AMD Radeon RX 550 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data splits cleanly between these two end-of-life graphics cards, and the results are not close. The AMD Radeon RX 550 takes the only head-to-head benchmark recorded in the database, the Geekbench OpenCL test, with a score of 11,063 against the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560’s 9,058. That is a 22.1% advantage for the AMD part, and it is the sole direct comparison available between the two.

Beyond that single direct matchup, the RX 550 shows broader strength across multiple testing frameworks. Its Geekbench Vulkan score sits at 12,270, which is higher than its own OpenCL result, indicating the GCN 4.0 architecture handles modern API workloads well. The Metal score of 20,838 is the highest single result recorded for the RX 550, suggesting strong performance in Apple ecosystem compute tasks. The RX 550 also posts a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 127, confirming it can run modern DirectX 12 workloads even if the absolute number is modest.

The GTX 560, by contrast, has only one benchmark entry in the database: the same Geekbench OpenCL test it loses by 22.1%. There are no Vulkan results for the Fermi 2.0 part, no Metal results, and no DirectX 12 results. The architecture does not support Vulkan at all per the recorded API list, which explains the absence of those scores. The GTX 560’s DirectX support is listed as 12 (11_0), meaning it runs DirectX 12 titles only at the feature level of DirectX 11.0, a significant limitation for modern workloads.

Looking at the average benchmark scores, the RX 550 averages 11,075 across all recorded tests, while the GTX 560 averages 9,058. That places the AMD card in the 50th percentile among all GPUs, while the NVIDIA card sits in the 45th percentile. The RX 550 is also noted as having a 1:1 FP16 to FP32 ratio, with both rates at 1,211.4 GFLOPS, whereas the GTX 560 has no FP16 capability recorded at all. For any workload that leverages half-precision math, the RX 550 is the only viable option of the two.

The wins are therefore one-sided: the RX 550 wins the only head-to-head test, and it additionally offers results in Vulkan, Metal, and DirectX 12 that the GTX 560 simply cannot produce. The GTX 560 does have theoretical advantages in raw memory bandwidth (128.0 GB/s versus 112.0 GB/s) and texture fill rate (45.36 GTexel/s versus 37.86 GTexel/s), but those specifications do not translate into any recorded benchmark victory.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear conclusion: the AMD Radeon RX 550 is the superior choice based on recorded measurements. It wins the sole direct benchmark by 22.1%, it posts higher average scores across all tests, and it supports a broader range of modern APIs including Vulkan 1.3 and DirectX 12 (12_0). The GTX 560, while older and architecturally different, cannot match the RX 550 in any measured test.

For users who prioritize modern API support and compute workloads, the RX 550 is the only sensible pick. Its Vulkan score of 12,270 and OpenCL score of 11,063 demonstrate solid performance in cross-platform compute scenarios. The Metal score of 20,838 further indicates that the card handles Apple’s compute framework efficiently. The GTX 560 offers none of these capabilities: no Vulkan support, no Metal results, and a DirectX 12 implementation that only reaches feature level 11_0.

The GTX 560 does retain some theoretical strengths. Its 256-bit memory bus delivers 128.0 GB/s of bandwidth compared to the RX 550’s 128-bit bus at 112.0 GB/s, and its 32 ROPs double the RX 550’s 16. Its texture rate of 45.36 GTexel/s exceeds the RX 550’s 37.86 GTexel/s. These numbers suggest the GTX 560 could excel in fill-rate-bound legacy workloads, but the database contains no benchmark results that confirm this. Without recorded wins, those specifications remain theoretical.

The percentile rankings reinforce the verdict. The RX 550 sits at the 50th percentile of all GPUs, while the GTX 560 sits at the 45th. The RX 550’s nearest rivals include the NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000D Blackwell Max-Q and RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell Max-Q, both with average scores of 11,088, just 0.1% above the RX 550. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER scores 11,047, 0.3% below. The GTX 560’s nearest rivals include the NVIDIA TITAN V CEO Edition at 9,037 and the GeForce GTX 660 at 9,022, both roughly 0.2% to 0.4% below the GTX 560’s 9,058. The RX 550 competes in a higher performance tier entirely.

The recommendation is straightforward: the RX 550 for anyone needing modern API support and better measured compute performance, the GTX 560 only for those specifically targeting legacy fill-rate-bound scenarios with no need for Vulkan or full DirectX 12.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database records exactly one direct comparison between these two cards: Geekbench OpenCL. The AMD Radeon RX 550 scores 11,063, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 scores 9,058. That is a 22.1% margin in favor of AMD, a substantial gap in a compute benchmark that exercises GPU parallelism heavily.

The OpenCL result is telling because it reflects raw compute throughput. The RX 550 has 512 shading units, 32 texture units, and 16 ROPs, with a peak FP32 rate of 1,211.4 GFLOPS. The GTX 560 has 336 shading units, 56 texture units, and 32 ROPs, with a peak FP32 rate of 1,088.6 GFLOPS. The RX 550’s higher shading unit count and FP32 throughput align with its OpenCL victory. The GTX 560’s higher texture and pixel rates (45.36 GTexel/s and 11.34 GPixel/s versus 37.86 GTexel/s and 18.93 GPixel/s) do not help in this particular workload.

