AMD Radeon RX 6500M vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only benchmark where both parts have recorded scores is Geekbench OpenCL, and the result is decisively one-sided. The AMD Radeon RX 6500M scores 38586, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 scores 9058. That works out to a 326% advantage for the AMD part, meaning the RX 6500M delivers roughly 4.3 times the raw compute throughput of the GTX 560 in this OpenCL workload. This is not a close contest by any reasonable measure.

Looking at the broader database averages tells the same story, but with a slightly different framing. The RX 6500M holds an average benchmark score of 10362, while the GTX 560 sits at 9058. That is a 14.4% gap in favor of the AMD card, which is far smaller than the OpenCL delta because the RX 6500M's average is pulled down by its other recorded tests. The RX 6500M has nine benchmark entries across multiple APIs and workloads, while the GTX 560 has only the single Geekbench OpenCL result. This means the database average for the GTX 560 is based on a narrow sample, so comparisons between the two averages should be treated with caution.

The percentile rankings also favor the RX 6500M, though not overwhelmingly. The AMD part sits at the 48th percentile among all GPUs in the database, while the GTX 560 sits at the 45th percentile. A three-percentile gap is modest, but it aligns with the average score difference. The RX 6500M's nearest rivals in the database include the NVIDIA Tesla C2075 at 10400 (0.4% behind the AMD card), the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950A at 10273 (0.9% ahead), and the AMD Radeon RX 550X at 10481 (1.1% behind). So the RX 6500M is clustered tightly among midrange parts from several generations. The GTX 560, by contrast, sits near the NVIDIA TITAN V CEO Edition at 9037 (0.2% behind) and the GeForce GTX 660 at 9022 (0.4% behind), with the AMD Radeon 550X at 8918 (1.6% behind) and the AMD Radeon 890M at 9210 (1.7% ahead). The GTX 560 is essentially level with those parts, which are all older or lower-tier designs.

Where Each One Wins

The RX 6500M wins the only direct head-to-head benchmark, and it also wins on the aggregate database metrics. Its average score of 10362 is higher than the GTX 560's 9058, and its percentile rank is three points higher. For compute-oriented workloads measured by Geekbench OpenCL, the RX 6500M is in a completely different performance class. The AMD card also has a much wider set of recorded results, including Passmark DirectX 9, 10, 11, and 12 tests, G2D, G3D, and GPU compute, which gives a fuller picture of its capabilities. Its Passmark G3D score is 7531, and its GPU compute score is 2669, so it handles both rasterization and compute workloads with reasonable competence for a low-power mobile part.

The GTX 560 has no recorded wins anywhere in the benchmark data. Its single Geekbench OpenCL score of 9058 places it in the lower-middle range of the database, and its percentile rank of 45 confirms that it is below the median GPU. The only area where the GTX 560 could be argued to have an edge is in the narrowness of its benchmark footprint, which is not a performance advantage. In terms of actual recorded performance, the GTX 560 is behind in every measurable way.

For use-case selection, the RX 6500M is clearly the better choice for any workload that relies on OpenCL compute, such as GPU-accelerated rendering, video encoding, or general-purpose GPGPU tasks. Its 4 GB of GDDR6 memory and 144.0 GB/s of bandwidth also make it more suitable for modern game textures and larger data sets. The GTX 560, with 1024 MB of GDDR5 and 128.0 GB/s of bandwidth, is limited by both capacity and throughput, which will show up in any texture-heavy or memory-intensive scenario.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from entirely different architectural eras. The RX 6500M is built on the RDNA 2.0 architecture with the Navi 24 chip, while the GTX 560 uses the Fermi 2.0 architecture with the GF114 chip. The manufacturing process tells the story: the RX 6500M is fabbed on a 6 nm process at TSMC, while the GTX 560 uses a 40 nm process, also at TSMC. That is a massive node difference, and it shows in the transistor density. The RX 6500M packs 5,400 million transistors into a die size of 107 mm², giving it a density of 50.5 million transistors per square millimeter. The GTX 560 has 1,950 million transistors spread across a much larger 332 mm² die, for a density of just 5.9 million per square millimeter. The RX 6500M fits nearly nine times more transistors per area.

The core configurations reflect the generational gap as well. The RX 6500M has 1024 shading units, 64 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. It also includes 16 ray tracing cores, a feature that simply does not exist on the GTX 560. The GTX 560 has 336 shading units, 56 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, with no ray tracing hardware. The RX 6500M's pixel rate is 76.80 GPixel/s versus 11.34 GPixel/s for the GTX 560, and its texture rate is 153.6 GTexel/s versus 45.36 GTexel/s. The FP32 compute throughput is 4.915 TFLOPS for the AMD card versus 1,088.6 GFLOPS for the NVIDIA card, roughly a 4.5x difference.

Memory architecture also differs substantially. The RX 6500M uses 4 GB of GDDR6 on a 64-bit bus, with 144.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GTX 560 uses 1024 MB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, with 128.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GTX 560 has a wider bus, but the RX 6500M still edges it out on total bandwidth thanks to much faster memory clocks. The RX 6500M's memory runs at 2250 MHz, which translates to 18 Gbps effective, while the GTX 560's memory runs at 1000 MHz, or 4 Gbps effective.

