NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 SE vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M Comparison

The Verdict

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 SE serve completely different use cases, and the benchmark data makes that split clear. The GTX 880M is a mobile-first part built on the Kepler architecture, designed for laptops and compact MXM modules. It carries a significantly higher average benchmark score of 8040, placing it in the 42nd percentile of all GPUs. The GTX 560 SE is a desktop card from the Fermi 2.0 generation, with an average score of 7171 and a 39th percentile ranking.

For users who need a mobile GPU with strong compute throughput, the GTX 880M is the clear choice. Its Geekbench Metal score of 10458 demonstrates substantial graphics capability, and its 8 GB of GDDR5 memory dwarfs the 1 GB frame buffer on the GTX 560 SE. The data shows that the GTX 880M is positioned near the NVIDIA Quadro P5000 and GeForce GTX 650 Ti in overall performance, with delta percentages of 0 and -0.2 respectively. That places it in a performance class that can handle modern workloads on a laptop.

The GTX 560 SE, meanwhile, wins the only direct head-to-head benchmark recorded. In Geekbench OpenCL, it scores 7171 against the GTX 880M's 5622, a 21.6% advantage. This is a desktop card with a 150 W TDP, dual-slot cooling, and dual 6-pin power connectors. It belongs to the GeForce 500 generation and is best suited for older desktop systems where the PCIe 2.0 x16 interface and the Fermi architecture are still relevant. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580 and the AMD Radeon Vega 8 Mobile, showing it competes in a different, lower tier than the GTX 880M.

The verdict is straightforward: pick the GTX 880M for portable systems and higher overall benchmark scores, or pick the GTX 560 SE if the specific workload favors OpenCL compute and the system is a desktop with the appropriate power and slot requirements. The GTX 560 SE's OpenCL win is notable, but the GTX 880M's broader benchmark profile and higher average score make it the stronger all-round option.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from entirely different design eras. The GTX 880M uses the GK104 chip, built on the Kepler architecture at TSMC's 28 nm process node. It packs 3,540 million transistors on a 294 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 12.0 million per square millimeter. The GTX 560 SE uses the GF114 chip, based on the Fermi 2.0 architecture, manufactured on a 40 nm process. It contains 1,950 million transistors on a larger 332 mm² die, with a density of just 5.9 million per square millimeter. The smaller process node gives the Kepler part a clear manufacturing advantage, fitting more than 3.5 billion transistors into a smaller physical area.

The core configurations differ dramatically. The GTX 880M has 1,536 shading units, 128 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. The GTX 560 SE has only 288 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs. That is a 5.3x difference in shading units, which explains the massive gap in raw compute figures. The GTX 880M delivers 3.050 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, while the GTX 560 SE manages 847.9 GFLOPS. Pixel rates tell a similar story: 31.78 GPixel/s for the 880M versus 8.832 GPixel/s for the 560 SE. Texture rates are 127.1 GTexel/s versus 35.33 GTexel/s.

Memory architecture also sets these cards apart. The GTX 880M uses 8 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, delivering 160.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GTX 560 SE has 1 GB of GDDR5 on a 192-bit bus, with 91.87 GB/s. The 880M's memory clock is 1250 MHz (5 Gbps effective), while the 560 SE runs at 957 MHz (3.8 Gbps effective). The 880M's larger frame buffer and wider bus make it far better suited for high-resolution textures and larger datasets.

The power and physical profiles are equally distinct. The GTX 880M has a TDP of 122 W and uses an MXM Module form factor with no additional power connectors, reflecting its mobile design. The GTX 560 SE has a 150 W TDP, occupies a dual-slot width, requires two 6-pin power connectors, and suggests a 450 W power supply. Its dimensions are 210 mm (8.3 inches) in length. The bus interfaces differ: the 880M uses MXM-B (3.0), while the 560 SE uses PCIe 2.0 x16. Display outputs are portable-device-dependent on the 880M, while the 560 SE offers dual DVI and one mini-HDMI 1.3a.

Both cards support DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6. The GTX 880M adds Vulkan 1.2.175 support, while the GTX 560 SE has no Vulkan support recorded. This makes the Kepler card more future-proof for modern API workloads. The GTX 880M was released on 2014-03-11, while the GTX 560 SE came earlier on 2012-02-19. The 880M's predecessor is the GeForce 700M and its successor is the GeForce 900M. The 560 SE's predecessor is GeForce 400 and its successor is GeForce 600.

Where Each One Wins

The recorded benchmarks show a clear split: the GTX 560 SE wins in OpenCL compute, while the GTX 880M wins in Metal performance and overall average scores.

In Geekbench OpenCL, the GTX 560 SE scores 7171 against the GTX 880M's 5622. That is a 21.6% advantage, and it is the only head-to-head test recorded. This suggests the Fermi architecture's compute paths are particularly efficient for OpenCL workloads, at least in this specific benchmark. Users running OpenCL-based applications on a desktop may find the GTX 560 SE surprisingly competitive.

