AMD Radeon HD 8850M vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Comparison

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 vs AMD Radeon HD 8850M is a comparison between two end-of-life mobile and desktop graphics solutions from different generations. The recorded data shows a clear winner in the single available benchmark, but the underlying specifications tell a more nuanced story about where each part still holds relevance.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains a single head-to-head benchmark result for these two GPUs: Geekbench OpenCL. In this test, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 scores 9,058 points, while the AMD Radeon HD 8850M scores 7,447 points. That gives the GTX 560 a 21.6% advantage, a substantial margin that reflects the desktop card's wider memory bus and higher fillrate capabilities.

Looking at the broader context, the GTX 560's score places it at the 45th percentile among all GPUs in the database. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA TITAN V CEO Edition (score 9,037, delta 0.2%), the GeForce GTX 660 (score 9,022, delta 0.4%), and the AMD Radeon 550X (score 8,918, delta 1.6%). The data indicates the GTX 560 sits in a tight cluster where small performance differences separate these parts. Interestingly, the AMD Radeon 890M is just ahead at 9,210 points, a -1.7% delta from the GTX 560's perspective.

For the Radeon HD 8850M, its 7,447 score corresponds to the 40th percentile. Its nearest rivals are the Intel UHD Graphics 750 (score 7,441, delta 0.1%), the AMD Radeon R7 350 (score 7,425, delta 0.3%), the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 (score 7,472, delta -0.3%), and the Intel Arc A310 (score 7,550, delta -1.4%). The HD 8850M is essentially tied with these integrated and low-end discrete solutions, which highlights its modest standing in the current GPU landscape.

The 21.6% delta between the two comparison subjects is the largest gap in their benchmark profile. No other tests were recorded, so the analysis relies on this single data point alongside the architectural differences.

Architecture Differences

The GTX 560 uses the GF114 chip, built on the Fermi 2.0 architecture from the GeForce 500 generation. It is manufactured on a 40 nm process at TSMC, with 1,950 million transistors packed into a 332 mm² die. The transistor density works out to 5.9 million per square millimeter.

The Radeon HD 8850M uses the Venus chip, based on GCN 1.0 architecture from the Solar System (HD 8800M) generation. It is also built by TSMC, but on a much smaller 28 nm process. The die size is 123 mm² with 1,500 million transistors, giving a transistor density of 12.2 million per square millimeter. That density difference is stark: the AMD part crams over twice as many transistors per area despite having fewer total transistors.

Memory configurations differ significantly. The GTX 560 has 1024 MB of GDDR5 on a 256 bit bus, yielding 128.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The HD 8850M has 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 128 bit bus, halving bandwidth to 64.00 GB/s. Both run memory at 1000 MHz with 4 Gbps effective speed, but the narrower bus cripples the AMD part's throughput.

Compute resources also diverge. The GTX 560 has 336 shading units, 56 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. The HD 8850M has 640 shading units, 40 TMUs, and only 16 ROPs. The AMD part has nearly double the shader count, but the GTX 560 has more texture units and double the ROPs. Pixel rates reflect this: the GTX 560 achieves 11.34 GPixel/s versus 10.00 GPixel/s for the HD 8850M. Texture rate favors NVIDIA more clearly at 45.36 GTexel/s versus 25.00 GTexel/s. FP32 compute goes the other way, with the GTX 560 at 1,088.6 GFLOPS and the HD 8850M at 800.0 GFLOPS.

Clock speeds show a major difference. The HD 8850M has a base clock of 575 MHz and a boost clock of 625 MHz. The GTX 560's base and boost clocks are not listed in the database, so direct clock comparison is not possible. However, the GTX 560's higher fillrate and compute figures suggest it operates at significantly higher frequencies.

API support differs. The GTX 560 supports DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and no Vulkan. The HD 8850M supports DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The AMD part has a slightly newer DirectX feature level and adds Vulkan support, which matters for compatibility with modern titles that rely on Vulkan.

Other differences include the bus interface: PCIe 2.0 x16 for the GTX 560 versus PCIe 3.0 x16 for the HD 8850M. The GTX 560 has a dual-slot cooler, two 6-pin power connectors, and a 450 W suggested PSU. Its TDP is listed at 150 W. The HD 8850M has no TDP, slot width, power connector, or PSU data recorded, which is typical for a mobile-oriented part.

Where Each One Wins

The GTX 560 wins the only recorded benchmark by 21.6%. Its strengths are clear from the specifications: higher bandwidth, more TMUs, more ROPs, and higher pixel/texture rates. This makes it better suited for traditional rasterization workloads where fillrate and memory throughput dominate. The 256 bit bus is particularly important for high-resolution textures and anti-aliasing, where the GTX 560's 128.0 GB/s bandwidth gives it a decisive edge over the HD 8850M's 64.00 GB/s.

