NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 SE vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 Comparison

The GeForce GTX 560 SE and the GeForce GTX 970 represent two distinct eras of NVIDIA's GPU design, and the benchmark data reflects a dramatic generational leap. While both cards currently hold the same 39th percentile ranking among all GPUs, this equivalence is a statistical illusion. The GTX 970 utterly dominates in raw compute performance, delivering a Geekbench OpenCL score of 29,982 compared to the GTX 560 SE's 7,171. This represents a 76.1% deficit for the older card, a gap so wide that it fundamentally redefines what tasks each GPU can realistically handle. The data suggests the GTX 560 SE is a relic, while the GTX 970, despite its age, remains a capable performer.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only shared benchmark between these two cards is Geekbench OpenCL, and the results are starkly one-sided. The GTX 970 achieves a score of 29,982, while the GTX 560 SE manages only 7,171. This is a 76.1% difference, meaning the GTX 970 is over four times faster in this compute workload. The scale of this victory cannot be overstated; it is not a marginal win but a complete and total rout. For context, the GTX 560 SE's nearest rivals are the Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580 (7,170) and the AMD Radeon Vega 8 Mobile (7,203), both of which are within a 0.4% margin of its score. The GTX 560 SE is essentially competing with integrated and entry-level mobile graphics, not discrete desktop cards.

Conversely, the GTX 970's nearest rivals, as listed in its own data, are the exact same GPUs that surround the GTX 560 SE. The GTX 970's average score of 7,157 is 0.2% lower than the GTX 560 SE's 7,171, a negligible difference that appears in its rival list. However, this is an artifact of the averaging process. The GTX 970's comprehensive benchmark suite—including Passmark G3D (9,638), Geekbench Vulkan (20,005), and Geekbench Metal (13,595)—shows it operating in an entirely different performance tier. The single head-to-head test is the only direct comparison available, and it is the definitive one: the GTX 970 wins, and it wins by a colossal margin.

Where Each One Wins

Based on the available data, the GTX 970 wins in every measurable category, but its victory is most pronounced in compute-intensive applications. The Geekbench OpenCL result is a clear indicator of general-purpose GPU compute performance, which is critical for tasks like video encoding, scientific simulations, and machine learning inference. The GTX 970's 3.920 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, compared to the GTX 560 SE's 847.9 GFLOPS, explains this dominance in raw number-crunching. For any workload that leverages OpenCL, the GTX 970 is the only viable choice of the two.

The GTX 560 SE, conversely, has no benchmark wins to its name. Its single score of 7,171 places it in the same performance bracket as integrated graphics from a previous generation. This does not mean it is useless; rather, its utility is confined to legacy DirectX 11_0 applications and basic 2D desktop workloads. The GTX 560 SE's Passmark G2D score is not listed, but its architecture's focus on older APIs suggests it would only be relevant for very old games or non-graphical tasks. The data clearly shows that the GTX 560 SE's only "win" is being a marginally faster neighbor to the GTX 970 in the latter's rival list, a statistical quirk rather than a functional advantage.

Architecture Differences

The architectural chasm between these two GPUs explains the benchmark results. The GTX 560 SE is built on the Fermi 2.0 architecture using a 40 nm process at TSMC, packing 1,950 million transistors into a 332 mm² die. This results in a transistor density of 5.9 million per mm². In contrast, the GTX 970 is based on the Maxwell 2.0 architecture, also from TSMC, but on a more advanced 28 nm process. It houses 5,200 million transistors on a larger 398 mm² die, achieving a significantly higher density of 13.1 million per mm². This generational leap in manufacturing efficiency is the foundation of the performance difference.

The core configurations are wildly different. The GTX 560 SE has 288 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs. The GTX 970 has 1,664 shading units, 104 TMUs, and 56 ROPs. This means the GTX 970 has roughly 5.8 times the shading units and over 4 times the texture units, directly translating to its higher pixel rate (65.97 GPixel/s vs 8.832 GPixel/s) and texture rate (122.5 GTexel/s vs 35.33 GTexel/s). Memory is another major divider: the GTX 560 SE has 1 GB of GDDR5 on a 192-bit bus with 91.87 GB/s bandwidth, while the GTX 970 has 4 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus with 224.4 GB/s bandwidth. The newer card also supports PCIe 3.0 x16 and modern APIs like Vulkan 1.4 and DirectX 12_1, whereas the older card is limited to PCIe 2.0 and DirectX 11_0.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous. The GTX 970 is the superior GPU by every measurable metric available. Anyone choosing between these two for any modern compute or graphics workload should select the GTX 970 without hesitation. Its 4 GB memory buffer, higher bandwidth, and massively parallel architecture make it suitable for 1080p gaming and serious compute tasks, as evidenced by its 29,982 OpenCL score. The GTX 970's 148 W TDP is remarkably efficient given its performance, and it even requires a less powerful suggested PSU (300 W) than the GTX 560 SE (450 W), despite being vastly faster.