The GTX 880M, however, has a Geekbench Metal score of 10458, which is not available for the GTX 560 SE. Metal is Apple's graphics API, and this score indicates strong performance in macOS environments or Metal-compatible workloads. The 880M's average benchmark score of 8040 also places it well above the 560 SE's 7171, and its 42nd percentile ranking versus 39th confirms it sits higher in the overall GPU hierarchy.

For gaming and general graphics, the GTX 880M's 1,536 shading units and 8 GB memory frame buffer give it a massive theoretical advantage. The 3.050 TFLOPS FP32 throughput is 3.6x higher than the 560 SE's 847.9 GFLOPS. Texture and pixel rates are similarly dominant. The 880M is the card for modern games, high resolutions, and texture-heavy workloads on a laptop.

The GTX 560 SE is the pick for legacy desktop systems where OpenCL compute matters more than raw graphics throughput. Its 91.87 GB/s bandwidth and 1 GB memory limit it to older titles and lighter workloads, but the OpenCL score shows it is not without merit.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M has an average benchmark score of 8040, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 SE scores 7171. The 880M also ranks in the 42nd percentile of all GPUs, compared to the 560 SE's 39th percentile.

Q: Does the GTX 560 SE beat the GTX 880M in any benchmark?

A: Yes. In Geekbench OpenCL, the GTX 560 SE scores 7171 against the GTX 880M's 5622, giving the 560 SE a 21.6% lead. This is the only head-to-head benchmark recorded, and it is a win for the older Fermi card.

Q: What are the memory specifications of each card?

A: The GTX 880M has 8 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus with 160.0 GB/s bandwidth. The GTX 560 SE has 1 GB of GDDR5 on a 192-bit bus with 91.87 GB/s bandwidth. The 880M's memory clock is 1250 MHz (5 Gbps effective), while the 560 SE runs at 957 MHz (3.8 Gbps effective).

Q: Which card supports Vulkan?

A: The GTX 880M supports Vulkan 1.2.175. The GTX 560 SE has no Vulkan support recorded. Both cards support DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6.

Q: What form factors do these GPUs use?

A: The GTX 880M uses an MXM Module slot width with an MXM-B (3.0) bus interface and no power connectors. The GTX 560 SE is a dual-slot desktop card with a PCIe 2.0 x16 interface, two 6-pin power connectors, and a suggested 450 W power supply.

Q: How do the shading unit counts compare?

A: The GTX 880M has 1,536 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. The GTX 560 SE has 288 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs. This gives the 880M a 3.6x advantage in FP32 throughput (3.050 TFLOPS versus 847.9 GFLOPS).

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct comparison in the database is Geekbench OpenCL, and it produces a surprising result. The GTX 560 SE scores 7171, while the GTX 880M scores 5622. The delta is -21.6% from the perspective of the 880M, meaning the 560 SE is more than a fifth faster in this specific test. This is noteworthy because the 880M has vastly more shading units, higher clock speeds, and a wider memory bus. The Fermi 2.0 architecture appears to have a compute advantage in this workload, at least when comparing these two specific implementations.

Beyond the head-to-head, the GTX 880M's strengths show in its other benchmark. The Geekbench Metal score of 10458 is not matched by the 560 SE, which has no Metal result recorded. This indicates the Kepler GPU is better optimized for Apple's graphics API, making it the stronger choice for Metal-compatible applications.

The average benchmark scores reinforce the 880M's overall superiority. The 880M averages 8040, placing it within 0.2% of the GeForce GTX 650 Ti and 0% of the NVIDIA Quadro P5000. The 560 SE averages 7171, sitting essentially tied with the Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580 (0% delta) and only 0.2% ahead of the GeForce GTX 970. In percentile terms, the 880M sits at 42 versus the 560 SE's 39.

The texture and pixel rate differences are stark. The 880M's 127.1 GTexel/s is 3.6x the 560 SE's 35.33 GTexel/s. Pixel rates are 31.78 GPixel/s versus 8.832 GPixel/s, a 3.6x gap again. These figures suggest that in any graphics-bound workload, the 880M should dominate. The OpenCL result is therefore an outlier in the broader performance profile, but it is the only head-to-head data point available, and it goes to the 560 SE.

The power draw tells a complementary story. The 880M runs at 122 W TDP despite its higher performance, while the 560 SE draws 150 W. The Kepler architecture's efficiency is evident: more shading units, more memory, higher clocks, but lower power consumption. The 560 SE requires a 450 W power supply and two 6-pin connectors, while the 880M needs none on its MXM module.

For users deciding between these two, the benchmark data says this: the GTX 880M is the better overall GPU, with a higher average score, higher percentile ranking, and a massive advantage in graphics throughput. The GTX 560 SE has one clear win in OpenCL, and that may matter for specific compute tasks. But the 880M's 8 GB memory, 3.050 TFLOPS, and 160.0 GB/s bandwidth make it the more capable card for almost any modern workload, mobile or otherwise.