AMD Radeon Vega 8 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Comparison

# AMD Radeon Vega 8 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560

The AMD Radeon Vega 8 is a 2018 integrated graphics processor built on the 14 nm process, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 is a 2011 discrete card based on the 40 nm Fermi 2.0 architecture. The data shows two very different design philosophies separated by seven years. Despite the Vega 8's modern feature set and lower power envelope, the GTX 560 edges it out in the only directly comparable benchmark, though both sit at the 45th percentile of all GPUs, indicating they occupy a similar performance tier.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 achieves an average benchmark score of 9058, while the AMD Radeon Vega 8 scores 9221. However, the Vega 8's average includes three different Geekbench tests (Metal, OpenCL, and Vulkan), whereas the GTX 560 has only one OpenCL result. In the head-to-head OpenCL test, the GTX 560 wins with 9058 versus 8822, a 2.6% advantage.

Q: How do their transistor counts and die sizes compare?

A: The Vega 8 packs 4,940 million transistors on a 210 mm² die, yielding a density of 23.5 million transistors per mm². The GTX 560 uses 1,950 million transistors on a much larger 332 mm² die, giving it a density of just 5.9 million per mm². This reflects the seven-year manufacturing process gap between the 14 nm and 40 nm nodes.

Q: What are the power consumption differences?

A: The Vega 8 has a TDP of 25 W and requires no power connectors, as it is an integrated graphics processor. The GTX 560, by contrast, has a 150 W TDP, requires two 6-pin power connectors, and comes with a suggested PSU of 450 W. The Vega 8's power draw is thus dramatically lower, though this comes with the caveat that it shares system memory.

Q: Which GPU supports more modern APIs?

A: The Vega 8 supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3. The GTX 560 supports DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6, but has no Vulkan support listed. In practical terms, the Vega 8 offers access to Vulkan and a higher DirectX feature level, which can matter for newer titles.

Q: What is the memory configuration difference?

A: The Vega 8 uses system-shared memory, with its size, type, bus width, and bandwidth all listed as "System Shared" or "System Dependent." The GTX 560 has dedicated 1024 MB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, delivering 128.0 GB/s of bandwidth. This gives the GTX 560 a fixed, dedicated memory pool versus the Vega 8's flexible but variable shared memory.

Q: How do their shading resources compare?

A: The Vega 8 has 512 shading units, 32 texture mapping units, and 8 ROPs. The GTX 560 has 336 shading units, 56 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. Despite fewer shaders, the GTX 560 has significantly more texture units and four times the ROP count, which affects pixel throughput.

Architecture Differences

The Vega 8 is built on AMD's GCN 5.0 architecture using the Raven chip, fabricated by GlobalFoundries on a 14 nm process. Its transistor density of 23.5 million per mm² is a direct consequence of the smaller node. The GTX 560 uses NVIDIA's Fermi 2.0 architecture with the GF114 chip, manufactured by TSMC on a 40 nm process, yielding a much lower density of 5.9 million per mm².

The Vega 8's shading array consists of 512 unified shaders, paired with 32 TMUs and just 8 ROPs. The GTX 560 counters with 336 shaders, 56 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. This distribution is telling: the GTX 560 emphasizes texture and pixel throughput, while the Vega 8 relies on raw shader count. The Vega 8 also supports FP16 computation at 2.253 TFLOPS with a 2:1 ratio, whereas the GTX 560 has no FP16 capability listed. Pure FP32 performance is nearly identical, with the Vega 8 at 1,126.4 GFLOPS versus the GTX 560's 1,088.6 GFLOPS.

Memory architecture is a fundamental split. The Vega 8 uses system-shared memory with bandwidth that is system-dependent, while the GTX 560 has dedicated 1024 MB GDDR5 over a 256-bit bus at 128.0 GB/s. The GTX 560's fixed memory bandwidth is a structural advantage for consistent performance. The Vega 8's integrated nature also means its clock speeds are 300 MHz base and 1100 MHz boost, while the GTX 560's memory clock is 1000 MHz (4 Gbps effective) with no base or boost clock listed for the core.

The API support differs notably: the Vega 8 lists DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3. The GTX 560 lists DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6, with no Vulkan entry. The Vega 8 also has a newer production status timeline, being released in 2018 versus the GTX 560's 2011 debut, with the Vega 8 succeeding GCN 3.0 IGP and the GTX 560 succeeding the GeForce 400 series.

Where Each One Wins

The GTX 560 wins the only direct head-to-head benchmark available. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, it scores 9058 against the Vega 8's 8822, a 2.6% margin. This suggests that for compute workloads using OpenCL, the older discrete card holds a slight edge. Its dedicated 128.0 GB/s memory bandwidth and 32 ROPs likely contribute to this result, as memory-intensive OpenCL kernels can benefit from fixed high-bandwidth VRAM.

The Vega 8 wins in architectural flexibility and modern API support. It offers Vulkan 1.3, which the GTX 560 lacks entirely, and a higher DirectX feature level (12_1 versus 11_0). For modern games or applications that leverage these APIs, the Vega 8 has a software-stack advantage that the GTX 560 cannot match. Additionally, the Vega 8's FP16 support at 2.253 TFLOPS enables accelerated workloads that the GTX 560 cannot handle.

