AMD Radeon RX 550X vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti Comparison

The GeForce GTX 560 Ti and the Radeon RX 550X are separated by seven years of GPU architecture, yet their average benchmark scores land only 2% apart (10,690 vs. 10,481). The older NVIDIA card wins the single shared OpenCL test by 10.6%, but the AMD card counters with a newer feature set, double the memory, and a Vulkan score that the GTX 560 Ti cannot match because it lacks the API entirely. The data indicates a classic trade-off: raw compute throughput versus modern platform compatibility.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti leads with an average benchmark score of 10,690, compared to the AMD Radeon RX 550X's 10,481. This places both cards at the 49th percentile of all GPUs.

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

A: The GTX 560 Ti wins decisively, scoring 10,690 against the RX 550X's 9,662. That is a 10.6% advantage for the NVIDIA card, which is the only head-to-head benchmark where both were tested.

Q: Does the RX 550X support any APIs that the GTX 560 Ti does not?

A: Yes. The RX 550X supports Vulkan 1.3 and DirectX 12 (12_0), while the GTX 560 Ti is limited to DirectX 12 (11_0) with no Vulkan support listed. The RX 550X also has a Geekbench Vulkan score of 11,299.

Q: What are the memory specifications of each card?

A: The GTX 560 Ti has 1024 MB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, yielding 128.3 GB/s bandwidth. The RX 550X has 4 GB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus, resulting in 96.00 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Which card has a higher transistor density despite having fewer transistors?

A: The RX 550X has a transistor density of 21.4M / mm², far higher than the GTX 560 Ti's 5.9M / mm². This is because the RX 550X packs 2,200 million transistors into a 103 mm² die, while the GTX 560 Ti uses 1,950 million transistors across a larger 332 mm² die.

Q: What is the power consumption difference between the two?

A: The RX 550X has a TDP of 50 W and requires no power connectors, with a suggested PSU of 250 W. The GTX 560 Ti has a TDP of 170 W, needs two 6-pin connectors, and a suggested PSU of 450 W.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs represent fundamentally different design eras. The GTX 560 Ti uses the GF114 chip built on Fermi 2.0 architecture, fabricated by TSMC on a 40 nm process. It contains 1,950 million transistors on a 332 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 5.9M / mm². In contrast, the RX 550X uses the Lexa chip with GCN 4.0 architecture, built by GlobalFoundries on a 14 nm process. It holds 2,200 million transistors on a much smaller 103 mm² die, achieving 21.4M / mm² density.

The shader configuration differs sharply. The GTX 560 Ti has 384 shading units, 64 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. The RX 550X has 512 shading units, but only 32 TMUs and 16 ROPs. This explains why the NVIDIA card achieves a higher texture rate of 52.67 GTexel/s versus the RX 550X's 37.86 GTexel/s, while the AMD card wins in pixel rate at 18.93 GPixel/s compared to 13.17 GPixel/s. Raw FP32 compute is nearly identical: 1,263.4 GFLOPS for NVIDIA versus 1,211.4 GFLOPS for AMD, though the RX 550X also offers FP16 at 1,211.4 GFLOPS with a 1:1 ratio.

Memory architecture is another clear generational split. The GTX 560 Ti runs 1024 MB of GDDR5 at 1002 MHz (4 Gbps effective) over a 256-bit bus, producing 128.3 GB/s. The RX 550X has 4 GB of GDDR5 at 1500 MHz (6 Gbps effective) on a 128-bit bus, yielding 96.00 GB/s. The NVIDIA card has 33% more bandwidth, but the AMD card has four times the capacity.

API support shows the RX 550X's modern pedigree. It lists DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3. The GTX 560 Ti lists DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6, with no Vulkan support. The RX 550X also features a PCIe 3.0 x8 interface and display outputs including HDMI 2.0b and DisplayPort 1.4a, while the GTX 560 Ti uses PCIe 2.0 x16 with 2x DVI and mini-HDMI 1.3a.

Where Each One Wins

The GTX 560 Ti wins in compute-heavy workloads that rely on raw FP32 and texture throughput. Its 10.6% OpenCL victory over the RX 550X demonstrates this, as does its superior 52.67 GTexel/s texture rate. The higher memory bandwidth of 128.3 GB/s also gives it an edge in scenarios where large data blocks move quickly, such as high-resolution texture streaming or certain compute kernels.

The RX 550X wins in modern API environments and memory capacity. Its Vulkan 1.3 support and DirectX 12 (12_0) feature level make it viable for current games and applications that require these APIs, whereas the GTX 560 Ti's DirectX 12 (11_0) is a legacy limitation. The 4 GB frame buffer is four times larger than the GTX 560 Ti's 1024 MB, which matters for texture-heavy modern titles or compute tasks that exceed 1 GB. The RX 550X also produces a Vulkan score of 11,299, which is higher than the GTX 560 Ti's OpenCL score of 10,690, though these are different tests.

