NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 SE vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in the database’s OpenCL benchmark?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost scores 9,302 points versus 7,171 for the GTX 560 SE, a 29.7% advantage.

Q: How do the two cards compare in overall benchmark percentiles?

A: The GTX 650 Ti Boost sits in the 42nd percentile of all GPUs, while the GTX 560 SE sits in the 39th percentile.

Q: What are the closest rivals to the GTX 650 Ti Boost?

A: The NVIDIA GRID K2 (average score 8,080, 0.2% lower), the GTX 650 Ti (8,053, 0.2% higher), the GTX 880M (8,040, 0.3% higher), and the Quadro P5000 (8,039, 0.3% higher) are all within a fraction of its average score.

Q: What is the closest rival to the GTX 560 SE?

A: The Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580 matches it almost exactly, with an average score of 7,170 versus 7,171. The GTX 970 (7,157) and GTX 750 (7,222) are also within 0.7%.

Q: Which card has more shading units?

A: The GTX 650 Ti Boost has 768 shading units, while the GTX 560 SE has 288.

Q: What are the memory sizes of the two cards?

A: The GTX 650 Ti Boost has 2 GB of GDDR5 memory, while the GTX 560 SE has 1024 MB (1 GB) of GDDR5 memory.

Architecture Differences

The two cards come from different NVIDIA architectural generations. The GTX 650 Ti Boost uses the GK106 chip on the Kepler architecture, built on a 28 nm process at TSMC. The GTX 560 SE uses the GF114 chip on the Fermi 2.0 architecture, built on a 40 nm process, also at TSMC.

The transistor counts and die sizes tell a clear story of process advancement. The Kepler card packs 2,540 million transistors into a 221 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 11.5M per mm². The Fermi card has 1,950 million transistors on a much larger 332 mm² die, resulting in a density of just 5.9M per mm². In practical terms, the newer process lets the GTX 650 Ti Boost fit more logic into less silicon.

The shading pipeline differs substantially. The GTX 650 Ti Boost features 768 shading units and 64 texture mapping units, while the GTX 560 SE has 288 shading units and 48 TMUs. Both cards have 24 ROPs. The Kepler card’s higher shading unit count is the primary driver of its compute advantage.

Memory architecture shows both cards share a 192 bit bus width, but the GTX 650 Ti Boost runs its GDDR5 at 1502 MHz (6 Gbps effective), producing 144.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The GTX 560 SE runs slower at 957 MHz (3.8 Gbps effective), yielding 91.87 GB/s. The GTX 650 Ti Boost also doubles the frame buffer from 1024 MB to 2 GB.

Clock behavior differs: the GTX 650 Ti Boost has explicit base (980 MHz) and boost (1032 MHz) clocks, while the GTX 560 SE has no base or boost clock listed in the database. The Kepler card also supports PCIe 3.0 x16, while the Fermi card is limited to PCIe 2.0 x16.

Display outputs and API support vary. The GTX 650 Ti Boost offers 2x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, and 1x DisplayPort 1.2. The GTX 560 SE offers 2x DVI and 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a. Both support DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6. Vulkan support is present on the GTX 650 Ti Boost (version 1.2.175) but not listed for the GTX 560 SE.

Power delivery differs notably. The GTX 650 Ti Boost has a 134 W TDP and requires a single 6-pin power connector with a 300 W suggested PSU. The GTX 560 SE draws 150 W and needs two 6-pin connectors with a 450 W suggested PSU. The newer card delivers more performance while consuming less power.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database records one head-to-head test: Geekbench OpenCL. The GTX 650 Ti Boost scores 9,302 against the GTX 560 SE’s 7,171, a 29.7% margin. This is a substantial gap in raw compute throughput, roughly equivalent to the difference between a mid-range card and a lower-tier chip from the same vendor.

Looking at the wider context, the GTX 650 Ti Boost’s average benchmark score across all tests is 8,067, while the GTX 560 SE averages 7,171. That is a 12.5% overall difference, but the OpenCL result shows the gap is largest in compute-heavy workloads. The 29.7% delta in OpenCL reflects the Kepler card’s advantage in shading units (768 vs 288) and bandwidth (144.2 GB/s vs 91.87 GB/s).

The GTX 560 SE’s closest rivals cluster around its score: the Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580 is essentially tied at 7,170, the GTX 970 is 0.2% lower, and the GTX 750 is 0.7% higher. The GTX 650 Ti Boost sits in a slightly higher neighborhood, with the GRID K2 just 0.2% above and the GTX 650 Ti 0.2% below its average.

