GeForce RTX 2060 Max-Q vs GTX 980M SLI

Place in the ranking	224	212
Place by popularity	not in top-100	not in top-100
Power efficiency	8.44	26.71
Architecture	Maxwell (2014−2017)	Turing (2018−2022)
GPU code name	no data	TU106
Market segment	Laptop	Laptop
Release date	7 October 2014 (10 years ago)	29 January 2020 (4 years ago)

Detailed specifications

General parameters such as number of shaders, GPU core base clock and boost clock speeds, manufacturing process, texturing and calculation speed. Note that power consumption of some graphics cards can well exceed their nominal TDP, especially when overclocked.

Pipelines / CUDA cores	3072	1920
Core clock speed	1038 MHz	975 MHz
Boost clock speed	1127 MHz	1185 MHz
Number of transistors	2x 5200 Million	10,800 million
Manufacturing process technology	28 nm	12 nm
Power consumption (TDP)	200 Watt	65 Watt
Texture fill rate	no data	142.2
Floating-point processing power	no data	4.55 TFLOPS
ROPs	no data	48
TMUs	no data	120
Tensor Cores	no data	240
Ray Tracing Cores	no data	30

Form factor & compatibility

Information on compatibility with other computer components. Useful when choosing a future computer configuration or upgrading an existing one. For desktop graphics cards it's interface and bus (motherboard compatibility), additional power connectors (power supply compatibility).

Laptop size	large	large
Interface	no data	PCIe 3.0 x16
Supplementary power connectors	no data	None
SLI options	+	-

VRAM capacity and type

Parameters of VRAM installed: its type, size, bus, clock and resulting bandwidth. Integrated GPUs have no dedicated video RAM and use a shared part of system RAM.

Memory type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Maximum RAM amount	2x 8 GB	6 GB
Memory bus width	2x 256 Bit	192 Bit
Memory clock speed	5000 MHz	1375 MHz
Memory bandwidth	no data	264.0 GB/s
Shared memory	-	-

Connectivity and outputs

Types and number of video connectors present on the reviewed GPUs. As a rule, data in this section is precise only for desktop reference ones (so-called Founders Edition for NVIDIA chips). OEM manufacturers may change the number and type of output ports, while for notebook cards availability of certain video outputs ports depends on the laptop model rather than on the card itself.

Display Connectors	no data	No outputs
G-SYNC support	-	+

Supported technologies

Supported technological solutions. This information will prove useful if you need some particular technology for your purposes.

Optimus	+	-
VR Ready	no data	+

API compatibility

List of supported 3D and general-purpose computing APIs, including their specific versions.

DirectX	12_1	12 Ultimate (12_1)
Shader Model	no data	6.5
OpenGL	no data	4.6
OpenCL	no data	1.2
Vulkan	+	1.2.131
CUDA	+	7.5

Synthetic benchmark performance

Non-gaming benchmark results comparison. The combined score is measured on a 0-100 point scale.

Combined synthetic benchmark score

This is our combined benchmark score. We are regularly improving our combining algorithms, but if you find some perceived inconsistencies, feel free to speak up in comments section, we usually fix problems quickly.

GTX 980M SLI 24.61

RTX 2060 Max-Q 25.32
+2.9%

3DMark 11 Performance GPU

3DMark 11 is an obsolete DirectX 11 benchmark by Futuremark. It used four tests based on two scenes, one being few submarines exploring the submerged wreck of a sunken ship, the other is an abandoned temple deep in the jungle. All the tests are heavy with volumetric lighting and tessellation, and despite being done in 1280x720 resolution, are relatively taxing. Discontinued in January 2020, 3DMark 11 is now superseded by Time Spy.

GTX 980M SLI 22006
+11.3%

RTX 2060 Max-Q 19779

3DMark Vantage Performance

3DMark Vantage is an outdated DirectX 10 benchmark using 1280x1024 screen resolution. It taxes the graphics card with two scenes, one depicting a girl escaping some militarized base located within a sea cave, the other displaying a space fleet attack on a defenseless planet. It was discontinued in April 2017, and Time Spy benchmark is now recommended to be used instead.