The RX 550’s other benchmark results provide additional context. Its Geekbench Vulkan score of 12,270 exceeds its OpenCL score by roughly 10.9%, indicating the GCN 4.0 architecture scales well with Vulkan’s lower-overhead API. The Metal score of 20,838 is nearly double the OpenCL score, though Metal and OpenCL are not directly comparable frameworks. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 127 is modest but confirms the card can execute modern DirectX 12 workloads, something the GTX 560 cannot fully do given its 12 (11_0) feature level.

The GTX 560 has no other recorded benchmarks to offset its OpenCL loss. Its average benchmark score of 9,058 is exactly equal to its single OpenCL result. The RX 550’s average of 11,075 is 22.3% higher, consistent with the head-to-head delta. The GTX 560’s nearest rivals, such as the GTX 660 at 9,022 and the AMD Radeon 550X at 8,918, sit below it, but none of those comparisons involve the RX 550.

In every measurable way, the head-to-head data favors the RX 550. The single direct test shows a 22.1% win, and the broader benchmark suite reinforces that gap with higher scores across Vulkan, Metal, and DirectX 12.

FAQ

Q: Which card wins the only direct benchmark between them?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 550 wins the Geekbench OpenCL test with a score of 11,063 against the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560’s 9,058, a 22.1% margin.

Q: Does the GTX 560 support Vulkan?

A: No. The GTX 560’s API list shows no Vulkan support, and it has no recorded Vulkan benchmark results. The RX 550 supports Vulkan 1.3 and scores 12,270 in Geekbench Vulkan.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The RX 550 averages 11,075 across all recorded tests, placing it in the 50th percentile of all GPUs. The GTX 560 averages 9,058, placing it in the 45th percentile.

Q: What are the closest rivals to each card?

A: The RX 550’s nearest rivals are the NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000D Blackwell Max-Q and RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell Max-Q, both at 11,088 (0.1% higher), and the GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER at 11,047 (0.3% lower). The GTX 560’s nearest rivals are the NVIDIA TITAN V CEO Edition at 9,037 (0.2% lower) and the GeForce GTX 660 at 9,022 (0.4% lower).

Q: Does the GTX 560 have any specification advantages?

A: Yes, in memory bandwidth and texture rate. The GTX 560 has a 256-bit bus with 128.0 GB/s bandwidth and a 45.36 GTexel/s texture rate, versus the RX 550’s 128-bit bus with 112.0 GB/s and 37.86 GTexel/s. It also has 32 ROPs versus 16, but no benchmark confirms an advantage from these specs.

Q: Which card supports DirectX 12 better?

A: The RX 550 supports DirectX 12 at feature level 12_0 and has a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 127. The GTX 560 supports DirectX 12 only at feature level 11_0, meaning it cannot fully utilize DirectX 12 features.

Architecture Differences

The two cards come from vastly different eras and design philosophies. The AMD Radeon RX 550 uses the Lexa chip built on GCN 4.0 architecture, part of the Polaris generation (RX 500). It is fabricated on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries, with 2,200 million transistors on a 103 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 21.4 million per mm². The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 uses the GF114 chip on Fermi 2.0 architecture from the GeForce 500 generation. It is fabricated on a 40 nm process at TSMC, with 1,950 million transistors on a much larger 332 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of just 5.9 million per mm². The process node difference is stark: 14 nm versus 40 nm, which explains the RX 550’s far superior density.

Memory configurations differ substantially. The RX 550 has 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus, running at 1750 MHz with 7 Gbps effective speed, delivering 112.0 GB/s bandwidth. The GTX 560 has 1024 MB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, running at 1000 MHz with 4 Gbps effective speed, delivering 128.0 GB/s bandwidth. The GTX 560’s wider bus gives it more bandwidth despite slower memory clocks, but the RX 550 has twice the capacity.

Compute resources are organized differently. The RX 550 packs 512 shading units, 32 texture units, and 16 ROPs, with peak rates of 18.93 GPixel/s and 37.86 GTexel/s. The GTX 560 has 336 shading units, 56 texture units, and 32 ROPs, with peak rates of 11.34 GPixel/s and 45.36 GTexel/s. The RX 550 has more shaders and higher pixel throughput; the GTX 560 has more texture units and ROPs, leading to higher texture throughput. FP32 performance favors the RX 550 at 1,211.4 GFLOPS versus 1,088.6 GFLOPS. The RX 550 also matches FP16 at 1,211.4 GFLOPS with a 1:1 ratio, while the GTX 560 has no FP16 capability recorded.

Power and physical requirements diverge sharply. The RX 550 has a TDP of 50 W, requires no power connectors, and suggests a 250 W PSU. It is a dual-slot card measuring 145 mm (5.7 inches). The GTX 560 has a TDP of 150 W, requires two 6-pin power connectors, and suggests a 450 W PSU. It is also dual-slot but longer at 210 mm (8.3 inches). The RX 550 is a much lighter power burden.

API support reflects their respective architectures. The RX 550 supports DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3. The GTX 560 supports DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6, but no Vulkan. Display outputs also differ: the RX 550 offers 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0b, and 1x DisplayPort 1.4a, while the GTX 560 offers 2x DVI and 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a. The RX 550’s modern outputs support newer display standards.

Release timing shows the generational gap. The RX 550 launched on 2017-04-19, succeeding Arctic Islands and preceding Vega. The GTX 560 launched on 2011-05-16, succeeding GeForce 400 and preceding GeForce 600. Both are end-of-life products, but the RX 550 benefits from six additional years of architecture evolution, visible in its smaller process node, higher density, and modern API support.