NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 Comparison

# Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only directly comparable benchmark between the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 is the Geekbench OpenCL test. In this workload, the GTX 760 delivers a score of 11,299 against the GTX 560's 9,058, representing a decisive 24.7% advantage. This is a substantial generational leap, placing the GTX 760 solidly ahead of its predecessor in compute-heavy tasks. The GTX 760's average benchmark score across all recorded tests is 9,458, while the GTX 560's average is 9,058, confirming a consistent edge that extends beyond the single OpenCL run.

The delta is particularly telling when contextualized within each card's respective competitive brackets. The GTX 760's average score of 9,458 sits within 0.2% of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN BLACK's 9,474, and it is 1.6% ahead of the AMD Radeon R7 M380's 9,313. This suggests that despite being a mid-range part from the GeForce 700 series, the GTX 760 punches at a level comparable to much more expensive hardware. Meanwhile, the GTX 560's average of 9,058 places it just 0.2% behind the NVIDIA TITAN V CEO Edition's 9,037, a remarkable result for a Fermi-era card, but one that still leaves it trailing the GTX 760 by roughly 4.4% in average score.

In the Geekbench OpenCL head-to-head, the GTX 760 wins the only contested benchmark, and the win count reflects this: 1 win for the GTX 760 and 0 for the GTX 560. The margin of 24.7% is not trivial; it indicates that the GTX 760's architectural improvements translate into nearly a quarter more raw compute throughput in this test. For users considering an upgrade from the GTX 560, the data shows the GTX 760 offers a meaningful performance uplift, not merely a marginal refresh.

# Architecture Differences

The GTX 760 is built on the GK104 chip using the Kepler architecture, fabricated on a 28 nm process at TSMC. In contrast, the GTX 560 uses the GF114 chip with the older Fermi 2.0 architecture, also from TSMC but on a larger 40 nm node. This process shrink is a major factor in the performance difference: the GTX 760 packs 3,540 million transistors into a 294 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 12.0M / mm², while the GTX 560 contains 1,950 million transistors across a larger 332 mm² die, resulting in just 5.9M / mm². The Kepler design is far more efficient in terms of transistor packing, allowing it to fit more compute units into a smaller physical footprint.

The compute resources differ dramatically. The GTX 760 features 1,152 shading units, 96 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 32 render output units (ROPs). The GTX 560, by comparison, has only 336 shading units, 56 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. While the ROP count is identical at 32, the GTX 760's shading and texture throughput are substantially higher, which explains its superior fill rates. The GTX 760 achieves a pixel rate of 24.77 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 99.07 GTexel/s, whereas the GTX 560 manages only 11.34 GPixel/s and 45.36 GTexel/s, respectively. In floating-point performance, the GTX 760 delivers 2.378 TFLOPS of FP32 compute, more than double the GTX 560's 1,088.6 GFLOPS.

Memory configurations also diverge. The GTX 760 ships with 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, running at 1502 MHz (6 Gbps effective), providing a bandwidth of 192.3 GB/s. The GTX 560 has half the capacity—1024 MB—on the same 256-bit bus, but its memory clock is lower at 1000 MHz (4 Gbps effective), yielding only 128.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The combination of more memory and higher bandwidth gives the GTX 760 a clear advantage in texture-heavy and high-resolution workloads. Both cards use a dual-slot cooler and require 2x 6-pin power connectors, with the GTX 760's 170 W TDP being modestly higher than the GTX 560's 150 W, though both suggest a 450 W power supply.

The feature sets differ in connectivity and API support. The GTX 760 offers PCIe 3.0 x16, while the GTX 560 uses PCIe 2.0 x16. Display outputs on the GTX 760 include 2x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, and 1x DisplayPort 1.2, whereas the GTX 560 provides 2x DVI and 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a. In terms of APIs, both support DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6, but the GTX 760 adds Vulkan 1.2.175 support, while the GTX 560 has no Vulkan support listed. The GTX 760 also has a longer physical footprint at 241 mm (9.5 inches) compared to the GTX 560's 210 mm (8.3 inches).

# FAQ

Q: Which card has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 has an average benchmark score of 9,458, which is 4.4% higher than the GTX 560's 9,058. The GTX 760 also sits at the 46th percentile among all GPUs, while the GTX 560 is at the 45th percentile.

Q: How much faster is the GTX 760 in the Geekbench OpenCL test?

