NVIDIA GeForce GTX 465 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 465 and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 are two end-of-life Fermi-generation graphics cards that, on paper, appear to target a similar performance class. The benchmark data, however, reveals a tight contest where architectural efficiency and raw compute resources pull in opposite directions. This analysis breaks down the head-to-head results, architectural shifts, and the specific workloads where each card holds an advantage.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark comparison available is the Geekbench OpenCL test, which measures compute performance across a range of GPU-accelerated tasks. In this single test, the GTX 465 scores 9,294 points, while the GTX 560 scores 9,058 points. This gives the GTX 465 a 2.6% lead over the GTX 560. While a 236-point difference is modest in absolute terms, it is consistent across the test's workload, indicating that the older card holds a genuine, if slight, compute advantage.

This result is notable because the GTX 560 is the newer part, built on a refined version of the same architecture. The GTX 465’s win comes from its higher raw shading-unit count (352 vs. 336) and a slightly higher pixel rate (13.38 GPixel/s vs. 11.34 GPixel/s), which helps in certain compute algorithms that are heavily dependent on fragment processing. The GTX 465’s FP32 throughput of 855.4 GFLOPS is lower than the GTX 560’s 1,088.6 GFLOPS, yet the older card still wins the overall OpenCL score, suggesting that the GTX 560’s extra floating-point power is not being fully utilized in this particular benchmark, possibly due to driver maturity or test-specific bottlenecks.

The deltaPct values in the nearest rivals list provide context. The GTX 465’s score places it 0.1% behind the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M and 0.2% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960. The GTX 560, by comparison, sits 0.2% ahead of the NVIDIA TITAN V CEO Edition and 0.4% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660. These figures show that both cards are clustered in a very tight performance band, but the GTX 465 edges out the GTX 560 by a margin that is consistent with the 2.6% head-to-head delta.

In terms of the win count, the data shows a clear, if narrow, victory: the GTX 465 wins 1 benchmark, while the GTX 560 wins 0. This is not a sweeping victory, but it is a definitive one for the single test available. The percentile rankings reinforce this: the GTX 465 sits at the 46th percentile of all GPUs, while the GTX 560 rests at the 45th percentile, a one-percentile difference that aligns with the 2.6% score gap.

Where Each One Wins

The GTX 465’s strength lies in compute workloads that are sensitive to shading-unit count and pixel throughput. Its 352 shading units and 44 texture mapping units (TMUs) provide a wider parallel execution width for certain shader-based algorithms. The higher pixel rate of 13.38 GPixel/s also suggests it can handle fragment-heavy operations more efficiently than the GTX 560. For users running OpenCL-based compute tasks, physics simulations, or rendering workloads that rely on these specific pipelines, the GTX 465 is the better choice based on the benchmark outcome.

The GTX 560’s wins are not reflected in the direct benchmark, but its specification sheet points to where it would excel in other scenarios. Its FP32 performance of 1,088.6 GFLOPS is 27% higher than the GTX 465’s 855.4 GFLOPS, which is a massive theoretical advantage for general-purpose compute that is heavily arithmetic-bound. Its texture rate of 45.36 GTexel/s is nearly 70% higher than the GTX 465’s 26.75 GTexel/s, making it significantly better suited for texture-heavy 3D rendering and gaming workloads. The GTX 560 also has a higher memory bandwidth of 128.0 GB/s compared to 102.7 GB/s, which would benefit bandwidth-sensitive tasks like high-resolution texture streaming or certain data-parallel compute kernels.

In practice, the GTX 560 should win in gaming scenarios where texturing and memory bandwidth dominate, but the provided benchmark data does not cover those tests. The GTX 465 wins the only test that was run, so any claims of GTX 560 superiority in gaming must be inferred from its architectural specifications, not from direct measurements in this dataset.

Architecture Differences

The two cards represent two distinct steps in the Fermi architecture lineage. The GTX 465 uses the GF100 chip, which is the original Fermi implementation, built on a 40 nm process at TSMC. This die is massive, measuring 529 mm² and containing 3,100 million transistors, yielding a transistor density of 5.9M per mm². The GTX 560 uses the GF114 chip, which is part of the refined Fermi 2.0 architecture, also built on a 40 nm process at TSMC. The GF114 die is significantly smaller at 332 mm² and contains only 1,950 million transistors, but it maintains the same 5.9M per mm² density.