Power efficiency is a clear AMD win. The RX 550X draws 50 W versus 170 W, requires no power connectors versus two 6-pin, and suggests a 250 W PSU versus 450 W. The RX 550X is also shorter at 145 mm (5.7 inches) versus 229 mm (9 inches) for the GTX 560 Ti, making it easier to fit in compact systems.

Specification Differences

| Specification | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti | AMD Radeon RX 550X |

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

| 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 |

| Base Clock | None listed | 1100 MHz |

| Boost Clock | None listed | 1183 MHz |

| Memory Clock | 1002 MHz / 4 Gbps effective | 1500 MHz / 6 Gbps effective |

| Memory Size | 1024 MB | 4 GB |

| Memory Bus | 256 bit | 128 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 128.3 GB/s | 96.00 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 384 | 512 |

| TMUs | 64 | 32 |

| ROPs | 32 | 16 |

| Pixel Rate | 13.17 GPixel/s | 18.93 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 52.67 GTexel/s | 37.86 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 1,263.4 GFLOPS | 1,211.4 GFLOPS |

| FP16 | None listed | 1,211.4 GFLOPS (1:1) |

| TDP | 170 W | 50 W |

| 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 | 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0b, 1x DisplayPort 1.4a |

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

| Vulkan | None listed | 1.3 |

| Dimensions | 229 mm / 9 inches | 145 mm / 5.7 inches |

| Release Date | 2011-01-24 | 2018-12-15 |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The single shared benchmark is Geekbench OpenCL, and the GTX 560 Ti takes it by a wide margin. The NVIDIA card scores 10,690 against the RX 550X's 9,662, a 10.6% delta. This is the defining data point for raw compute performance. It aligns with the specification sheet: the GTX 560 Ti has a higher texture rate (52.67 vs. 37.86 GTexel/s), higher memory bandwidth (128.3 vs. 96.00 GB/s), and slightly higher FP32 (1,263.4 vs. 1,211.4 GFLOPS). The RX 550X's higher pixel rate (18.93 vs. 13.17 GPixel/s) and larger shader count (512 vs. 384) do not translate into an OpenCL win.

The RX 550X, however, has a separate benchmark result that the GTX 560 Ti cannot contest: a Geekbench Vulkan score of 11,299. This number exceeds the GTX 560 Ti's OpenCL score of 10,690 by 5.7%, though comparing across different APIs is not a direct apples-to-apples measurement. Still, it demonstrates that in a modern Vulkan workload, the RX 550X can outperform the GTX 560 Ti's best OpenCL result.

Looking at nearest rivals reinforces the picture. The GTX 560 Ti sits between the AMD Radeon RX 6600S (10,629, +0.6%) and the NVIDIA Quadro K2200 (10,761, -0.7%). The RX 550X is near the AMD Radeon R9 M275X (10,582, -1%) and the AMD Radeon RX 6500M (10,362, +1.2%). Both cards occupy the same performance tier, but the GTX 560 Ti's nearest rivals are closer in score, suggesting it is more centrally placed in its performance class.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear split decision. For pure compute throughput in legacy or OpenCL-based workloads, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti is the stronger card. It wins the only shared benchmark by 10.6%, offers higher texture rate and memory bandwidth, and matches the RX 550X in FP32 performance. Users running older software that relies on these characteristics will see better results from the GTX 560 Ti.

For modern system integration, the AMD Radeon RX 550X is the more sensible pick. It supports Vulkan 1.3 and DirectX 12 (12_0), has 4 GB of memory versus 1 GB, and consumes 120 W less power. Its smaller physical footprint (145 mm vs. 229 mm) and lack of external power connectors make it far easier to install in contemporary cases and power supplies. The RX 550X also has a Vulkan score of 11,299, which is higher than the GTX 560 Ti's OpenCL score.

The GTX 560 Ti is a 2011 product with a launch MSRP of 249 USD, now end-of-life. The RX 550X is a 2018 product, also end-of-life, but built on a 14 nm process versus 40 nm. The architectural gap is enormous: GCN 4.0 supports features that Fermi 2.0 cannot, and the memory capacity difference alone changes what workloads are feasible. If the choice is between these two for a current system, the RX 550X is the rational option despite losing the OpenCL test. If the workload is strictly legacy compute where Vulkan is irrelevant and memory size does not matter, the GTX 560 Ti's 10.6% OpenCL advantage makes it the winner.