 980 Ti's peak generation, GeForce 900, was strong in its era, but the TITAN RTX outclasses it in every recorded metric. The only scenario where the GTX 980 Ti wins is one where the workload is so old or so limited that the TITAN RTX's extra capabilities are not exercised, but the database does not contain such a test.

Architecture Differences

The two cards are separated by two full generations of GPU design. The TITAN RTX uses the TU102 chip on a 12 nm process at TSMC, packing 18,600 million transistors into a 754 mm² die. The GTX 980 Ti uses the GM200 chip on a 28 nm process, with 8,000 million transistors on a 601 mm² die. The transistor density difference is stark: 24.7 million transistors per square millimeter for the TITAN RTX versus 13.3 million for the GTX 980 Ti. This directly explains why the TITAN RTX delivers 2.5x the average benchmark score despite only a 25% increase in die size.

Clock speeds tell a story of their own. The TITAN RTX runs a base clock of 1350 MHz and boosts to 1770 MHz, while the GTX 980 Ti runs at 1000 MHz base and 1076 MHz boost. The higher frequency, combined with the larger shader count (4608 versus 2816), yields the 16.31 TFLOPS FP32 figure for the TITAN RTX, which is 2.7x the 6.060 TFLOPS of the GTX 980 Ti.

Memory architecture is a major differentiator. The TITAN RTX has 24 GB of GDDR6 on a 384-bit bus, delivering 672.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GTX 980 Ti has 6 GB of GDDR5 on the same 384-bit bus, but only 336.6 GB/s. The memory type and effective speed (14 Gbps versus 7 Gbps) double the bandwidth. For textures and large data sets, the TITAN RTX avoids bandwidth bottlenecks that the GTX 980 Ti simply cannot overcome.

Feature support is another clear divide. The TITAN RTX includes 72 RT cores and 576 tensor cores, which are absent from the GTX 980 Ti. The TITAN RTX also supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), while the GTX 980 Ti is limited to DirectX 12 (12_1). The TITAN RTX has a USB Type-C output and supports DisplayPort 1.4a, whereas the GTX 980 Ti uses DisplayPort 1.2. The TITAN RTX also supports FP16 at 32.62 TFLOPS, while the GTX 980 Ti has no FP16 path at all. These architectural features make the TITAN RTX a more flexible and future-proof card for both gaming and professional workloads.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous. The NVIDIA TITAN RTX is the superior product in every measured benchmark. Its 3DMark score is 187.2% higher, its Vulkan score is 185.1% higher, and its OpenCL score is 232.9% higher. The TITAN RTX also has more memory, higher bandwidth, and newer features. The GTX 980 Ti cannot compete in any performance comparison.

Who should pick the TITAN RTX? Anyone running DX12 games, Vulkan titles, or compute workloads that use OpenCL. The 24 GB memory is essential for large data sets, and the RT cores and tensor cores provide acceleration paths that the GTX 980 Ti does not have. The card's average score of 31676 places it above the preponderance of the database, and its 76th percentile rank indicates it is well above the median.

Who should pick the GTX 980 Ti? Strictly from the data, it is only the choice when the system cannot physically accommodate the TITAN RTX's power requirements or output configuration. The GTX 980 Ti draws 250 W versus 280 W, and it has a 40 mm width (versus 35 mm), but it is the same length of 267 mm. The GTX 980 Ti's 6 GB memory is a limitation, and its average rank as 73rd percentile shows it is still a capable card, but it is a generation behind the TITAN RTX in every critical metric. For users who must use a single 6-pin plus 8-pin connector, the GTX 980 Ti remains a functional option, but the performance sacrifice is substantial.

FAQ

Q: Which card wins in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test?

A: The NVIDIA TITAN RTX scores 3794, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti scores 1321, giving the TITAN RTX a 187.2% advantage.

Q: What is the memory size difference?

A: The TITAN RTX has 24 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 384-bit bus, while the GTX 980 Ti has 6 GB of GDDR5 on the same 384-bit bus.

Q: Does the GTX 980 Ti support ray tracing or tensor cores?

A: The database lists no RT cores or tensor cores for the GTX 980 Ti. The TITAN RTX has 72 RT cores and 576 tensor cores.

Q: How does the transistor density compare?

A: The TITAN RTX has a transistor density of 24.6 million per mm², while the GTX 980 Ti has 13.3 million per mm².

Q: Which card has a higher FP32 compute figure?

A: The TITAN RTX is rated at 16.31 TFLOPS FP32 versus 6.060 TFLOPS for the GTX 980 Ti.

Q: What is the average benchmark score difference?

A: The TITAN RTX averages 31676 points, while the GTX 980 Ti averages 28020 points, a gap of about 11% in favor of the TITAN RTX.