AMD Radeon R7 M360 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M Comparison

The AMD Radeon R7 M360 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M are both end-of-life mobile graphics processors, but they represent very different eras and design philosophies. The data shows a close contest in raw compute, yet the underlying specifications tell a story of contrasting strengths. The GTX 560M edges out the R7 M360 in the only shared benchmark, but the AMD part brings newer architectural features and a much higher transistor density to the table.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M has a higher average benchmark score of 4855, compared to the AMD Radeon R7 M360’s average of 4931. However, this is misleading because the averages are calculated from different test sets; the R7 M360 includes a Vulkan score, while the GTX 560M only has an OpenCL score.

Q: How do the two GPUs compare in the Geekbench OpenCL test?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M wins the head-to-head Geekbench OpenCL test with a score of 4855, which is 4.5% higher than the AMD Radeon R7 M360’s score of 4638.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference between the two cards?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M has a significantly wider memory interface and faster memory. It offers 60.00 GB/s of bandwidth from a 192-bit GDDR5 bus, while the AMD Radeon R7 M360 provides only 14.40 GB/s from a 64-bit DDR3 bus.

Q: Which GPU supports newer graphics APIs?

A: The AMD Radeon R7 M360 supports DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M supports DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6, but has no Vulkan support listed in the data.

Q: How do their transistor densities compare?

A: The AMD Radeon R7 M360, built on a 28 nm process, has a transistor density of 12.4M per mm². The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M, built on a 40 nm process, has a much lower density of 4.9M per mm².

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The AMD Radeon R7 M360 has 384 shading units, which is double the 192 shading units found on the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Radeon R7 M360 is based on the Meso chip using the GCN 3.0 architecture, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M is built on the GF116 chip using the older Fermi 2.0 architecture. This generational gap is immediately visible in the manufacturing process. The AMD part is fabricated on a 28 nm process at TSMC, whereas the NVIDIA chip uses a larger 40 nm process at the same foundry. This allows AMD to pack 1,550 million transistors into a 125 mm² die, resulting in a density of 12.4M transistors per mm². In contrast, NVIDIA’s chip has 1,170 million transistors spread across a much larger 238 mm² die, yielding a density of just 4.9M per mm².

The compute layouts are fundamentally different. AMD’s GCN design employs 384 shading units, 24 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 8 render output units (ROPs). NVIDIA’s Fermi design uses 192 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 24 ROPs. This means the R7 M360 has a massive 2:1 advantage in shading units, but the GTX 560M counters with a 3:1 advantage in ROPs and a slight edge in TMUs. The memory subsystems are also worlds apart. The R7 M360 uses 2 GB of DDR3 memory on a narrow 64-bit bus, yielding 14.40 GB/s of bandwidth. The GTX 560M uses 1536 MB of faster GDDR5 memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering 60.00 GB/s—more than four times the bandwidth.

The API support reflects the newer architecture of the AMD part. The R7 M360 supports DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.2.170, while the GTX 560M only reaches DirectX 12 (11_0) and has no Vulkan support listed. Both support OpenGL 4.6. The GTX 560M is an MXM module with a 75 W TDP, while the R7 M360 does not have a TDP listed in the data. The R7 M360 uses a PCIe 3.0 x8 interface, whereas the GTX 560M uses an MXM-B (3.0) connection.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct comparison available is the Geekbench OpenCL test. In this test, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M scores 4855, defeating the AMD Radeon R7 M360’s score of 4638. This represents a 4.5% advantage for the NVIDIA part. This is a notable result given the architectural differences; the older Fermi chip with fewer shading units manages to outperform the newer GCN 3.0 part in this specific compute workload. The GTX 560M’s superior memory bandwidth of 60.00 GB/s likely plays a significant role in this win, as OpenCL workloads often benefit from faster data movement.

However, the R7 M360 has other data points. Its Geekbench Vulkan score is 5223, which is higher than its own OpenCL score. This suggests that the AMD part may perform better in workloads that utilize the Vulkan API, a feature the GTX 560M lacks entirely. The average benchmark score for the R7 M360 is 4931, calculated from both its OpenCL and Vulkan results. This average is higher than the GTX 560M’s single OpenCL score of 4855, but this is not a fair comparison since the two averages are derived from different test suites. The nearestRivals data for the R7 M360 shows it within 0.8% of the NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450, while the GTX 560M is also within 0.8% of that same rival, indicating that both parts sit in a very tight performance cluster.