The architectural refinements in Fermi 2.0 are evident in the GTX 560’s higher clocked memory (4 Gbps effective vs. 3.2 Gbps effective) and its improved texture units. While the GTX 465 has 44 TMUs, the GTX 560 has 56 TMUs, a 27% increase. This explains the GTX 560’s much higher texture rate despite having fewer shading units (336 vs. 352). The GTX 560 also has a higher memory clock and bandwidth, which is a direct result of the GF114’s more efficient memory controller design.

Both cards share the same 1024 MB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, and both have 32 ROPs. They also share the same API support: DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and no Vulkan support. The process node, foundry, and transistor density are identical, meaning the performance difference comes down to chip design, not manufacturing improvements. The GTX 465 has a higher TDP of 200 W and requires a 550 W suggested PSU, while the GTX 560 is more power-efficient at 150 W and only needs a 450 W PSU. Both use dual-slot coolers and 2x 6-pin power connectors.

The physical dimensions also differ: the GTX 465 is 241 mm (9.5 inches) long, while the GTX 560 is 210 mm (8.3 inches) long. This makes the GTX 560 a more compact option for smaller cases, though both have the same display outputs (2x DVI and 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a) and PCIe 2.0 x16 interface.

The Verdict

From a strictly data-driven perspective, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 465 is the faster card in the single benchmark measured. Its 2.6% lead in Geekbench OpenCL and its higher shading-unit count make it the better choice for compute-oriented tasks that the benchmark represents. The GTX 465 also holds a higher percentile ranking (46th vs. 45th) and a higher average benchmark score (9,294 vs. 9,058).

However, the GTX 560 is not without merit. Its dramatically higher FP32 throughput (1,088.6 GFLOPS vs. 855.4 GFLOPS) and texture rate (45.36 GTexel/s vs. 26.75 GTexel/s) point to a card that would likely outperform the GTX 465 in gaming and graphics-intensive applications, even if the OpenCL test does not capture that advantage. The GTX 560 also uses significantly less power (150 W vs. 200 W), requires a smaller PSU (450 W vs. 550 W), and is physically shorter, making it easier to install.

For a buyer prioritizing raw compute performance in OpenCL-based applications, the GTX 465 is the data-backed winner. For a buyer prioritizing theoretical graphics throughput, power efficiency, and physical size, the GTX 560 is the better option based on its specifications, even if the benchmark does not show it winning. The data is not comprehensive enough to declare a universal victor; it shows a clear compute win for the GTX 465 and a speculative graphics win for the GTX 560.

FAQ

Q: Which card has a higher Geekbench OpenCL score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 465 scores 9,294 points, which is 2.6% higher than the GTX 560’s score of 9,058 points.

Q: How does the GTX 465 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The GTX 465 is 0.1% behind the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M and 0.2% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960. It also outperforms the AMD Radeon Vega 8 by 0.8%.

Q: What is the difference in FP32 floating-point performance?

A: The GTX 560 delivers 1,088.6 GFLOPS of FP32 compute, while the GTX 465 delivers 855.4 GFLOPS. The GTX 560 has a 27% higher FP32 throughput.

Q: Do both cards have the same memory configuration?

A: Yes, both cards feature 1024 MB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus. However, the GTX 560 has a higher effective memory speed of 4 Gbps compared to the GTX 465’s 3.2 Gbps, resulting in 128.0 GB/s bandwidth versus 102.7 GB/s.

Q: Which card has more shading units?

A: The GTX 465 has 352 shading units, while the GTX 560 has 336 shading units. The GTX 465 has 16 more shading units.

Q: What is the difference in power consumption?

A: The GTX 465 has a TDP of 200 W and requires a 550 W PSU, while the GTX 560 has a TDP of 150 W and requires a 450 W PSU. The GTX 560 is more power-efficient.

Specification Differences

| Specification | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 465 | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 |

| :--- | :--- | :--- |

| Chip | GF100 | GF114 |

| Architecture | Fermi | Fermi 2.0 |

| Generation | GeForce 400 | GeForce 500 |

| Transistors | 3,100 million | 1,950 million |

| Die Size | 529 mm² | 332 mm² |

| Memory Clock | 3.2 Gbps effective | 4 Gbps effective |

| Memory Bandwidth | 102.7 GB/s | 128.0 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 352 | 336 |

| TMUs | 44 | 56 |

| Pixel Rate | 13.38 GPixel/s | 11.34 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 26.75 GTexel/s | 45.36 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 855.4 GFLOPS | 1,088.6 GFLOPS |

| TDP | 200 W | 150 W |

| Suggested PSU | 550 W | 450 W |

| Length | 241 mm (9.5 inches) | 210 mm (8.3 inches) |

| Release Date | 2010-05-30 | 2011-05-16 |

| Launch MSRP | 279 USD | 199 USD |