AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti Comparison

The AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti represent two distinct eras of graphics hardware, separated by over a decade of architectural evolution. The data shows a generational chasm, with the RX 7800 XT delivering a 71.1% higher score in the single shared benchmark, but the GTX 560 Ti still holds relevance for legacy systems and specific workloads. This analysis breaks down where each card wins, the fundamental architecture differences, and what the numbers mean for a builder deciding between a modern powerhouse and a vintage workhorse.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark results are lopsided, but the use cases are entirely different. The AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT wins the only direct head-to-head test — Geekbench OpenCL — with a score of 18,290 against the GTX 560 Ti’s 10,690, a 71.1% advantage. This makes the RX 7800 XT the clear choice for any modern compute workload, including OpenCL-accelerated applications, contemporary DirectX 12 Ultimate titles, and high-resolution gaming. Its active production status and support for Vulkan 1.4 and DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) mean it is built for today’s software ecosystem.

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti, conversely, wins in the area of legacy compatibility and low-power operation. While it has zero benchmark wins against the RX 7800 XT, its 170 W TDP and PCIe 2.0 x16 interface make it a practical drop-in upgrade for older motherboards and power supplies that predate modern standards. Its dual DVI and mini-HDMI 1.3a outputs are ideal for connecting to older monitors without adapters. For a builder restoring a 2011-era system or running software that relies on Fermi-era driver quirks, the GTX 560 Ti is the more sensible choice, despite its age and end-of-life status.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap is immense, starting with the manufacturing process. The RX 7800 XT uses a 5 nm TSMC node, packing 28,100 million transistors into a 346 mm² die for a density of 81.2M transistors per mm². The GTX 560 Ti uses a 40 nm TSMC process, with just 1,950 million transistors on a 332 mm² die, yielding a density of only 5.9M per mm². This is a 13.8x difference in transistor density, explaining the massive performance gulf.

The RX 7800 XT is built on RDNA 3.0 architecture (codename "Wheat Nas," Navi 32 chip), part of the Navi III (RX 7000) generation. It features 3,840 shading units, 240 TMUs, and 96 ROPs, alongside 60 dedicated ray tracing cores. In contrast, the GTX 560 Ti uses the Fermi 2.0 architecture (GF114 chip) from the GeForce 500 generation, with 384 shading units, 64 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, and no ray tracing hardware whatsoever. The RX 7800 XT also supports FP16 compute at a 1:1 ratio with FP32, while the GTX 560 Ti has no listed FP16 capability.

Memory architecture is another stark divider. The RX 7800 XT has 16 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus, delivering 624.1 GB/s of bandwidth. The GTX 560 Ti has 1 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, with 128.3 GB/s bandwidth. The RX 7800 XT’s memory clock is 2438 MHz (19.5 Gbps effective), versus 1002 MHz (4 Gbps effective) on the GTX 560 Ti. This 4.9x bandwidth advantage is critical for modern texture-heavy games and compute tasks. The RX 7800 XT also supports PCIe 4.0 x16, while the GTX 560 Ti is limited to PCIe 2.0 x16.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct comparison available is Geekbench OpenCL, and it is a decisive victory for the RX 7800 XT. The AMD card scores 18,290, while the GTX 560 Ti scores 10,690, resulting in a 71.1% delta in favor of the RX 7800 XT. This is a massive single-test win, reflecting the combined benefits of newer architecture, higher clock speeds (boost up to 2430 MHz vs. no listed boost), more shading units, and vastly superior memory bandwidth.

To contextualize the RX 7800 XT’s standing, its average benchmark score across all tests is 11,627, placing it at the 51st percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 (avg score 11,680, delta -0.5%), the AMD Radeon Pro 5500M (avg score 11,528, delta +0.9%), and the AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT (avg score 11,842, delta -1.8%). This shows the RX 7800 XT sits in a tight performance cluster, trading blows with these cards within a 2% range.

For the GTX 560 Ti, the average benchmark score is 10,690, placing it at the 49th percentile. Its nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon RX 6600S (avg score 10,629, delta +0.6%), NVIDIA Quadro K2200 (avg score 10,761, delta -0.7%), and AMD Radeon R9 M275X (avg score 10,582, delta +1%). Notably, the GTX 560 Ti’s average score is only 8.8% lower than the RX 7800 XT’s average, but this is misleading — the RX 7800 XT’s average is dragged down by low scores in legacy DirectX 10 (121), DirectX 11 (249), and DirectX 9 (304) tests, where modern hardware often underperforms due to driver overhead. In the OpenCL test that matters for modern compute, the RX 7800 XT is clearly superior.