The Verdict

The data presents a nuanced picture. In the single shared benchmark, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M is the clear winner, taking the head-to-head Geekbench OpenCL test with a 4.5% margin. If your priority is raw OpenCL compute performance, the GTX 560M is the better choice based on the numbers. Its massive bandwidth advantage and higher ROP count give it a practical edge in memory-intensive tasks.

The AMD Radeon R7 M360, however, should not be dismissed. While it loses the OpenCL test, it offers Vulkan support and a higher average benchmark score when considering its full test suite. The R7 M360’s 384 shading units and newer GCN 3.0 architecture suggest it may be more capable in modern workloads that leverage newer APIs or rely on shader-heavy computation. Its end-of-life status and narrower memory bus are drawbacks, but its architectural modernity is a genuine asset.

For a user who values compatibility with modern APIs like Vulkan and DirectX 12 (12_0), the AMD Radeon R7 M360 is the more future-proof option. For a user who needs the highest possible OpenCL score and better raw memory throughput, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M is the data-backed winner. The choice hinges on whether you prioritize the single test result or the broader feature set.

Specification Differences

• Process Node: AMD Radeon R7 M360 is on 28 nm; NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M is on 40 nm.
• Transistors: AMD has 1,550 million; NVIDIA has 1,170 million.
• Die Size: AMD is 125 mm²; NVIDIA is 238 mm².
• Transistor Density: AMD is 12.4M / mm²; NVIDIA is 4.9M / mm².
• Memory Size: AMD has 2 GB; NVIDIA has 1536 MB.
• Memory Type: AMD uses DDR3; NVIDIA uses GDDR5.
• Memory Bus Width: AMD is 64 bit; NVIDIA is 192 bit.
• Memory Bandwidth: AMD is 14.40 GB/s; NVIDIA is 60.00 GB/s.
• Shading Units: AMD has 384; NVIDIA has 192.
• TMUs: AMD has 24; NVIDIA has 32.
• ROPs: AMD has 8; NVIDIA has 24.
• Pixel Rate: AMD is 9.000 GPixel/s; NVIDIA is 6.200 GPixel/s.
• Texture Rate: AMD is 27.00 GTexel/s; NVIDIA is 24.80 GTexel/s.
• FP32 Performance: AMD is 864.0 GFLOPS; NVIDIA is 595.2 GFLOPS.
• DirectX Support: AMD is 12 (12_0); NVIDIA is 12 (11_0).
• Vulkan Support: AMD is 1.2.170; NVIDIA is not listed.
• TDP: AMD is not listed; NVIDIA is 75 W.
• Bus Interface: AMD is PCIe 3.0 x8; NVIDIA is MXM-B (3.0).
• Release Date: AMD is 2015-05-04; NVIDIA is 2011-05-29.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon R7 M360 wins in several key architectural and feature categories. It has double the shading units (384 vs. 192) and significantly higher FP32 compute at 864.0 GFLOPS compared to 595.2 GFLOPS. Its pixel rate of 9.000 GPixel/s and texture rate of 27.00 GTexel/s are also higher than the NVIDIA part’s 6.200 GPixel/s and 24.80 GTexel/s. The R7 M360 supports DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.2.170, which the GTX 560M cannot match. It also has a higher average benchmark score of 4931 when including its Vulkan result.

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M wins in the areas that matter for traditional rasterization and memory throughput. It has a massive bandwidth advantage with 60.00 GB/s versus 14.40 GB/s, thanks to its GDDR5 memory and 192-bit bus. It also has triple the ROPs (24 vs. 8) and more TMUs (32 vs. 24). In the actual head-to-head benchmark, the GTX 560M wins the Geekbench OpenCL test with a score of 4855 against 4638, a 4.5% margin. Its 75 W TDP is specified, whereas the AMD part has no TDP listed.

In practical terms, the AMD Radeon R7 M360 is the better pick for synthetic compute workloads that can leverage its higher shader count and modern API support, particularly Vulkan. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M is the better pick for scenarios where memory bandwidth is the bottleneck, such as high-resolution texture work or certain OpenCL tasks. The data shows a trade-off between architectural modernity and raw memory throughput, with each part holding a distinct advantage in its respective domain.