GTX 980M SLI 47841

RTX 2060 Max-Q 50957
+6.5%

3DMark Fire Strike Graphics

Fire Strike is a DirectX 11 benchmark for gaming PCs. It features two separate tests displaying a fight between a humanoid and a fiery creature made of lava. Using 1920x1080 resolution, Fire Strike shows off some realistic graphics and is quite taxing on hardware.

GTX 980M SLI 18632
+25%

RTX 2060 Max-Q 14910

3DMark Cloud Gate GPU

Cloud Gate is an outdated DirectX 11 feature level 10 benchmark that was used for home PCs and basic notebooks. It displays a few scenes of some weird space teleportation device launching spaceships into unknown, using fixed resolution of 1280x720. Just like Ice Storm benchmark, it has been discontinued in January 2020 and replaced by 3DMark Night Raid.

GTX 980M SLI 124076
+111%

RTX 2060 Max-Q 58890

Gaming performance

Let's see how good the compared graphics cards are for gaming. Particular gaming benchmark results are measured in FPS.

Average FPS across all PC games

Here are the average frames per second in a large set of popular games across different resolutions:

900p	135 +3.8%	130−140 −3.8%
Full HD	110 +18.3%	93 −18.3%
1440p	40−45 −10%	44 +10%
4K	35−40 −11.4%	39 +11.4%

FPS performance in popular games

Full HD
Low Preset

Cyberpunk 2077

40−45

−2.5%

40−45
+2.5%

Full HD
Medium Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey	50−55 −46.3%	79 +46.3%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla	40−45 −2.4%	40−45 +2.4%
Battlefield 5	80−85 −2.5%	80−85 +2.5%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare	50−55 −64%	82 +64%
Cyberpunk 2077	40−45 −2.5%	40−45 +2.5%
Far Cry 5	55−60 −1.8%	55−60 +1.8%
Far Cry New Dawn	65−70 −1.5%	65−70 +1.5%
Forza Horizon 4	140−150 −1.4%	140−150 +1.4%
Hitman 3	50−55 −2%	50−55 +2%
Horizon Zero Dawn	110−120 −1.8%	110−120 +1.8%
Metro Exodus	85−90 −68.2%	143 +68.2%
Red Dead Redemption 2	60−65 −45.3%	93 +45.3%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider	80−85 −2.4%	85−90 +2.4%
Watch Dogs: Legion	100−110 −1%	100−110 +1%

Full HD
High Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey	50−55 −1.9%	55−60 +1.9%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla	40−45 −2.4%	40−45 +2.4%
Battlefield 5	80−85 −2.5%	80−85 +2.5%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare	50−55 −50%	75 +50%
Cyberpunk 2077	40−45 −2.5%	40−45 +2.5%
Far Cry 5	55−60 −1.8%	55−60 +1.8%
Far Cry New Dawn	65−70 −1.5%	65−70 +1.5%
Forza Horizon 4	140−150 −1.4%	140−150 +1.4%
Hitman 3	50−55 −2%	50−55 +2%
Horizon Zero Dawn	110−120 −1.8%	110−120 +1.8%
Metro Exodus	85−90 −42.4%	121 +42.4%
Red Dead Redemption 2	60−65 −28.1%	82 +28.1%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider	80−85 −26.2%	106 +26.2%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt	50−55 +0%	50−55 +0%
Watch Dogs: Legion	100−110 −1%	100−110 +1%

Full HD
Ultra Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey	50−55 +20%	45 −20%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla	40−45 −2.4%	40−45 +2.4%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare	50−55 −10%	55 +10%
Cyberpunk 2077	40−45 −2.5%	40−45 +2.5%
Far Cry 5	55−60 −1.8%	55−60 +1.8%
Forza Horizon 4	140−150 −1.4%	140−150 +1.4%
Hitman 3	50−55 −2%	50−55 +2%
Horizon Zero Dawn	110−120 −1.8%	110−120 +1.8%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider	80−85 −10.7%	93 +10.7%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt	50−55 −5.6%	57 +5.6%
Watch Dogs: Legion	100−110 −1%	100−110 +1%