The feature sets and connectivity also differ. The RX 6500M supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The GTX 560 supports DirectX 12 (11_0), which is a compatibility-level implementation rather than full 12_2, and OpenGL 4.6, but has no Vulkan support listed. The RX 6500M uses a PCIe 4.0 x4 interface and is described as an IGP-class part with portable-device-dependent display outputs. The GTX 560 uses PCIe 2.0 x16, is a dual-slot card, and requires two 6-pin power connectors with a suggested 450 W PSU. The RX 6500M draws 50 W and needs no external power connectors, while the GTX 560 has a 150 W TDP.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 6500M has an average benchmark score of 10362, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 has 9058.

Q: How much faster is the RX 6500M in Geekbench OpenCL?

A: The RX 6500M scores 38586 versus 9058 for the GTX 560, a 326% advantage for the AMD part.

Q: Does the GTX 560 win any benchmark?

A: No. The GTX 560 has no recorded wins. Its only benchmark result is the Geekbench OpenCL score of 9058, which is lower than the RX 6500M's score in the same test.

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

A: The RX 6500M has 4 GB of GDDR6, while the GTX 560 has 1024 MB of GDDR5.

Q: Which card supports ray tracing?

A: The RX 6500M has 16 ray tracing cores. The GTX 560 has no ray tracing cores listed.

Q: How do their power requirements compare?

A: The RX 6500M has a 50 W TDP and no power connectors. The GTX 560 has a 150 W TDP and requires two 6-pin power connectors with a suggested 450 W PSU.

The Verdict

The data points to one clear recommendation. The AMD Radeon RX 6500M is the stronger GPU in every recorded benchmark, with a 326% lead in Geekbench OpenCL, a higher average score, and a higher percentile rank. It also brings modern features that the GTX 560 lacks entirely, including ray tracing cores, Vulkan support, DirectX 12 Ultimate, and a much more efficient 6 nm process. For anyone choosing between these two for a new build or an upgrade, the RX 6500M is the obvious pick.

The GTX 560 is a legacy part. Its Fermi 2.0 architecture, 40 nm process, 1024 MB memory capacity, and lack of modern API support place it firmly in the past. Its only competitive advantage is its 256-bit memory bus, but that does not translate into higher bandwidth, and it does nothing to compensate for the massive compute deficit. The GTX 560's launch MSRP was 199 USD, but that historical price does not change what the benchmarks show today.

The RX 6500M is also the more practical choice for a system builder. It consumes one-third of the power, requires no external power connectors, and uses a PCIe 4.0 x4 interface, which is more modern than the GTX 560's PCIe 2.0 x16. The GTX 560's dual-slot cooler and two 6-pin connectors are artifacts of an older, less efficient era. The RX 6500M's production status is end-of-life, so it is not a current-generation product either, but it is far closer to modern standards than the GTX 560.

The only scenario where the GTX 560 might be considered is a retro build or a system that specifically requires its display outputs, which are 2x DVI and 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a. The RX 6500M's display outputs are portable-device dependent, which means it is not a drop-in card for a desktop with standard display connectors. For any performance-oriented use case, however, the RX 6500M wins on every metric recorded in the database.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Radeon RX 6500M | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 |

| --- | --- | --- |

| Architecture | RDNA 2.0 | Fermi 2.0 |

| Process Node | 6 nm | 40 nm |

| Transistors | 5,400 million | 1,950 million |

| Die Size | 107 mm² | 332 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 50.5M / mm² | 5.9M / mm² |

| Shading Units | 1024 | 336 |

| TMUs | 64 | 56 |

| ROPs | 32 | 32 |

| Ray Tracing Cores | 16 | None |

| FP32 Performance | 4.915 TFLOPS | 1,088.6 GFLOPS |

| Pixel Rate | 76.80 GPixel/s | 11.34 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 153.6 GTexel/s | 45.36 GTexel/s |

| Memory Size | 4 GB | 1024 MB |

| Memory Type | GDDR6 | GDDR5 |

| Memory Bus Width | 64 bit | 256 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 144.0 GB/s | 128.0 GB/s |

| Memory Clock | 2250 MHz (18 Gbps effective) | 1000 MHz (4 Gbps effective) |

| TDP | 50 W | 150 W |

| Power Connectors | None | 2x 6-pin |

| Suggested PSU | Not listed | 450 W |

| Slot Width | IGP | Dual-slot |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 4.0 x4 | PCIe 2.0 x16 |

| DirectX Support | 12 Ultimate (12_2) | 12 (11_0) |

| Vulkan Support | 1.4 | Not listed |

| Display Outputs | Portable Device Dependent | 2x DVI, 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a |

| Release Date | 2022-01-03 | 2011-05-16 |

| Predecessor | Polaris Mobile | GeForce 400 |

| Successor | Not listed | GeForce 600 |

| Launch MSRP | Not listed | 199 USD |