The HD 8850M does have advantages in certain areas. Its 2 GB memory capacity is double the GTX 560's 1024 MB, which matters for modern games that exceed 1 GB of VRAM usage. The GCN architecture with 640 shading units provides a different compute profile, though the FP32 results show the GTX 560 still outperforms it. Vulkan support on the HD 8850M opens up API compatibility that the GTX 560 lacks entirely. The 28 nm process also means lower power draw per transistor, though no TDP figure is recorded for the AMD part.

For use cases: the GTX 560 suits older DirectX 11 titles, especially at higher resolutions where bandwidth matters. The HD 8850M suits lighter workloads where its 2 GB frame buffer and Vulkan support provide flexibility, but its benchmark score indicates it struggles against even integrated graphics from Intel (the UHD 750 is within 0.1%).

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 scores 9,058 in Geekbench OpenCL, which is 21.6% higher than the AMD Radeon HD 8850M's 7,447.

Q: How does the GTX 560 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The GTX 560 is 0.2% ahead of the NVIDIA TITAN V CEO Edition (9,037), 0.4% ahead of the GTX 660 (9,022), and 1.6% ahead of the AMD Radeon 550X (8,918). The AMD Radeon 890M is 1.7% ahead of it at 9,210.

Q: What memory configuration does each card have?

A: The GTX 560 has 1024 MB of GDDR5 on a 256 bit bus with 128.0 GB/s bandwidth. The HD 8850M has 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 128 bit bus with 64.00 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Does the HD 8850M support any APIs that the GTX 560 lacks?

A: Yes, the HD 8850M supports Vulkan 1.2.170, while the GTX 560 has no Vulkan support. Both support DirectX 12 (11_1 for AMD, 11_0 for NVIDIA) and OpenGL 4.6.

Q: What is the transistor density difference between these chips?

A: The GTX 560's GF114 has 1,950 million transistors on a 332 mm² die, giving 5.9M per mm². The HD 8850M's Venus has 1,500 million transistors on a 123 mm² die, giving 12.2M per mm².

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The AMD Radeon HD 8850M has 640 shading units, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 has 336. Despite this, the GTX 560 achieves higher FP32 compute at 1,088.6 GFLOPS versus 800.0 GFLOPS.

Specification Differences

The following fields differ between the two GPUs:

• Chip: GF114 (NVIDIA) vs Venus (AMD)
• Architecture: Fermi 2.0 vs GCN 1.0
• Generation: GeForce 500 vs Solar System (HD 8800M)
• Process Node: 40 nm vs 28 nm
• Transistors: 1,950 million vs 1,500 million
• Die Size: 332 mm² vs 123 mm²
• Transistor Density: 5.9M / mm² vs 12.2M / mm²
• Clock Speeds: No base/boost listed for GTX 560; HD 8850M has 575 MHz base and 625 MHz boost
• Memory Size: 1024 MB vs 2 GB
• Memory Bus Width: 256 bit vs 128 bit
• Memory Bandwidth: 128.0 GB/s vs 64.00 GB/s
• Shading Units: 336 vs 640
• TMUs: 56 vs 40
• ROPs: 32 vs 16
• Pixel Rate: 11.34 GPixel/s vs 10.00 GPixel/s
• Texture Rate: 45.36 GTexel/s vs 25.00 GTexel/s
• FP32: 1,088.6 GFLOPS vs 800.0 GFLOPS
• TDP: 150 W vs not listed
• Slot Width: Dual-slot vs not listed
• Power Connectors: 2x 6-pin vs not listed
• Suggested PSU: 450 W vs not listed
• Bus Interface: PCIe 2.0 x16 vs PCIe 3.0 x16
• Display Outputs: 2x DVI, 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a vs not listed
• DirectX: 12 (11_0) vs 12 (11_1)
• Vulkan: Not listed vs 1.2.170
• Dimensions: 210 mm length vs not listed
• Release Date: 2011-05-16 vs 2013-03-31
• Predecessor: GeForce 400 vs London
• Successor: GeForce 600 vs Gem System
• Launch MSRP: 199 USD vs not listed

The Verdict

The benchmark data is unambiguous. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 outperforms the AMD Radeon HD 8850M by 21.6% in the only recorded test. Its higher bandwidth, more texture units, more ROPs, and superior pixel/texture rates translate directly into a better OpenCL score.

Users should choose the GTX 560 if they need raw compute performance and have a desktop system with a 450 W PSU and dual-slot space. Its 150 W TDP and two 6-pin connectors are manageable for older builds. The 256 bit memory bus makes it the better choice for memory-intensive workloads, despite having half the VRAM capacity.

The HD 8850M makes sense only for systems that require its 2 GB frame buffer or Vulkan support. Its 40th percentile ranking and proximity to integrated graphics like the Intel UHD 750 suggest it is not a competitive option for demanding tasks. The 28 nm process and smaller die do not compensate for the 64.00 GB/s bandwidth bottleneck.

For any workload captured by the Geekbench OpenCL test, the GTX 560 is the clear pick. The data shows a decisive NVIDIA victory, and the architectural advantages reinforce that result.