Full HD
Epic Preset

Red Dead Redemption 2

60−65

−21.9%

78
+21.9%

1440p
High Preset

Battlefield 5	45−50 −2.1%	45−50 +2.1%
Far Cry New Dawn	35−40 +0%	35−40 +0%

1440p
Ultra Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey	24−27 +0%	24−27 +0%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla	24−27 −4.2%	24−27 +4.2%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare	27−30 −3.6%	27−30 +3.6%
Cyberpunk 2077	16−18 +0%	16−18 +0%
Far Cry 5	27−30 +0%	27−30 +0%
Forza Horizon 4	140−150 −1.4%	140−150 +1.4%
Hitman 3	30−33 +0%	30−33 +0%
Horizon Zero Dawn	50−55 −2%	50−55 +2%
Metro Exodus	45−50 −2.1%	45−50 +2.1%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider	50−55 −1.9%	55−60 +1.9%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt	30−33 −3.3%	30−35 +3.3%
Watch Dogs: Legion	140−150 −1.4%	140−150 +1.4%

1440p
Epic Preset

Red Dead Redemption 2

40−45

−2.4%

40−45
+2.4%

4K
High Preset

Battlefield 5	24−27 −4.2%	24−27 +4.2%
Far Cry New Dawn	18−20 −5.3%	20−22 +5.3%
Hitman 3	18−20 −5.3%	20−22 +5.3%
Horizon Zero Dawn	120−130 −1.6%	120−130 +1.6%
Metro Exodus	27−30 −3.6%	27−30 +3.6%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt	27−30 −29.6%	35 +29.6%

4K
Ultra Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey	14−16 +0%	14−16 +0%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla	12−14 −7.7%	14−16 +7.7%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare	14−16 +0%	14−16 +0%
Cyberpunk 2077	6−7 +0%	6−7 +0%
Far Cry 5	14−16 +0%	14−16 +0%
Forza Horizon 4	30−35 −2.9%	35−40 +2.9%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider	30−33 −3.3%	30−35 +3.3%
Watch Dogs: Legion	10−12 +0%	10−12 +0%

4K
Epic Preset

Red Dead Redemption 2

21−24

−4.8%

21−24
+4.8%

This is how GTX 980M SLI and RTX 2060 Max-Q compete in popular games:

GTX 980M SLI is 4% faster in 900p
GTX 980M SLI is 18% faster in 1080p
RTX 2060 Max-Q is 10% faster in 1440p
RTX 2060 Max-Q is 11% faster in 4K

Here's the range of performance differences observed across popular games:

in Assassin's Creed Odyssey, with 1080p resolution and the Ultra Preset, the GTX 980M SLI is 20% faster.
in Metro Exodus, with 1080p resolution and the Medium Preset, the RTX 2060 Max-Q is 68% faster.

All in all, in popular games:

GTX 980M SLI is ahead in 1 test (1%)
RTX 2060 Max-Q is ahead in 60 tests (83%)
there's a draw in 11 tests (15%)

Pros & cons summary

Performance score	24.61	25.32
Recency	7 October 2014	29 January 2020
Chip lithography	28 nm	12 nm
Power consumption (TDP)	200 Watt	65 Watt

RTX 2060 Max-Q has a 2.9% higher aggregate performance score, an age advantage of 5 years, a 133.3% more advanced lithography process, and 207.7% lower power consumption.

Given the minimal performance differences, no clear winner can be declared between GeForce GTX 980M SLI and GeForce RTX 2060 Max-Q.

Should you still have questions concerning choice between the reviewed GPUs, ask them in Comments section, and we shall answer.