The Vega 8 also wins decisively on power efficiency. Its 25 W TDP is one-sixth of the GTX 560's 150 W, and it requires no power connectors or suggested PSU. This makes it viable in compact or low-power systems where the GTX 560's dual-slot size and 2x 6-pin connectors would be impractical. The Vega 8's 8 ROPs and shared memory are a trade-off, but for integrated graphics, the power envelope is a clear victory.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Radeon Vega 8 | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 |

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

| Architecture | GCN 5.0 | Fermi 2.0 |

| Process Node | 14 nm | 40 nm |

| Foundry | GlobalFoundries | TSMC |

| Transistors | 4,940 million | 1,950 million |

| Die Size | 210 mm² | 332 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 23.5M / mm² | 5.9M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 300 MHz | Not listed |

| Boost Clock | 1100 MHz | Not listed |

| Memory Clock | System Shared | 1000 MHz (4 Gbps effective) |

| Memory Size | System Shared | 1024 MB |

| Memory Type | System Shared | GDDR5 |

| Memory Bus | System Shared | 256 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | System Dependent | 128.0 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 512 | 336 |

| TMUs | 32 | 56 |

| ROPs | 8 | 32 |

| Pixel Rate | 8.800 GPixel/s | 11.34 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 35.20 GTexel/s | 45.36 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 1,126.4 GFLOPS | 1,088.6 GFLOPS |

| FP16 | 2.253 TFLOPS (2:1) | Not listed |

| TDP | 25 W | 150 W |

| Slot Width | IGP | Dual-slot |

| Power Connectors | None | 2x 6-pin |

| Suggested PSU | Not listed | 450 W |

| Bus Interface | IGP | PCIe 2.0 x16 |

| Vulkan | 1.3 | Not listed |

| DirectX | 12 (12_1) | 12 (11_0) |

| Length | Not listed | 210 mm (8.3 inches) |

| Display Outputs | Motherboard Dependent | 2x DVI, 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The single head-to-head benchmark result is the Geekbench OpenCL test. The GTX 560 scores 9058, while the Vega 8 scores 8822. The delta is -2.6% from the Vega 8's perspective, meaning the GTX 560 is 2.6% faster. This is a narrow margin, especially considering the architectural differences. The GTX 560's advantage likely stems from its dedicated 128.0 GB/s memory bandwidth versus the Vega 8's system-dependent shared memory. The GTX 560 also has a higher pixel rate (11.34 GPixel/s versus 8.800 GPixel/s) and texture rate (45.36 GTexel/s versus 35.20 GTexel/s), which can aid certain compute tasks.

Looking at the broader benchmark picture, the Vega 8 has three scores: Geekbench Metal at 10706, Geekbench OpenCL at 8822, and Geekbench Vulkan at 8134. Its average is 9221. The GTX 560's only score is 9058. The Vega 8's Metal score is notably higher than its OpenCL score, suggesting Apple's Metal API is a relative strength for the AMD IGP. Its Vulkan score is the lowest of the three, which is interesting given its Vulkan 1.3 support.

The nearest rivals for each GPU provide context. The Vega 8's closest competitor is the AMD Radeon 890M with an average score of 9210, a delta of just 0.1%. It also sits near the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 (9273, -0.6%) and GTX 465 (9294, -0.8%). The GTX 560's nearest rival is the NVIDIA TITAN V CEO Edition at 9037 (0.2% delta), followed by the GTX 660 at 9022 (0.4%), and the AMD Radeon 550X at 8918 (1.6%). Notably, both GPUs are within 1.7% of the AMD Radeon 890M, indicating they all occupy a similar performance band.

The Verdict

The data presents a nuanced picture. In raw OpenCL compute, the GTX 560 wins by 2.6%, posting 9058 versus 8822. For users whose primary workload is OpenCL-based, the older NVIDIA card is the safer choice. Its dedicated memory and higher texture/pixel rates give it a structural edge that the Vega 8's shared-memory design cannot overcome in this specific test.

However, the Vega 8 counters with modern API support. It offers Vulkan 1.3 and DirectX 12_1, while the GTX 560 has no Vulkan and only DirectX 11_0. For gaming or compute applications that use these newer APIs, the Vega 8 has access to features the GTX 560 simply does not have. The Vega 8's Metal score of 10706 is also substantially higher than its OpenCL score, suggesting strong performance in Apple-centric environments.

Power and form factor are decisive for many use cases. The Vega 8's 25 W TDP and IGP form factor mean it requires no additional power connectors, no dual-slot space, and no separate PSU recommendation. The GTX 560's 150 W TDP, dual-slot design, and 450 W suggested PSU make it a much heavier system integration burden. For thin-and-light laptops or compact desktops, the Vega 8 is the only viable option.

The verdict depends on the use case. If the workload is fixed to OpenCL and the system can accommodate a discrete card, the GTX 560's 2.6% performance lead in the head-to-head test makes it the data-backed choice. If the user needs modern API support, lower power draw, or integrated form factor, the Vega 8 is the clear winner despite losing the one direct benchmark. Both GPUs sit at the 45th percentile, so neither offers a decisive overall performance advantage. The choice is between the GTX 560's dedicated-memory efficiency and the Vega 8's architectural modernity.