NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti in 2025: Is the Legend Worth Considering?
Introduction
The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti is a legendary graphics card that was released in 2015. Despite its age, it still piques the interest of enthusiasts. But how relevant is this model in 2025? Let’s delve into the details, evaluating its strengths and weaknesses in the context of modern tasks.
1. Architecture and Key Features
Maxwell Architecture: Simplicity and Efficiency
The GTX 980 Ti is built on the Maxwell architecture (GM200), manufactured using a 28nm process. This was a revolutionary solution for its time: 2816 CUDA cores, 176 texture units, and 96 raster units. However, Maxwell does not support modern technologies like Ray Tracing (RTX) or DLSS—these were introduced in later Turing and Ampere architectures.
Unique Features from 2015
The card offered proprietary NVIDIA technologies:
- Dynamic Super Resolution (DSR)—rendering games at a high resolution followed by downscaling to the monitor.
- MFAA—anti-aliasing to improve image quality without significant performance loss.
In 2025, these features seem outdated compared to DLSS 3.5 or AMD FSR 3, which use artificial intelligence to boost FPS.
2. Memory: Volume and Bandwidth
GDDR5: Legacy of the Past
The GTX 980 Ti is equipped with 6GB of GDDR5 memory on a 384-bit bus. The bandwidth is 336 GB/s (effective memory clock of 7GHz). In comparison, modern cards with GDDR6X (such as the RTX 4070) reach 504 GB/s.
Impact on Performance
6GB of VRAM in 2025 is critically low for gaming at 4K or working with heavy textures. For instance, in Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty at ultra settings in 1440p, the graphics card may face memory shortages, leading to drops in FPS.
3. Gaming Performance: What Can You Run?
1080p: Basic Comfort
In less demanding titles (e.g., CS2, Valorant), the GTX 980 Ti delivers 100–150 FPS on high settings. In AAA games from 2023–2024 (such as Starfield), the average FPS on medium settings is around 40–50.
1440p and 4K: Unfortunately, Not Relevant
In Red Dead Redemption 2 at 1440p (high settings), it achieves 30–35 FPS. For 4K, the card is weak even in older games: The Witcher 3 barely reaches 25–30 FPS.
Ray Tracing: Absent
The GTX 980 Ti lacks hardware support for RT cores. Software emulation (e.g., through Proton on Linux) reduces FPS by 2–3 times, making the technology useless.
4. Professional Tasks: Limited Potential
CUDA Cores: Assistance in Rendering
With 2816 CUDA cores, it can accelerate rendering in Blender or Adobe Premiere Pro, but modern applications (Unreal Engine 5, DaVinci Resolve) require more memory and support for new APIs.
Scientific Calculations: Outdated Drivers
For machine learning or computations based on CUDA/OpenCL, it is better to choose cards that support the latest versions of frameworks (TensorFlow 3.x, PyTorch 3.0). Drivers for the GTX 980 Ti haven’t been updated for a long time, limiting compatibility.
5. Power Consumption and Heat Dissipation
TDP 250W: A Gluttonous "Dinosaur"
The card's power consumption is comparable to modern RTX 4070s (200W), but with lower performance. A power supply of at least 600W is required (recommended: 80+ Gold).
Cooling: Noise vs. Temperature
The reference NVIDIA cooler (turbine) is noisy under load (up to 45 dB). The optimal choice in 2025 would be models with liquid cooling or upgraded coolers (e.g., Arctic Accelero Xtreme IV).
Case Recommendations
- Minimum of 2 expansion slots.
- Good ventilation: 3–4 case fans.
- Avoid compact cases—overheating may occur.
6. Comparison with Competitors
Against Contemporaries (2015):
- AMD Radeon R9 Fury X: 4GB HBM, comparable performance but poorer optimization for DirectX 12.
- NVIDIA GTX 1070: 8GB GDDR5, lower power consumption but weaker in 4K.
Against New Cards (2025):
- NVIDIA RTX 4060: 8GB GDDR6, supports DLSS 3.5, has RT cores, TDP 115W. Price: $299.
- AMD RX 7600 XT: 12GB GDDR6, FSR 3, similar price.
The GTX 980 Ti falls short in energy efficiency and support for new technologies, but it can still be a good value on the second-hand market at a price of $80–$120 (used).
7. Practical Tips
Power Supply
- Minimum 600W (recommended 650–750W for headroom).
- Quality models: Corsair RM650x, EVGA SuperNOVA 750 G6.
Compatibility
- PCIe 3.0 x16—works in PCIe 4.0/5.0 slots, but without speed boost.
- Check the card length (26.7 cm) and case sizes.
Drivers
- The latest version for the GTX 980 Ti is Game Ready Driver 552.44 (2024). NVIDIA support has ended.
8. Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Affordable price on the second-hand market.
- Reliable build (especially in top models from ASUS, MSI).
- Support for DirectX 12 (without features of level 12_2).
Cons:
- No ray tracing or DLSS.
- High power consumption.
- Limited memory for modern games.
9. Final Conclusion: Who is the GTX 980 Ti Suitable For?
This graphics card is a choice for:
1. Budget gamers willing to play on medium settings at 1080p.
2. Retro game enthusiasts (2000s–2010s).
3. Owners of old PCs where upgrading to a modern GPU isn't possible due to lack of PCIe 4.0 or a weak CPU.
However, if you want to comfortably play 2025's new titles or engage in professional tasks, consider the RTX 4060 or RX 7600 XT. The GTX 980 Ti remains a niche solution, relevant only in very limited scenarios.
P.S. New GTX 980 Ti cards are not produced in 2025. If someone offers you a "new" card, it is likely a refurbished or counterfeit unit.