AMD Radeon RX 6500M vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti Comparison

The GeForce GTX 560 Ti and Radeon RX 6500M represent two distinct eras of GPU design, separated by a decade of architectural evolution. While the GTX 560 Ti was a desktop enthusiast card from the Fermi generation, the RX 6500M is a modern mobile chip built on RDNA 2.0. The benchmark data shows a single head-to-head comparison, with the AMD part delivering a decisive victory in raw compute performance, though the older NVIDIA card holds its own in the broader performance percentile rankings.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark comparison available is the Geekbench OpenCL test, and the results are heavily skewed toward the newer AMD Radeon RX 6500M. The RX 6500M scores 38,586 points, while the GeForce GTX 560 Ti manages just 10,690 points. This translates to a delta of -72.3% for the NVIDIA card, meaning the AMD part is roughly 3.6 times faster in this specific workload. That is a massive generational gap, highlighting how much compute throughput has advanced since 2011.

Looking at the broader picture, the GTX 560 Ti’s average benchmark score is 10,690, which places it in the 49th percentile of all GPUs tracked. Its nearest rivals are tightly clustered: the AMD Radeon RX 6600S scores 10,629 (0.6% higher), the NVIDIA Quadro K2200 scores 10,761 (0.7% lower), and the AMD Radeon R9 M275X scores 10,582 (1% higher). The GTX 560 Ti effectively sits in a dead heat with these cards, all within a 1.1% margin of each other. This suggests that despite its age, the Fermi-based card still delivers compute performance comparable to much newer entry-level and mid-range parts.

The RX 6500M, by contrast, has an average benchmark score of 10,362, which is actually lower than the GTX 560 Ti’s average, despite winning the OpenCL test outright. This is because the RX 6500M’s average is pulled down by its other benchmark results, including a Passmark G3D score of 7,531 and a Passmark GPU Compute score of 2,669. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Tesla C2075 (10,400, -0.4%), the GeForce GTX 950A (10,273, +0.9%), and the Radeon RX 550X (10,481, -1.1%). The RX 6500M’s 48th percentile ranking is one point below the GTX 560 Ti, indicating that while it excels in OpenCL, its overall performance profile is more uneven.

When interpreting the OpenCL result, it is crucial to note that this test heavily favors architectures with high FP32 throughput. The RX 6500M is rated at 4.915 TFLOPS FP32, while the GTX 560 Ti is rated at 1,263.4 GFLOPS (roughly 1.26 TFLOPS). That is a nearly 4x difference in theoretical peak compute, which aligns closely with the observed 3.6x performance delta. In this specific metric, the RX 6500M is the clear winner, but the GTX 560 Ti’s performance percentile shows that raw compute is not the only factor in real-world GPU performance.

Architecture Differences

The architectural chasm between these two cards is vast. The GTX 560 Ti is built on NVIDIA’s Fermi 2.0 architecture, using the GF114 chip fabricated on a 40 nm process at TSMC. It packs 1,950 million transistors into a 332 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 5.9 million per square millimeter. The RX 6500M, on the other hand, uses AMD’s RDNA 2.0 architecture with the Navi 24 chip, built on a 6 nm process, also at TSMC. It contains 5,400 million transistors on a much smaller 107 mm² die, achieving a density of 50.5 million per square millimeter — over 8.5 times denser than the Fermi chip.

Shader configuration differs significantly. The GTX 560 Ti has 384 shading units, 64 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 32 raster operation pipelines (ROPs). The RX 6500M has 1,024 shading units, 64 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, but it also adds 16 ray tracing cores, a feature entirely absent from the Fermi architecture. This gives the RX 6500M hardware-accelerated ray tracing support, which the GTX 560 Ti cannot offer. The RX 6500M also supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4, while the GTX 560 Ti is limited to DirectX 12 (11_0) with no Vulkan support listed.

Memory subsystems are radically different. The GTX 560 Ti uses 1,024 MB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, delivering 128.3 GB/s of bandwidth. The RX 6500M uses 4 GB of GDDR6 on a much narrower 64-bit bus, yet still achieves higher bandwidth at 144.0 GB/s thanks to faster memory clocks (18 Gbps effective versus 4 Gbps effective for the GTX 560 Ti). The NVIDIA card’s wider bus is a classic Fermi design trait, while the RX 6500M’s narrow bus with fast memory is typical of modern budget-oriented chips.

Clock speeds tell a similar story of generational progress. The GTX 560 Ti has no listed base or boost clock, only a memory clock of 1,002 MHz. The RX 6500M has a base clock of 2,000 MHz, a boost clock of 2,400 MHz, and a game clock of 2,191 MHz. These higher clocks, combined with the RDNA 2.0 architecture’s efficiency, allow the RX 6500M to deliver a pixel rate of 76.80 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 153.6 GTexel/s — both far exceeding the GTX 560 Ti’s 13.17 GPixel/s and 52.67 GTexel/s, respectively.

