AMD Radeon 540 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data splits these two cards cleanly by workload type. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 wins the only shared test, Geekbench OpenCL, by a substantial 46.5% margin. That score, 9058 against 6184 for the AMD Radeon 540, places the GTX 560 at the 45th percentile of all GPUs in the database. The Radeon 540, by contrast, sits at the 41st percentile based on its average score across two tests.

However, the Radeon 540 has a second benchmark result that the GTX 560 does not possess: a Geekbench Vulkan score of 9162. This is a significant number because it is higher than the GTX 560's OpenCL result, and it suggests the AMD card is more capable in modern low-level graphics APIs. In practical terms, the GTX 560 is the clear winner for raw compute workloads that use OpenCL, while the Radeon 540 is the better pick for anything that leverages Vulkan, which includes many current game engines and emulators.

The GTX 560 also wins on raw throughput metrics that matter for older DirectX titles and traditional rasterization. It has a texture fill rate of 45.36 GTexel/s, which is roughly 60% higher than the Radeon 540's 28.39 GTexel/s. Its pixel rate of 11.34 GPixel/s is lower than the AMD's 18.93 GPixel/s, but that advantage for the Radeon 540 is dampened by its narrow 32-bit memory bus, which we will examine shortly. The GTX 560's FP32 compute of 1,088.6 GFLOPS exceeds the Radeon 540's 908.5 GFLOPS, reinforcing its lead in general-purpose GPU tasks.

For a system builder, the split is simple: if the workload is OpenCL compute or older DirectX 11-era gaming, the GTX 560 is the stronger part. If the workload is Vulkan-based, the Radeon 540 is the only one of the two with a recorded score in that API, and it is a good one relative to its peers.

Architecture Differences

These two GPUs are from different eras and design philosophies. The GTX 560 uses the GF114 chip built on NVIDIA's Fermi 2.0 architecture, fabricated on a 40 nm process at TSMC. It packs 1,950 million transistors into a 332 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 5.9 million per square millimeter. The Radeon 540 uses the Lexa chip, based on AMD's GCN 4.0 architecture, built on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries. It has 2,200 million transistors in a much smaller 103 mm² die, yielding 21.4 million transistors per square millimeter. That is a massive difference in density, reflecting the newer manufacturing process.

The memory subsystems are radically different. The GTX 560 has a 256-bit memory bus with 128.0 GB/s of bandwidth, while the Radeon 540 has only a 32-bit bus with 24.00 GB/s. Both have 1024 MB of GDDR5, but the Radeon 540's effective memory clock of 6 Gbps cannot compensate for its narrow bus. The GTX 560's memory runs at 4 Gbps effective, but the wide bus gives it over five times the bandwidth. This is the single largest architectural gap between the two, and it explains why the Radeon 540 struggles in bandwidth-sensitive workloads despite having a newer design.

The compute units differ in configuration. The GTX 560 has 336 shading units, 56 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. The Radeon 540 has 384 shading units, 24 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. The AMD card has more shaders but fewer texture units and ROPs, which aligns with its lower texture rate and its higher pixel rate (18.93 GPixel/s vs 11.34 GPixel/s). The Radeon 540 also supports FP16 at a 1:1 ratio, meaning its FP16 throughput matches its FP32 at 908.5 GFLOPS. The GTX 560 has no recorded FP16 capability, which is expected for a Fermi-era card.

Feature support also diverges. The Radeon 540 supports DirectX 12 (12_0), Vulkan 1.3, and OpenGL 4.6. The GTX 560 supports DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, but has no recorded Vulkan support. The Radeon 540 also uses PCIe 3.0 x8, while the GTX 560 uses PCIe 2.0 x16. The AMD card has two DisplayPort 1.4a outputs, while the NVIDIA card has two DVI and one mini-HDMI 1.3a. The Radeon 540 is a single-slot card with no power connectors and a 50 W TDP, while the GTX 560 is dual-slot with two 6-pin connectors and a 150 W TDP. The GTX 560 also requires a 450 W suggested PSU versus 250 W for the Radeon 540.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct comparison in the database is Geekbench OpenCL. The GTX 560 scores 9058, and the Radeon 540 scores 6184. That is a 46.5% lead for the NVIDIA card. To put that in context, the GTX 560's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA TITAN V CEO Edition at 9037 (0.2% behind) and the GeForce GTX 660 at 9022 (0.4% behind). The GTX 560 is effectively tied with those cards in OpenCL, which is remarkable for a GPU from 2011. The Radeon 540, meanwhile, sits near the AMD Radeon 550X at 8918, which is 1.6% ahead of the GTX 560, and the AMD Radeon 890M at 9210, which is 1.7% ahead of the GTX 560.

The Radeon 540's Vulkan score of 9162 is its standout result. That number places it in the same neighborhood as its OpenCL rivals, but it is a different API. The database shows the Radeon 540's average benchmark score at 7673, which pulls down its percentile to 41. The GTX 560 has only one benchmark result, so its average is 9058, matching its OpenCL score.