These numbers suggest the GTX 650 Ti Boost is not just faster, but faster in a way that matters for compute tasks. The GTX 560 SE’s 8.832 GPixel/s pixel rate and 35.33 GTexel/s texture rate are roughly half the GTX 650 Ti Boost’s 16.51 GPixel/s and 66.05 GTexel/s. In fill-rate-bound scenarios, the Kepler card should pull even further ahead than the OpenCL score indicates.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ in nearly every major specification category:

• Process node: 28 nm (GTX 650 Ti Boost) vs 40 nm (GTX 560 SE)
• Transistors: 2,540 million vs 1,950 million
• Die size: 221 mm² vs 332 mm²
• Transistor density: 11.5M / mm² vs 5.9M / mm²
• Base clock: 980 MHz vs not listed
• Boost clock: 1032 MHz vs not listed
• Memory clock: 1502 MHz / 6 Gbps vs 957 MHz / 3.8 Gbps
• Memory size: 2 GB vs 1024 MB
• Memory bandwidth: 144.2 GB/s vs 91.87 GB/s
• Shading units: 768 vs 288
• Texture mapping units: 64 vs 48
• Pixel rate: 16.51 GPixel/s vs 8.832 GPixel/s
• Texture rate: 66.05 GTexel/s vs 35.33 GTexel/s
• FP32 performance: 1.585 TFLOPS vs 847.9 GFLOPS
• TDP: 134 W vs 150 W
• Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 2x 6-pin
• Suggested PSU: 300 W vs 450 W
• Bus interface: PCIe 3.0 x16 vs PCIe 2.0 x16
• Display outputs: 2x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, 1x DisplayPort 1.2 vs 2x DVI, 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a
• Vulkan support: 1.2.175 vs not listed
• Release date: 2013-03-25 vs 2012-02-19
• Launch MSRP: 169 USD (GTX 650 Ti Boost only)

Both cards are dual-slot, end-of-life products. The GTX 560 SE is physically shorter at 210 mm (8.3 inches) versus 241 mm (9.5 inches) for the GTX 650 Ti Boost.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the GTX 650 Ti Boost wins the only head-to-head benchmark recorded, and it wins by a wide margin. The 29.7% OpenCL advantage is backed by a 2.67x shading unit count, a 57% bandwidth increase, and a 1.87x FP32 throughput. It also consumes less power (134 W vs 150 W) and requires a smaller PSU (300 W vs 450 W).

The GTX 560 SE’s only advantages are physical: it is shorter (210 mm vs 241 mm) and has the same 24 ROPs. Neither factor compensates for the compute gap. The GTX 560 SE’s nearest rivals include integrated graphics (Iris Pro P580) and older discrete GPUs (GTX 970, GTX 750), which places it in a lower performance tier.

For any workload that uses OpenCL, the GTX 650 Ti Boost is the clear choice. Its 42nd percentile ranking versus the GTX 560 SE’s 39th percentile confirms the hierarchy. The GTX 560 SE is a relic of the Fermi era, and the database shows it falls behind the Kepler generation in every measurable way except power draw, where it actually loses by 16 W.

Where Each One Wins

GTX 650 Ti Boost wins in compute and throughput: The OpenCL score (9,302 vs 7,171), FP32 (1.585 TFLOPS vs 847.9 GFLOPS), texture rate (66.05 GTexel/s vs 35.33 GTexel/s), and pixel rate (16.51 GPixel/s vs 8.832 GPixel/s) all favor the Kepler card. It also has double the memory capacity and 57% more bandwidth, making it better for larger textures and higher resolutions.

GTX 560 SE wins in compactness only: At 210 mm versus 241 mm, it fits into smaller cases. This is a niche advantage for builds where length is constrained. It also uses the same 24 ROPs, so raster output capability is equal in that specific stage.

GTX 650 Ti Boost wins on power efficiency: Despite delivering far more performance, it draws 134 W versus 150 W. This means lower heat output, a smaller PSU requirement (300 W vs 450 W), and a single power connector instead of two.

GTX 560 SE has no benchmark win: The database records zero test victories for the Fermi card. Its only competitive position is against its own nearest rivals, where it ties with the Iris Pro P580 and stays within 0.7% of the GTX 750 and GTX 970.

GTX 650 Ti Boost wins on connectivity: PCIe 3.0, DisplayPort 1.2, and Vulkan support make it more modern. The GTX 560 SE is stuck with PCIe 2.0 and mini-HDMI 1.3a, which limits its usefulness on current monitors and motherboards.

Practical build advice: For a legacy system or a budget compute task, the GTX 650 Ti Boost is the superior part. The GTX 560 SE only makes sense if case length is the hard constraint, and even then, the performance penalty is severe.