Power and physical characteristics are also worlds apart. The GTX 560 Ti has a TDP of 170 W, requires two 6-pin power connectors, and is a dual-slot card measuring 229 mm (9 inches) in length. The RX 6500M has a TDP of just 50 W, uses no external power connectors, and is listed as an IGP (integrated graphics processor) with dimensions described as "Portable Device Dependent." The RX 6500M is designed for laptops, while the GTX 560 Ti was a desktop add-in board. The bus interface also differs: PCIe 2.0 x16 for the GTX 560 Ti versus PCIe 4.0 x4 for the RX 6500M.

The Verdict

The data paints a clear picture of two GPUs serving completely different purposes. The AMD Radeon RX 6500M is the decisive winner in raw compute performance, dominating the Geekbench OpenCL test by a 72.3% margin. Its modern RDNA 2.0 architecture, with 1,024 shading units, 16 ray tracing cores, and support for DirectX 12 Ultimate, makes it the obvious choice for anyone needing current-generation features like ray tracing or Vulkan 1.4 support. Its 4 GB of GDDR6 memory, 144.0 GB/s bandwidth, and 4.915 TFLOPS FP32 performance are all superior to the GTX 560 Ti’s specifications.

However, the GTX 560 Ti is not without merit when viewed through the lens of its percentile ranking. Despite being end-of-life since 2011, it holds a 49th percentile position, one point higher than the RX 6500M’s 48th percentile. Its average benchmark score of 10,690 is actually higher than the RX 6500M’s 10,362 average. This suggests that in mixed workloads, the older card can still compete with the newer mobile part, likely due to its wider 256-bit memory bus and more balanced performance profile. The GTX 560 Ti’s nearest rivals are all within 1.1% of its score, indicating a very competitive field for its performance tier.

For a buyer in 2022 (the RX 6500M’s release window), the choice is straightforward: the RX 6500M is the better GPU for modern games and applications that leverage DirectX 12 Ultimate features. Its 50 W TDP makes it suitable for thin-and-light laptops, whereas the GTX 560 Ti’s 170 W TDP and dual-slot design are relics of desktop builds. But for anyone comparing these purely on benchmark scores and percentile rankings, the GTX 560 Ti’s higher average score and percentile mean it is not a total embarrassment; it simply excels in different types of workloads. The RX 6500M wins the headline benchmark, but the GTX 560 Ti remains competitive in the aggregate data.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ in nearly every specification category. The GTX 560 Ti uses the GF114 chip on a 40 nm process, while the RX 6500M uses Navi 24 on a 6 nm process. Transistor counts are 1,950 million versus 5,400 million, and die sizes are 332 mm² versus 107 mm². The RX 6500M has a base clock of 2,000 MHz, boost clock of 2,400 MHz, and game clock of 2,191 MHz; the GTX 560 Ti lists no base, boost, or game clocks. Memory configurations differ: 1,024 MB GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus for NVIDIA, versus 4 GB GDDR6 on a 64-bit bus for AMD. Bandwidth is 128.3 GB/s versus 144.0 GB/s. Shading units are 384 versus 1,024, and the RX 6500M adds 16 ray tracing cores while the GTX 560 Ti has none. Pixel rates are 13.17 GPixel/s versus 76.80 GPixel/s, and texture rates are 52.67 GTexel/s versus 153.6 GTexel/s. FP32 performance is 1,263.4 GFLOPS versus 4.915 TFLOPS, and the RX 6500M also lists FP16 performance at 9.830 TFLOPS (2:1). TDP is 170 W versus 50 W, and the GTX 560 Ti requires two 6-pin connectors while the RX 6500M uses none. The bus interface is PCIe 2.0 x16 versus PCIe 4.0 x4. Display outputs are 2x DVI and 1x mini-HDMI for the GTX 560 Ti, versus "Portable Device Dependent" for the RX 6500M. DirectX support is 12 (11_0) versus 12 Ultimate (12_2), and Vulkan support is absent versus 1.4. The GTX 560 Ti is dual-slot with a 229 mm length; the RX 6500M is an IGP with no listed dimensions. Release dates are January 24, 2011, versus January 3, 2022.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The GeForce GTX 560 Ti has a higher average benchmark score of 10,690, compared to the Radeon RX 6500M’s 10,362.

Q: Does the RX 6500M support ray tracing?

A: Yes, the Radeon RX 6500M has 16 ray tracing cores, a feature completely absent from the GTX 560 Ti.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference between the two cards?

A: The RX 6500M has higher memory bandwidth at 144.0 GB/s, while the GTX 560 Ti offers 128.3 GB/s despite its wider 256-bit bus.

Q: How do their power requirements compare?

A: The GTX 560 Ti has a TDP of 170 W and requires two 6-pin power connectors, while the RX 6500M has a TDP of 50 W and uses no external power connectors.

Q: Which GPU supports Vulkan?

A: Only the Radeon RX 6500M supports Vulkan (version 1.4); the GeForce GTX 560 Ti has no Vulkan support listed.

Q: What is the release date gap between these two GPUs?

A: The GTX 560 Ti was released on January 24, 2011, and the RX 6500M was released on January 3, 2022, a gap of nearly 11 years.