In simple terms, the GTX 560 is nearly twice as fast as the Radeon 540 in OpenCL compute. The Radeon 540 is competitive only in Vulkan, where the GTX 560 has no recorded data. For anyone running OpenCL-based applications, the choice is obvious. For Vulkan-based workloads, the Radeon 540 is the only option with a score, and it is a strong one relative to its class.

FAQ

Q: Which card has higher raw compute performance?

A: The GTX 560 has 1,088.6 GFLOPS of FP32 compute, while the Radeon 540 has 908.5 GFLOPS. The GTX 560 is ahead by about 20% in this metric.

Q: Why does the Radeon 540 have a lower average benchmark score than the GTX 560?

A: The Radeon 540's average is 7673, pulled down by its OpenCL score of 6184. The GTX 560's average is 9058, which equals its only recorded benchmark. The Radeon 540's Vulkan score of 9162 is higher than its average, but the OpenCL result drags it down.

Q: Can the Radeon 540 replace the GTX 560 in a modern system?

A: For Vulkan workloads, yes. The Radeon 540 supports Vulkan 1.3 and scores 9162 in that test. The GTX 560 has no recorded Vulkan support. However, for OpenCL, the GTX 560 is 46.5% faster.

Q: Which card is more efficient?

A: The Radeon 540 has a 50 W TDP and needs no power connectors, while the GTX 560 has a 150 W TDP and requires two 6-pin connectors. The Radeon 540 also uses a 14 nm process versus 40 nm, and it has a higher transistor density.

Q: What about memory bandwidth?

A: The GTX 560 has 128.0 GB/s over a 256-bit bus. The Radeon 540 has 24.00 GB/s over a 32-bit bus. The GTX 560 has over five times the bandwidth, which is critical for texture-heavy workloads.

Q: Which card has better DirectX support?

A: The Radeon 540 supports DirectX 12 (12_0), while the GTX 560 supports DirectX 12 (11_0). The Radeon 540 also supports Vulkan 1.3, which the GTX 560 lacks.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear split by use case. The GTX 560 is the stronger card for OpenCL compute and for any workload that depends on memory bandwidth or texture throughput. Its 128.0 GB/s bandwidth, 45.36 GTexel/s texture rate, and 1,088.6 GFLOPS FP32 make it the better choice for number-crunching tasks. The 46.5% OpenCL win over the Radeon 540 is decisive, and its percentile of 45 versus 41 for the AMD card confirms its higher standing in the database.

The Radeon 540 is the better pick for Vulkan-based applications. Its Vulkan score of 9162 is its strongest result, and it is the only card here with Vulkan support. It also has a lower power draw at 50 W, needs no power connectors, and fits in a single slot. Its 18.93 GPixel/s pixel rate is also higher than the GTX 560's 11.34 GPixel/s, which helps in certain rendering scenarios. However, its 32-bit memory bus is a severe limitation, and its OpenCL performance is far behind.

For a builder with an older system that needs OpenCL compute, the GTX 560 is the logical choice. For a builder running Vulkan games or applications, the Radeon 540 is the only option with a recorded score, and it is a competent one. There is no universal winner; the correct choice depends entirely on the API and workload in question.

Specification Differences

| Specification | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 | AMD Radeon 540 |

|----------------|------------------------|----------------|

| Chip | GF114 | Lexa |

| Architecture | Fermi 2.0 | GCN 4.0 |

| Process Node | 40 nm | 14 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | GlobalFoundries |

| Transistors | 1,950 million | 2,200 million |

| Die Size | 332 mm² | 103 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 5.9M / mm² | 21.4M / mm² |

| Memory Speed | 4 Gbps effective | 6 Gbps effective |

| Memory Size | 1024 MB | 1024 MB |

| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |

| Memory Bus Width | 256 bit | 32 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 128.0 GB/s | 24.00 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 336 | 384 |

| TMUs | 56 | 24 |

| ROPs | 32 | 16 |

| Pixel Rate | 11.34 GPixel/s | 18.93 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 45.36 GTexel/s | 28.39 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 1,088.6 GFLOPS | 908.5 GFLOPS |

| FP16 | Not recorded | 908.5 GFLOPS (1:1) |

| TDP | 150 W | 50 W |

| Slot Width | Dual-slot | Single-slot |

| Power Connectors | 2x 6-pin | None |

| Suggested PSU | 450 W | 250 W |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 2.0 x16 | PCIe 3.0 x8 |

| Display Outputs | 2x DVI, 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a | 2x DisplayPort 1.4a |

| DirectX | 12 (11_0) | 12 (12_0) |

| OpenGL | 4.6 | 4.6 |

| Vulkan | Not recorded | 1.3 |

| Release Date | 2011-05-16 | 2017-04-19 |

| Launch MSRP | 199 USD | Not recorded |