AMD FirePro W600 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 SE Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only recorded head-to-head benchmark in the database is Geekbench OpenCL, where the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 SE scores 7171 against the AMD FirePro W600’s 6223. That is a 15.2% advantage for the GTX 560 SE, a decisive margin in raw compute throughput. The GTX 560 SE also holds a higher overall percentile rank, sitting at the 39th percentile of all GPUs in the database, while the FirePro W600 sits at the 36th percentile. This means the GTX 560 SE outperforms a slightly larger share of the GPU population in the recorded workload.

Context from the nearest rivals reinforces the gap. The GTX 560 SE’s closest competitor, the Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580, scores 7170, a delta of 0%. The GTX 970 trails at 7157, 0.2% behind, and the Radeon Vega 8 Mobile is 0.4% ahead at 7203. The GTX 560 SE is effectively within a rounding error of these cards. On the AMD side, the FirePro W600’s nearest rival is the Radeon HD 6950 at 6210, just 0.2% behind, while the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER AD102 and RTX 5070 Ti SUPER both score 6270, 0.7% ahead. The Quadro K620 sits at 6282, 0.9% ahead. The FirePro W600 is clustered with these cards, but at the lower end of that cluster.

The 15.2% delta between the two cards is more than twice the largest delta seen among the nearest rivals of either card (0.9%). In other words, the GTX 560 SE does not just edge out the FirePro W600; it separates itself by a margin that is meaningful in the database’s scoring. The single benchmark win for the GTX 560 SE is the only head-to-head result, so the overall win count stands at 1 for NVIDIA and 0 for AMD.

Architecture Differences

The two cards come from different architectural generations and design philosophies. The GTX 560 SE is built on NVIDIA’s Fermi 2.0 architecture, using the GF114 chip, fabricated on TSMC’s 40 nm process. The FirePro W600 uses AMD’s GCN 1.0 architecture, with the Cape Verde chip, on TSMC’s 28 nm process. The process node difference is significant: 40 nm versus 28 nm, which directly affects transistor density. The GTX 560 SE packs 1,950 million transistors into a 332 mm² die, yielding a density of 5.9 million transistors per square millimeter. The FirePro W600 fits 1,500 million transistors into a much smaller 123 mm² die, achieving 12.2 million transistors per square millimeter. That is more than double the density, a direct result of the smaller process node.

The compute resource layout also differs. The GTX 560 SE has 288 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 ROPs. The FirePro W600 has 512 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. Despite having fewer shading units, the GTX 560 SE produces higher FP32 throughput at 847.9 GFLOPS versus 768.0 GFLOPS. The GTX 560 SE also leads in texture rate at 35.33 GTexel/s versus 24.00 GTexel/s, while the FirePro W600 leads in pixel rate at 12.00 GPixel/s versus 8.832 GPixel/s. The higher shading unit count on the FirePro W600 does not translate into a compute win because the GTX 560 SE’s higher clocks and different architecture efficiency compensate.

Memory architecture is another split. The GTX 560 SE uses 1024 MB of GDDR5 on a 192-bit bus, yielding 91.87 GB/s of bandwidth. The FirePro W600 uses 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus, yielding 64.00 GB/s. The GTX 560 SE has 43% more bandwidth, while the FirePro W600 has double the capacity. The memory clock is 957 MHz (3.8 Gbps effective) for the GTX 560 SE and 1000 MHz (4 Gbps effective) for the FirePro W600, but the wider bus on the NVIDIA card wins the bandwidth contest.

API support differs in two areas. The GTX 560 SE supports DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6, but has no Vulkan support listed. The FirePro W600 supports DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The FirePro W600 also uses PCIe 3.0 x16, while the GTX 560 SE uses PCIe 2.0 x16.

Power and physical design diverge sharply. The GTX 560 SE has a 150 W TDP, requires two 6-pin power connectors, and a 450 W suggested PSU. It is a dual-slot card, 210 mm long. The FirePro W600 has a 75 W TDP, requires no power connectors, and a 250 W suggested PSU. It is a single-slot card, 168 mm long, 111 mm tall, and 20 mm wide. Display outputs also differ: the GTX 560 SE has 2x DVI and 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a, while the FirePro W600 has 6x mini-DisplayPort 1.2.

Where Each One Wins

The GTX 560 SE wins the only recorded benchmark, Geekbench OpenCL, by 15.2%. That makes it the clear choice for compute workloads that are well-represented by OpenCL performance. Its higher FP32 throughput (847.9 GFLOPS) and texture rate (35.33 GTexel/s) align with this result. The GTX 560 SE also has higher memory bandwidth at 91.87 GB/s, which benefits memory-bound tasks. For any user prioritizing raw compute speed in the database’s measurements, the GTX 560 SE is the stronger card.

