GeForce GTX 970 vs Titan X Pascal

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Aggregate performance score

We've compared Titan X Pascal and GeForce GTX 970, covering specs and all relevant benchmarks.

Titan X Pascal
2016
12 GB GDDR5X, 250 Watt
33.80
+35.1%

Titan X Pascal outperforms GTX 970 by a substantial 35% based on our aggregate benchmark results.

Primary details

GPU architecture, market segment, value for money and other general parameters compared.

Place in the ranking157215
Place by popularitynot in top-10057
Cost-effectiveness evaluation6.9113.79
Power efficiency9.2711.58
ArchitecturePascal (2016−2021)Maxwell 2.0 (2014−2019)
GPU code nameGP102GM204
Market segmentDesktopDesktop
Release date2 August 2016 (8 years ago)19 September 2014 (10 years ago)
Launch price (MSRP)$1,199 $329

Cost-effectiveness evaluation

Performance to price ratio. The higher, the better.

GTX 970 has 100% better value for money than Titan X Pascal.

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 cores35841664
Core clock speed1417 MHz1050 MHz
Boost clock speed1531 MHz1178 MHz
Number of transistors11,800 million5,200 million
Manufacturing process technology16 nm28 nm
Power consumption (TDP)250 Watt148 Watt
Maximum GPU temperatureno data98 °C
Texture fill rate342.9122.5
Floating-point processing power10.97 TFLOPS3.92 TFLOPS
ROPs9656
TMUs224104

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).

Bus supportno dataPCI Express 3.0
InterfacePCIe 3.0 x16PCIe 3.0 x16
Length267 mm267 mm
Heightno data4.376" (11.1 cm)
Width2-slot2-slot
Recommended system power (PSU)no data500 Watt
Supplementary power connectors1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin2x 6-pin
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 typeGDDR5XGDDR5
Maximum RAM amount12 GB4 GB
Memory bus width384 Bit256 Bit
Memory clock speed1251 MHz7.0 GB/s
Memory bandwidth480.4 GB/s224 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 Connectors1x DVI, 1x HDMI, 3x DisplayPortDual Link DVI-I, HDMI 2.0, 3x DisplayPort 1.2
Multi monitor supportno data4 displays
HDMI++
HDCP-+
Maximum VGA resolutionno data2048x1536
G-SYNC support++
Audio input for HDMIno dataInternal

Supported technologies

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

GameStream-+
GeForce ShadowPlay-+
GPU Boostno data2.0
GameWorks-+

API compatibility

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

DirectX12 (12_1)12 (12_1)
Shader Model6.46.4
OpenGL4.64.4
OpenCL1.21.2
Vulkan+1.1.126
CUDA++

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.

Titan X Pascal 33.80
+35.1%
GTX 970 25.01

Passmark

This is the most ubiquitous GPU benchmark. It gives the graphics card a thorough evaluation under various types of load, providing four separate benchmarks for Direct3D versions 9, 10, 11 and 12 (the last being done in 4K resolution if possible), and few more tests engaging DirectCompute capabilities.

Titan X Pascal 13026
+35.2%
GTX 970 9636

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.

Titan X Pascal 35981
+124%
GTX 970 16033

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.

Titan X Pascal 100948
+139%
GTX 970 42263

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.

Titan X Pascal 27349
+129%
GTX 970 11954

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.

Titan X Pascal 136891
+88%
GTX 970 72819

3DMark Ice Storm GPU

Ice Storm Graphics is an obsolete benchmark, part of 3DMark suite. Ice Storm was used to measure entry level laptops and Windows-based tablets performance. It utilizes DirectX 11 feature level 9 to display a battle between two space fleets near a frozen planet in 1280x720 resolution. Discontinued in January 2020, it is now superseded by 3DMark Night Raid.

Titan X Pascal 514513
+21.8%
GTX 970 422295

Unigine Heaven 4.0

This is an old DirectX 11 benchmark, a newer version of Unigine 3.0 with relatively small differences. It displays a fantasy medieval town sprawling over several flying islands. The benchmark is still sometimes used, despite its significant age, as it was released back in 2013.

Titan X Pascal 4329
+181%
GTX 970 1543

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:

Full HD126
+57.5%
80
−57.5%
1440p72
+60%
45
−60%
4K56
+47.4%
38
−47.4%

Cost per frame, $

1080p9.524.11
1440p16.657.31
4K21.418.66

FPS performance in popular games

Full HD
Low Preset

Cyberpunk 2077 79
+92.7%
40−45
−92.7%

Full HD
Medium Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey 104
+89.1%
55−60
−89.1%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla 95
+121%
40−45
−121%
Battlefield 5 174
+112%
80−85
−112%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 108
+112%
50−55
−112%
Cyberpunk 2077 78
+90.2%
40−45
−90.2%
Far Cry 5 121
+112%
55−60
−112%
Far Cry New Dawn 138
+112%
65−70
−112%
Forza Horizon 4 240
+64.4%
140−150
−64.4%
Hitman 3 104
+108%
50−55
−108%
Horizon Zero Dawn 296
+157%
110−120
−157%
Metro Exodus 143
+66.3%
85−90
−66.3%
Red Dead Redemption 2 125
+92.3%
65−70
−92.3%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 161
+89.4%
85−90
−89.4%
Watch Dogs: Legion 226
+119%
100−110
−119%

