NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 SE vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680M Comparison

NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 560 SE and GeForce GTX 680M represent two distinct approaches to graphics processing from the same manufacturer, separated by a generation and a fundamental shift in design philosophy. The GTX 560 SE is a desktop card built on the Fermi 2.0 architecture, while the GTX 680M is a mobile powerhouse using the newer Kepler architecture. Benchmark data from Geekbench OpenCL shows a clear performance hierarchy, with the mobile chip delivering substantially higher raw compute throughput than its older desktop counterpart.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The single available head-to-head comparison, the Geekbench OpenCL test, delivers a decisive verdict. The GeForce GTX 680M scores 9230 points, while the GeForce GTX 560 SE trails with 7171 points. This represents a 22.3% advantage for the GTX 680M, a significant margin that underscores the architectural leap between the two generations. The GTX 680M's victory is not marginal; it is a commanding lead that places the mobile GPU firmly in a higher performance tier.

Context from the nearest rivals data further illustrates where each card stands. The GTX 560 SE's score of 7171 places it in a tight cluster with the Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580 (7170, a 0% delta), the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 (7157, a 0.2% delta in favor of the 560 SE), and the AMD Radeon Vega 8 Mobile (7203, a -0.4% delta against the 560 SE). This grouping suggests the 560 SE is essentially performance-equivalent to these mainstream and integrated solutions, trading blows within a margin of less than 1%. The GTX 680M, conversely, sits in a different neighborhood. Its 9230 score is 1.1% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675M (6946) and 0.7% ahead of the AMD Radeon R5 M240 (6975). Interestingly, the GTX 680M's score is 1.9% lower than the NVIDIA T600 (7035) and 1.9% below the GTX 970 (7157), showing that while it leads its immediate mobile rivals, it does not quite reach the performance levels of some desktop-oriented cards in this specific test.

The data reveals a peculiar situation: the older desktop card and the newer mobile card both occupy the 39th percentile against all GPUs in the database. This parity in percentile ranking, despite the 22.3% raw score difference, indicates that both cards are positioned in the same broad performance band relative to the entire GPU landscape. The practical implication is that while the GTX 680M is clearly faster, neither card is a high-end performer by modern standards. The 560 SE's 0.2% edge over the GTX 970 is a statistical anomaly given the latter's reputation, but the numbers are the numbers; the two are effectively tied in OpenCL compute. For the GTX 680M, its lead over the GTX 675M (1.1%) shows it as the superior mobile option within its own family, but its deficit to the T600 (-0.2%) and GTX 970 (-1.9%) confirms that desktop-oriented solutions still hold an edge in this workload.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher Geekbench OpenCL score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680M scores 9230, compared to the GeForce GTX 560 SE's 7171. The GTX 680M leads by 22.3%.

Q: How does the GeForce GTX 560 SE compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The GTX 560 SE scores 7171, which is effectively tied with the Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580 (7170, 0% delta) and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 (7157, 0.2% delta). It trails the AMD Radeon Vega 8 Mobile (7203) by 0.4% and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 (7222) by 0.7%.

Q: What is the performance gap between the GeForce GTX 680M and the GeForce GTX 675M?

A: The GTX 680M scores 9230, while the GTX 675M scores 6946. The GTX 680M is 1.1% ahead of the GTX 675M in the Geekbench OpenCL test.

Q: Which card has a higher percentile ranking among all GPUs?

A: Both the GeForce GTX 560 SE and the GeForce GTX 680M are ranked in the 39th percentile against all GPUs in the database. This indicates they occupy a similar overall performance tier, despite the GTX 680M's higher raw score.

Q: Does the GeForce GTX 680M outperform the NVIDIA T600?

A: No. The GTX 680M scores 9230, but the NVIDIA T600 scores 7035. The T600 is 0.2% ahead of the GTX 680M, making the difference negligible.

Q: How does the GeForce GTX 560 SE stack up against the GeForce GTX 680M in terms of average benchmark score?

A: The GTX 560 SE has an average benchmark score of 7171, while the GTX 680M has an average of 7023. The GTX 560 SE's average is slightly higher, but this is misleading; the head-to-head OpenCL test shows the GTX 680M winning by a significant margin.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear winner in raw performance: the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680M. Its 9230 OpenCL score versus the GTX 560 SE's 7171 is a 22.3% advantage, a decisive gap that any user would notice in compute-heavy workloads. For users prioritizing maximum compute throughput in a mobile form factor, the GTX 680M is the superior choice. It also offers a much larger memory pool (4 GB vs 1024 MB) and a wider memory bus (256 bit vs 192 bit), which contributes to its higher bandwidth (115.2 GB/s vs 91.87 GB/s) and better suitability for larger datasets.