The FirePro W600 does not win any benchmark in the database, but it has structural advantages that could matter in specific use cases. It has 2 GB of memory versus 1 GB, which allows larger datasets to reside on the card without spilling to system memory. Its 512 shading units are the highest count of any field in this comparison, and while they do not translate to a win in the recorded OpenCL test, they suggest headroom for workloads that scale differently. The FirePro W600 also supports Vulkan 1.2.170, which the GTX 560 SE lacks entirely. For applications that require Vulkan, the FirePro W600 is the only option between the two. Its lower TDP of 75 W and single-slot design make it far easier to integrate into dense systems or those with limited power delivery. The 6x mini-DisplayPort 1.2 outputs also make it a natural fit for multi-display professional setups.

The GTX 560 SE’s pixel rate is lower at 8.832 GPixel/s versus 12.00 GPixel/s, so the FirePro W600 would likely win rasterization-heavy tasks that stress ROP throughput, though the database does not record such a test. The GTX 560 SE’s higher texture rate and bandwidth suggest it wins texture-heavy and bandwidth-heavy tasks. The FirePro W600’s smaller die and higher transistor density mean it is a more modern design per square millimeter, but that does not overcome the performance gap in the recorded data.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ in nearly every specification field. The GTX 560 SE uses the GF114 chip on Fermi 2.0 architecture, while the FirePro W600 uses Cape Verde on GCN 1.0. The process node is 40 nm for the GTX 560 SE and 28 nm for the FirePro W600. Transistor count is 1,950 million versus 1,500 million. Die size is 332 mm² versus 123 mm². Transistor density is 5.9M per mm² versus 12.2M per mm².

Memory clock is 957 MHz (3.8 Gbps effective) versus 1000 MHz (4 Gbps effective). Memory size is 1024 MB versus 2 GB. Bus width is 192 bit versus 128 bit. Bandwidth is 91.87 GB/s versus 64.00 GB/s. Shading units are 288 versus 512. TMUs are 48 versus 32. ROPs are 24 versus 16. Pixel rate is 8.832 GPixel/s versus 12.00 GPixel/s. Texture rate is 35.33 GTexel/s versus 24.00 GTexel/s. FP32 is 847.9 GFLOPS versus 768.0 GFLOPS.

TDP is 150 W versus 75 W. Slot width is dual-slot versus single-slot. Power connectors are 2x 6-pin versus none. Suggested PSU is 450 W versus 250 W. Bus interface is PCIe 2.0 x16 versus PCIe 3.0 x16. Display outputs are 2x DVI and 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a versus 6x mini-DisplayPort 1.2. DirectX support is 12 (11_0) versus 12 (11_1). Vulkan support is absent versus 1.2.170. Dimensions are 210 mm length versus 168 mm length, 111 mm height, and 20 mm width. Release dates are 2012-02-19 for the GTX 560 SE and 2012-06-12 for the FirePro W600. The FirePro W600 has a launch MSRP of 599 USD, while the GTX 560 SE has no recorded launch MSRP.

FAQ

Q: Which card is faster in the Geekbench OpenCL benchmark?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 SE scores 7171, which is 15.2% higher than the AMD FirePro W600’s 6223.

Q: What is the memory capacity difference between the two?

A: The GTX 560 SE has 1024 MB of GDDR5, while the FirePro W600 has 2 GB of GDDR5. The FirePro W600 has twice the capacity, but the GTX 560 SE has higher bandwidth at 91.87 GB/s versus 64.00 GB/s.

Q: Does the AMD FirePro W600 support Vulkan?

A: Yes, the FirePro W600 supports Vulkan 1.2.170. The GTX 560 SE has no recorded Vulkan support.

Q: What are the power requirements for each card?

A: The GTX 560 SE has a 150 W TDP and requires 2x 6-pin power connectors with a 450 W suggested PSU. The FirePro W600 has a 75 W TDP, requires no power connectors, and has a 250 W suggested PSU.

Q: How do the shading unit counts compare?

A: The FirePro W600 has 512 shading units, which is higher than the GTX 560 SE’s 288. However, the GTX 560 SE still produces higher FP32 throughput at 847.9 GFLOPS versus 768.0 GFLOPS.

Q: Which card is better for a multi-display setup?

A: The FirePro W600 offers 6x mini-DisplayPort 1.2 outputs, while the GTX 560 SE offers 2x DVI and 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a. The FirePro W600 is the clear choice for driving many displays.