Full HD
High Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey 121
+120%
55−60
−120%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla 85
+97.7%
40−45
−97.7%
Battlefield 5 165
+101%
80−85
−101%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 98
+88.5%
52
−88.5%
Cyberpunk 2077 69
+68.3%
40−45
−68.3%
Far Cry 5 92
+61.4%
55−60
−61.4%
Far Cry New Dawn 108
+272%
29
−272%
Forza Horizon 4 225
+54.1%
140−150
−54.1%
Hitman 3 104
+108%
50−55
−108%
Horizon Zero Dawn 275
+139%
110−120
−139%
Metro Exodus 143
+309%
35
−309%
Red Dead Redemption 2 102
+56.9%
65−70
−56.9%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 194
+128%
85−90
−128%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 96
−13.5%
109
+13.5%
Watch Dogs: Legion 216
+110%
100−110
−110%

Full HD
Ultra Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey 67
+21.8%
55−60
−21.8%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla 63
+46.5%
40−45
−46.5%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 75
+108%
36
−108%
Cyberpunk 2077 59
+43.9%
40−45
−43.9%
Far Cry 5 67
+17.5%
55−60
−17.5%
Forza Horizon 4 112
−30.4%
140−150
+30.4%
Hitman 3 93
+86%
50−55
−86%
Horizon Zero Dawn 150
+30.4%
110−120
−30.4%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 167
+96.5%
85−90
−96.5%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 95
+121%
43
−121%
Watch Dogs: Legion 64
−60.9%
100−110
+60.9%

Full HD
Epic Preset

Red Dead Redemption 2 118
+81.5%
65−70
−81.5%

1440p
High Preset

Battlefield 5 60−65
+36.2%
45−50
−36.2%
Far Cry New Dawn 50−55
+34.2%
35−40
−34.2%

1440p
Ultra Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey 35−40
+38.5%
24−27
−38.5%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla 51
+113%
24−27
−113%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 58
+107%
27−30
−107%
Cyberpunk 2077 38
+138%
16−18
−138%
Far Cry 5 35−40
+34.5%
27−30
−34.5%
Forza Horizon 4 190−200
+35%
140−150
−35%
Hitman 3 66
+120%
30−33
−120%
Horizon Zero Dawn 118
+127%
50−55
−127%
Metro Exodus 101
+115%
45−50
−115%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 122
+122%
55−60
−122%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 45−50
+48.4%
30−35
−48.4%
Watch Dogs: Legion 212
+50.4%
140−150
−50.4%

1440p
Epic Preset

Red Dead Redemption 2 92
+119%
40−45
−119%

4K
High Preset

Battlefield 5 63
+152%
24−27
−152%
Far Cry New Dawn 48
+140%
20
−140%
Hitman 3 39
+95%
20−22
−95%
Horizon Zero Dawn 129
+0.8%
120−130
−0.8%
Metro Exodus 67
+191%
23
−191%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 68
+134%
29
−134%

4K
Ultra Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey 38
+153%
14−16
−153%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla 32
+146%
12−14
−146%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 34
+143%
14−16
−143%
Cyberpunk 2077 18
+200%
6−7
−200%
Far Cry 5 33
+136%
14−16
−136%
Forza Horizon 4 73
+115%
30−35
−115%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 70
+133%
30−33
−133%
Watch Dogs: Legion 26
+136%
10−12
−136%

4K
Epic Preset

Red Dead Redemption 2 47
+114%
21−24
−114%

This is how Titan X Pascal and GTX 970 compete in popular games:

  • Titan X Pascal is 58% faster in 1080p
  • Titan X Pascal is 60% faster in 1440p
  • Titan X Pascal is 47% faster in 4K

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

  • in Metro Exodus, with 1080p resolution and the High Preset, the Titan X Pascal is 309% faster.
  • in Watch Dogs: Legion, with 1080p resolution and the Ultra Preset, the GTX 970 is 61% faster.

All in all, in popular games:

  • Titan X Pascal is ahead in 69 tests (96%)
  • GTX 970 is ahead in 3 tests (4%)

Pros & cons summary


Performance score 33.80 25.01
Recency 2 August 2016 19 September 2014
Maximum RAM amount 12 GB 4 GB
Chip lithography 16 nm 28 nm
Power consumption (TDP) 250 Watt 148 Watt

Titan X Pascal has a 35.1% higher aggregate performance score, an age advantage of 1 year, a 200% higher maximum VRAM amount, and a 75% more advanced lithography process.

GTX 970, on the other hand, has 68.9% lower power consumption.

The Titan X Pascal is our recommended choice as it beats the GeForce GTX 970 in performance tests.


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

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NVIDIA Titan X Pascal
Titan X Pascal
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970
GeForce GTX 970

Comparisons with similar GPUs

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Community ratings

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