However, the GTX 560 SE is not without its merits for a specific user. Its average benchmark score of 7171 is actually higher than the GTX 680M's average of 7023, which is an artifact of the GTX 680M's lower Metal score of 4815 dragging down its average. For users running OpenCL-only workloads on a desktop, the GTX 560 SE provides a stable, if slower, alternative. It also has a lower TDP of 150 W compared to the GTX 680M's 100 W, but the latter is a mobile module with no power connectors, while the former requires a 450 W suggested PSU and dual 6-pin connectors. The GTX 560 SE is end-of-life, as is the GTX 680M, so neither is a future-proof investment. Ultimately, the GTX 680M is the pick for performance; the GTX 560 SE is a fallback for desktop users who cannot use an MXM module and need a PCIe card.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs diverge significantly in their specifications. The GTX 560 SE uses a 192-bit memory bus with 1024 MB of GDDR5, while the GTX 680M features a 256-bit bus with 4 GB of GDDR5. This results in a bandwidth difference: 91.87 GB/s for the 560 SE versus 115.2 GB/s for the 680M. The shading unit count is dramatically different, with the GTX 680M packing 1344 units versus the GTX 560 SE's 288. Texture mapping units also differ, with the 680M at 112 versus the 560 SE's 48, and ROPs at 32 versus 24. The clock speeds are another differentiator: the GTX 680M has a base clock of 719 MHz and a boost clock of 758 MHz, while the GTX 560 SE has no listed base or boost clock, only a memory clock of 957 MHz (3.8 Gbps effective) versus the 680M's 900 MHz (3.6 Gbps effective). Pixel and texture rates favor the 680M heavily: 21.22 GPixel/s and 84.90 GTexel/s versus 8.832 GPixel/s and 35.33 GTexel/s. FP32 performance is 2.038 TFLOPS for the 680M versus 847.9 GFLOPS for the 560 SE.

Physically, the GTX 560 SE is a dual-slot card measuring 210 mm (8.3 inches) in length, requiring two 6-pin power connectors and a 450 W suggested PSU. The GTX 680M is an MXM Module with no power connectors and no listed dimensions, drawing a lower 100 W TDP. The bus interface differs too: PCIe 2.0 x16 for the 560 SE versus MXM-B (3.0) for the 680M. Display outputs are also distinct, with the 560 SE offering 2x DVI and 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a, while the 680M's outputs are dependent on the portable device. The 680M supports Vulkan 1.2.175, whereas the 560 SE has no Vulkan support; both support DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two GPUs is generational and profound. The GTX 560 SE is built on the Fermi 2.0 architecture, using the GF114 chip fabricated on a 40 nm process at TSMC. The GTX 680M uses the Kepler architecture with the GK104 chip, made on a 28 nm process, also at TSMC. This process shrink allows the GK104 to pack more transistors into a smaller die: 3,540 million transistors on a 294 mm² die for the 680M, versus 1,950 million on a 332 mm² die for the 560 SE. The transistor density tells the story: 12.0M / mm² for the Kepler chip versus 5.9M / mm² for the Fermi chip, a doubling of density. This explains how the GTX 680M achieves far higher shading unit counts (1344 vs 288) and texture units (112 vs 48) while consuming less power (100 W vs 150 W).

The 560 SE is part of the GeForce 500 generation, succeeding the GeForce 400 and preceding the GeForce 600. The 680M belongs to the GeForce 600M generation, succeeding the GeForce 500M and preceding the GeForce 700M. Both are end-of-life products. The 560 SE does not list Vulkan support, while the 680M has Vulkan 1.2.175. The 680M also has a boost clock capability, a feature absent from the 560 SE's specifications. The architectural efficiency of Kepler is evident in the performance-per-watt: the 680M delivers 2.038 TFLOPS FP32 at 100 W, while the 560 SE delivers 847.9 GFLOPS at 150 W. The 680M's memory architecture is also superior, with a 256-bit bus and 4 GB capacity, whereas the 560 SE is limited to 192-bit and 1 GB. These are not incremental differences; they represent a fundamental leap in GPU design efficiency and capability.