AMD Radeon Vega 8 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark data splits this comparison cleanly. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti holds a decisive win in the only directly comparable test, Geekbench OpenCL, where it scores 10690 against the AMD Radeon Vega 8’s 8822. That is a 21.2% advantage in raw compute performance. However, the AMD Radeon Vega 8 is not without its own strengths: it records a higher score in Geekbench Metal (10706) and a respectable Vulkan result (8134), though the GTX 560 Ti has no recorded scores in those APIs for a direct comparison. The data suggests the GTX 560 Ti is the stronger choice for OpenCL workloads, while the Vega 8’s integrated nature and modern API support (Vulkan 1.3, DirectX 12_1) make it more versatile for current software environments. The GTX 560 Ti is an end-of-life discrete card from 2011, while the Vega 8 is a 2018 integrated processor graphics solution, so the pick depends heavily on whether the user needs peak compute in a legacy API or broader compatibility in a power-efficient package.

The database places the GTX 560 Ti at the 49th percentile among all GPUs, while the Vega 8 sits at the 45th percentile. This 4-percentage-point gap in percentile ranking aligns with the OpenCL delta, reinforcing that the GTX 560 Ti is arguably the more capable compute part overall. For gamers or users with a dedicated slot and power budget, the GTX 560 Ti is the data-backed winner. For those building a compact system with no discrete GPU, the Vega 8 is the only realistic option, but its benchmark profile shows it can hold its own in Metal and Vulkan scenarios.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU wins in Geekbench OpenCL performance?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti wins decisively, scoring 10690 compared to the AMD Radeon Vega 8’s 8822, a 21.2% advantage.

Q: Does the AMD Radeon Vega 8 have any benchmark where it scores higher than the GTX 560 Ti’s OpenCL score?

A: Yes, the Vega 8 records a Geekbench Metal score of 10706, which is slightly higher than the GTX 560 Ti’s OpenCL score of 10690. However, the GTX 560 Ti has no Metal score in the database for a direct apples-to-apples comparison.

Q: What is the difference in percentile ranking between the two GPUs?

A: The GTX 560 Ti ranks in the 49th percentile of all GPUs, while the Vega 8 ranks in the 45th percentile, a 4-percentage-point difference.

Q: Which GPU supports more modern API features?

A: The AMD Radeon Vega 8 supports DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.3, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti only supports DirectX 12 (11_0) and has no Vulkan support listed.

Q: What is the power consumption difference?

A: The GTX 560 Ti has a TDP of 170 W and requires a 450 W power supply, while the Vega 8 has a TDP of just 25 W and is an integrated processor graphics solution with no power connectors.

Q: How do the two GPUs compare in terms of memory bandwidth?

A: The GTX 560 Ti has 1024 MB of dedicated GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, yielding 128.3 GB/s of bandwidth. The Vega 8 uses system shared memory, with bandwidth listed as system dependent.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from fundamentally different design eras and philosophies. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti is built on the GF114 chip using the Fermi 2.0 architecture, fabricated on a 40 nm process at TSMC. It packs 1,950 million transistors on a 332 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 5.9 million per square millimeter. This is a classic discrete GPU design with dedicated memory and a full complement of compute resources.

In contrast, the AMD Radeon Vega 8 uses the Raven chip based on the GCN 5.0 architecture, built on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries. It integrates 4,940 million transistors on a smaller 210 mm² die, achieving a much higher transistor density of 23.5 million per square millimeter. This is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) design, meaning it shares system memory and has no dedicated VRAM.

The compute unit configurations differ significantly. The GTX 560 Ti has 384 shading units, 64 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 32 raster operations pipelines (ROPs). The Vega 8 has 512 shading units, 32 TMUs, and only 8 ROPs. Despite having more shading units, the Vega 8’s lower TMU and ROP counts hurt its texture and pixel throughput. The GTX 560 Ti achieves a pixel rate of 13.17 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 52.67 GTexel/s, while the Vega 8 manages only 8.800 GPixel/s and 35.20 GTexel/s respectively.

The Vega 8 supports half-precision floating point (FP16) at 2.253 TFLOPS with a 2:1 ratio, while the GTX 560 Ti has no FP16 capability listed. In single-precision FP32, the GTX 560 Ti leads with 1,263.4 GFLOPS versus the Vega 8’s 1,126.4 GFLOPS. The Vega 8 also supports Vulkan 1.3 and DirectX 12_1, whereas the GTX 560 Ti is limited to DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6, with no Vulkan support.