The GTX 560 SE, on the other hand, is a product of its time. With only 1 GB of VRAM and an 847.9 GFLOPS compute capacity, it is functionally obsolete for modern workloads. Its 39th percentile ranking is shared with the GTX 970, but this is a misleading data point. The GTX 560 SE belongs to the era of DirectX 11, and its 2x 6-pin power connector and 210 mm length are hallmarks of a bygone design. For a user with a legacy system requiring a basic display output, the GTX 560 SE could function, but for any serious performance, it is not a contender. The verdict is clear: the GTX 970 is the definitive winner, and the GTX 560 SE is a historical footnote.

FAQ

Q: How much faster is the GTX 970 than the GTX 560 SE in the shared OpenCL benchmark?

A: The GTX 970 scores 29,982, while the GTX 560 SE scores 7,171. This yields a 76.1% performance deficit for the GTX 560 SE.

Q: Does the GTX 560 SE win any benchmark against the GTX 970?

A: No. In the only shared head-to-head test, Geekbench OpenCL, the GTX 970 is the clear winner. The GTX 560 SE has zero wins in the available data.

Q: What are the major architectural differences between the two cards?

A: The GTX 560 SE uses the Fermi 2.0 architecture on a 40 nm process with 1,950 million transistors, while the GTX 970 uses Maxwell 2.0 on a 28 nm process with 5,200 million transistors. The GTX 970 also has far more shading units (1,664 vs 288) and a larger memory bus (256-bit vs 192-bit).

Q: Which card has more memory bandwidth?

A: The GTX 970 has significantly more, with a bandwidth of 224.4 GB/s compared to the GTX 560 SE's 91.87 GB/s.

Q: Are these cards in the same performance percentile?

A: Yes, both are listed at the 39th percentile of all GPUs. However, this is a result of the GTX 970's average score being pulled down by its diverse benchmark suite, while the GTX 560 SE only has one high-scoring OpenCL test.

Q: What is the TDP of each card?

A: The GTX 560 SE has a TDP of 150 W, while the GTX 970 has a slightly lower TDP of 148 W, despite being vastly more powerful.

Specification Differences

| Specification | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 SE | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 |

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

| Architecture | Fermi 2.0 | Maxwell 2.0 |

| Process Node | 40 nm | 28 nm |

| Transistors | 1,950 million | 5,200 million |

| Die Size | 332 mm² | 398 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 5.9M / mm² | 13.1M / mm² |

| Base Clock | Not specified | 1050 MHz |

| Boost Clock | Not specified | 1178 MHz |

| Memory Clock | 957 MHz (3.8 Gbps effective) | 1753 MHz (7 Gbps effective) |

| Memory Size | 1024 MB | 4 GB |

| Memory Bus Width | 192 bit | 256 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 91.87 GB/s | 224.4 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 288 | 1664 |

| TMUs | 48 | 104 |

| ROPs | 24 | 56 |

| Pixel Rate | 8.832 GPixel/s | 65.97 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 35.33 GTexel/s | 122.5 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Performance | 847.9 GFLOPS | 3.920 TFLOPS |

| TDP | 150 W | 148 W |

| Suggested PSU | 450 W | 300 W |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 2.0 x16 | PCIe 3.0 x16 |

| Display Outputs | 2x DVI, 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a | 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0, 3x DisplayPort 1.2 |

| DirectX Support | 12 (11_0) | 12 (12_1) |

| Vulkan Support | Not specified | 1.4 |

| Length | 210 mm (8.3 inches) | 267 mm (10.5 inches) |

| Height | Not specified | 111 mm (4.4 inches) |

| Width | Not specified | 40 mm (1.6 inches) |

| Launch MSRP | Not specified | 329 USD |