A: The GTX 760 scores 11,299 versus the GTX 560's 9,058, a 24.7% improvement. This is the only head-to-head benchmark available, and the GTX 760 wins it outright.

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

A: The GTX 760 uses the Kepler architecture on a 28 nm process with 3,540 million transistors, while the GTX 560 uses Fermi 2.0 on a 40 nm process with 1,950 million transistors. The GTX 760 also has 1,152 shading units and 96 TMUs, versus 336 shading units and 56 TMUs on the GTX 560.

Q: Do both cards support the same APIs?

A: Both support DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6, but the GTX 760 additionally supports Vulkan 1.2.175, which the GTX 560 lacks. The GTX 760 also uses PCIe 3.0 x16, while the GTX 560 uses PCIe 2.0 x16.

Q: Which card has more memory and bandwidth?

A: The GTX 760 has 2 GB of GDDR5 memory with 192.3 GB/s of bandwidth, while the GTX 560 has 1024 MB of GDDR5 with 128.0 GB/s. Both use a 256-bit bus, but the GTX 760's higher memory clock (6 Gbps effective vs. 4 Gbps) drives the bandwidth advantage.

Q: Are the power requirements similar?

A: Yes, both cards have a suggested PSU of 450 W and use 2x 6-pin power connectors. The GTX 760 has a slightly higher TDP of 170 W compared to the GTX 560's 150 W.

# Specification Differences

| Specification | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 |

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

| Chip | GK104 | GF114 |

| Architecture | Kepler | Fermi 2.0 |

| Process Node | 28 nm | 40 nm |

| Transistors | 3,540 million | 1,950 million |

| Die Size | 294 mm² | 332 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 12.0M / mm² | 5.9M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 980 MHz | N/A |

| Boost Clock | 1032 MHz | N/A |

| Memory Clock | 1502 MHz (6 Gbps effective) | 1000 MHz (4 Gbps effective) |

| Memory Size | 2 GB | 1024 MB |

| Memory Bandwidth | 192.3 GB/s | 128.0 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 1152 | 336 |

| TMUs | 96 | 56 |

| Pixel Rate | 24.77 GPixel/s | 11.34 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 99.07 GTexel/s | 45.36 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 2.378 TFLOPS | 1,088.6 GFLOPS |

| TDP | 170 W | 150 W |

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

| Display Outputs | 2x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, 1x DisplayPort 1.2 | 2x DVI, 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a |

| Vulkan Support | 1.2.175 | None |

| Length | 241 mm (9.5 inches) | 210 mm (8.3 inches) |

| Release Date | 2013-06-24 | 2011-05-16 |

| Launch MSRP | 249 USD | 199 USD |

# Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 is the clear winner in compute performance, as evidenced by its 24.7% lead in Geekbench OpenCL and its higher average benchmark score of 9,458. It also offers double the memory capacity (2 GB vs. 1024 MB) and significantly higher bandwidth (192.3 GB/s vs. 128.0 GB/s), making it the better choice for modern games that demand larger textures and higher resolutions. Its Kepler architecture, with 1,152 shading units and 96 TMUs, delivers more than double the FP32 throughput (2.378 TFLOPS vs. 1,088.6 GFLOPS), which benefits compute-heavy applications like physics simulations, video encoding, and GPGPU workloads. The inclusion of Vulkan support and a DisplayPort output further extends its utility in contemporary software and multi-monitor setups.

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560, while older and less capable overall, still holds its own in terms of ROP count (32) and basic memory bus width (256 bit), matching the GTX 760 in those specific areas. Its lower TDP of 150 W makes it slightly more power-efficient in absolute terms, though the GTX 760 compensates with better performance per watt due to its 28 nm process. The GTX 560's smaller physical length of 210 mm (8.3 inches) could be an advantage in compact cases where the GTX 760's 241 mm (9.5 inches) might not fit. For users with legacy PCIe 2.0 motherboards, the GTX 560's interface matches the platform, though the GTX 760's PCIe 3.0 is backward compatible.

In practical terms, the GTX 760 is the superior card for almost any workload, with a 24.7% lead in the only direct benchmark and a 4.4% higher average score. The GTX 560's only real wins are in form factor and lower power draw, neither of which compensates for its performance deficit. The data clearly favors the GTX 760 for gaming, content creation, and general compute tasks, while the GTX 560 remains a viable option only for very specific low-profile or low-power builds where its smaller size and slightly lower TDP matter more than raw speed.