Specification Differences

The two cards diverge sharply across nearly every hardware specification. The process node favors the Vega 8 at 14 nm versus the GTX 560 Ti’s 40 nm, which explains the Vega 8’s higher transistor density. The GTX 560 Ti has a larger die at 332 mm² compared to the Vega 8’s 210 mm², despite the Vega 8 having more transistors.

Memory configuration is a defining difference. The GTX 560 Ti uses 1024 MB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus with 128.3 GB/s bandwidth. The Vega 8 uses system shared memory with a system dependent bus width and bandwidth, making its memory performance variable based on the host system.

Clock speeds differ as well. The GTX 560 Ti has a memory clock of 1002 MHz (4 Gbps effective), while the Vega 8 has a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 1100 MHz for its core, with no separate memory clock since it uses shared memory.

Power and physical requirements are vastly different. The GTX 560 Ti has a 170 W TDP, requires a 450 W power supply, uses two 6-pin power connectors, and is a dual-slot card measuring 229 mm (9 inches) long. The Vega 8 has a 25 W TDP, no power connectors, and is an IGP, meaning it takes no slot space and its display outputs are motherboard dependent.

API support also differs: the GTX 560 Ti supports DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6, while the Vega 8 supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

Only one benchmark directly compares both GPUs in the database: Geekbench OpenCL. In this test, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti scores 10690, while the AMD Radeon Vega 8 scores 8822. The GTX 560 Ti wins by a margin of 21.2%. This is a substantial lead, indicating that the Fermi 2.0 architecture still delivers strong compute performance in OpenCL workloads despite its age.

The Vega 8’s best showing comes in Geekbench Metal, where it scores 10706, which is 0.1% higher than the GTX 560 Ti’s OpenCL score. However, since the GTX 560 Ti has no Metal result in the database, this cannot be treated as a head-to-head win, only as an indication of the Vega 8’s capability in Apple’s Metal API. The Vega 8 also records a Geekbench Vulkan score of 8134, but again, the GTX 560 Ti has no Vulkan result for comparison.

The average benchmark score for the GTX 560 Ti is 10690, matching its single OpenCL result. The Vega 8’s average benchmark score is 9221, which is pulled down by its lower OpenCL and Vulkan scores. This average places the Vega 8 near the AMD Radeon 890M (9210, 0.1% delta), the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 (9273, -0.6% delta), and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 465 (9294, -0.8% delta). The GTX 560 Ti’s average sits near the AMD Radeon RX 6600S (10629, 0.6% delta) and the NVIDIA Quadro K2200 (10761, -0.7% delta).

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti wins in raw OpenCL compute performance, a category where it leads by 21.2% over the Vega 8. It also offers dedicated GDDR5 memory with 128.3 GB/s of bandwidth, which provides consistent memory performance independent of the host system. For users running OpenCL-based applications, video encoding, or legacy workloads that favor Fermi 2.0’s compute layout, the GTX 560 Ti is the clear choice. Its 384 shading units, 64 TMUs, and 32 ROPs also give it higher pixel and texture rates, which can benefit older DirectX 11 games.

The AMD Radeon Vega 8 wins in API modernness and power efficiency. Its 25 W TDP is dramatically lower than the GTX 560 Ti’s 170 W, making it suitable for compact, fanless, or low-power builds. It supports Vulkan 1.3 and DirectX 12_1, which are required for many modern games and applications, whereas the GTX 560 Ti is limited to DirectX 11_0-level features. The Vega 8 also has a higher shading unit count (512 vs 384), and its FP16 capability at 2.253 TFLOPS could benefit workloads that use half-precision math, though the GTX 560 Ti has no comparable FP16 data.

The Vega 8’s Geekbench Metal score of 10706 suggests it may outperform the GTX 560 Ti in Apple-centric Metal workloads, assuming the GTX 560 Ti would score lower if tested. Its Vulkan score of 8134 indicates it can handle modern cross-platform graphics APIs reasonably well. For users who prioritize low power consumption, modern API support, and integrated simplicity, the Vega 8 is the data-backed pick. For users who need maximum OpenCL compute and dedicated memory bandwidth, the GTX 560 Ti remains the stronger performer according to the recorded benchmarks.