Specification Differences

The table below highlights only the fields where the two cards differ:

| Specification | AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti |

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

| Architecture | RDNA 3.0 | Fermi 2.0 |

| Process Node | 5 nm | 40 nm |

| Transistors | 28,100 million | 1,950 million |

| Die Size | 346 mm² | 332 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 81.2M / mm² | 5.9M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 1295 MHz | N/A |

| Boost Clock | 2430 MHz | N/A |

| Game Clock | 2124 MHz | N/A |

| Memory Clock | 2438 MHz (19.5 Gbps) | 1002 MHz (4 Gbps) |

| Memory Size | 16 GB | 1024 MB |

| Memory Type | GDDR6 | GDDR5 |

| Memory Bandwidth | 624.1 GB/s | 128.3 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 3840 | 384 |

| TMUs | 240 | 64 |

| ROPs | 96 | 32 |

| RT Cores | 60 | N/A |

| Pixel Rate | 233.3 GPixel/s | 13.17 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 583.2 GTexel/s | 52.67 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 37.32 TFLOPS | 1,263.4 GFLOPS |

| FP16 | 37.32 TFLOPS (1:1) | N/A |

| TDP | 263 W | 170 W |

| Power Connectors | 2x 8-pin | 2x 6-pin |

| Suggested PSU | 600 W | 450 W |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 4.0 x16 | PCIe 2.0 x16 |

| Display Outputs | 1x HDMI 2.1a, 3x DisplayPort 2.1 | 2x DVI, 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a |

| DirectX Version | 12 Ultimate (12_2) | 12 (11_0) |

| Vulkan Version | 1.4 | N/A |

| Length | 267 mm (10.5 inches) | 229 mm (9 inches) |

| Production Status | Active | End-of-life |

| Release Date | 2023-09-05 | 2011-01-24 |

| Launch MSRP | 499 USD | 249 USD |

FAQ

Q: Which card is faster in OpenCL compute?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT is 71.1% faster, scoring 18,290 versus 10,690 in Geekbench OpenCL.

Q: Does the GTX 560 Ti support ray tracing?

A: No. It has no RT cores listed, while the RX 7800 XT features 60 dedicated ray tracing cores.

Q: Can the GTX 560 Ti run modern DirectX 12 Ultimate games?

A: No. It supports DirectX 12 (11_0), not the 12_2 feature level required for DirectX 12 Ultimate.

Q: What is the memory capacity difference?

A: The RX 7800 XT has 16 GB of GDDR6, which is 16 times more than the GTX 560 Ti’s 1 GB of GDDR5.

Q: Which card has higher transistor density?

A: The RX 7800 XT has 81.2M transistors per mm² on a 5 nm process, versus 5.9M per mm² on the GTX 560 Ti’s 40 nm process.

Q: Is the GTX 560 Ti still in production?

A: No, it is end-of-life. The RX 7800 XT is actively in production.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT is the superior card for virtually any modern workload. Its 71.1% lead in OpenCL, combined with 16 GB of memory, ray tracing support, and a 5 nm process, makes it the only rational choice for gaming, content creation, or compute tasks in 2024. The 60 RT cores and 37.32 TFLOPS FP32 performance place it in a different league than the GTX 560 Ti’s 1,263.4 GFLOPS.

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti, however, has a narrow niche. Its 170 W TDP and 450 W suggested PSU make it a low-power option for legacy systems. Its dual DVI outputs and PCIe 2.0 interface are compatible with older hardware. For a builder resurrecting a 2011-era PC or using software that predates modern driver support, the GTX 560 Ti is functional. But its 1 GB memory and lack of Vulkan support are severe limitations.

The verdict depends on context. For a new build or an upgrade to a current system, the RX 7800 XT is the only defensible pick — it has the benchmark wins, the architectural features, and the active production status. For a vintage system restoration where power draw and legacy connectivity are priorities, the GTX 560 Ti still works, but it is a niche product. The RX 7800 XT’s 499 USD launch MSRP versus the GTX 560 Ti’s 249 USD launch MSRP reflects the performance gulf, but the GTX 560 Ti is a relic. Choose the RX 7800 XT if you want to play modern games; choose the GTX 560 Ti only if you are building a period-correct machine.