NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 vs NVIDIA Quadro K5100M Comparison

FAQ

Q: How do the NVIDIA Quadro K5100M and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 compare in raw compute performance?

A: In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the Quadro K5100M scores 11,771 while the GTX 560 scores 9,058. This gives the Quadro a 30% advantage in the only head-to-head benchmark recorded in the database.

Q: Which GPU has higher memory capacity and bandwidth?

A: The Quadro K5100M has 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus with 115.2 GB/s bandwidth, while the GTX 560 has 1 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus with 128.0 GB/s bandwidth. The GTX 560 has higher bandwidth, but the Quadro offers 8 times the memory capacity.

Q: How do their transistor counts and die sizes compare?

A: The Quadro K5100M uses 3,540 million transistors on a 294 mm² die, while the GTX 560 uses 1,950 million transistors on a 332 mm² die. The Quadro packs more transistors into a smaller area, resulting in a transistor density of 12.0M per mm² versus 5.9M per mm² for the GTX 560.

Q: What are the power requirements for each card?

A: The Quadro K5100M has a TDP of 100 W and uses an MXM module with no power connectors. The GTX 560 has a TDP of 150 W, is a dual-slot card requiring two 6-pin power connectors, and carries a suggested PSU rating of 450 W.

Q: Which GPU supports more modern APIs?

A: Both cards support DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6. The Quadro K5100M adds Vulkan 1.2.175 support, while the GTX 560 lists no Vulkan support in the database.

Q: What are their production statuses and release timelines?

A: Both are end-of-life products. The GTX 560 was released on 2011-05-16, while the Quadro K5100M arrived on 2013-07-22, roughly two years later.

The Verdict

The database records a single head-to-head benchmark between these two GPUs, and the result is unambiguous: the NVIDIA Quadro K5100M wins the Geekbench OpenCL test with 11,771 points against 9,058 points for the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560, a 30% margin. The Quadro also holds a higher overall percentile ranking, sitting at the 48th percentile versus the GTX 560's 45th percentile.

For a user prioritizing compute performance in OpenCL workloads, the Quadro K5100M is the clear choice. Its 8 GB memory capacity also makes it suitable for tasks requiring large datasets, whereas the GTX 560's 1 GB frame buffer is restrictive by comparison. The Quadro further distinguishes itself with a lower TDP of 100 W versus 150 W, and it requires no auxiliary power connectors, making it more adaptable for mobile or compact MXM-based systems.

The GTX 560 does have one measurable advantage: memory bandwidth. At 128.0 GB/s, it edges out the Quadro's 115.2 GB/s, a 11% difference. However, this does not translate into a benchmark win in the recorded data. The GTX 560 also carries a launch MSRP of 199 USD, but that figure is historical and irrelevant to current performance comparisons.

In short, the Quadro K5100M is the superior performer in every recorded benchmark, offers vastly more memory, and consumes less power. The GTX 560 is the older, less capable part in this pairing, and the data does not support choosing it for any compute-focused task.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct comparison in the database is the Geekbench OpenCL test. The Quadro K5100M scores 11,771, while the GTX 560 scores 9,058. The delta is exactly 30%, placing the Quadro firmly ahead.

Context from the nearest rivals reinforces this gap. The Quadro K5100M's average benchmark score is 10,043, which places it just 0.3% behind the AMD Radeon R9 M375 (10,070) and 0.3% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro 5300M (10,013). It also sits 0.8% above the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 870M (9,959) and 2% above the NVIDIA Quadro 6000 (9,846). This positioning shows the Quadro is competitive within a tight cluster of mid-range GPUs from its era.

The GTX 560's average benchmark score is 9,058. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA TITAN V CEO Edition at 9,037 (0.2% behind), the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 at 9,022 (0.4% behind), the AMD Radeon 550X at 8,918 (1.6% behind), and the AMD Radeon 890M at 9,210 (1.7% ahead). The GTX 560 sits squarely in a similar performance tier, but its absolute score is 2,713 points lower than the Quadro's average.

Looking at the broader picture, the Quadro K5100M's average score of 10,043 is 10.9% higher than the GTX 560's 9,058. The head-to-head delta of 30% is larger than this average gap, indicating that the specific OpenCL workload favors the Quadro's architecture more than typical benchmarks might.

The Quadro also demonstrates superiority in pixel and texture throughput. Its pixel rate is 24.67 GPixel/s versus 11.34 GPixel/s for the GTX 560, a 117% advantage. Texture rate follows suit: 98.69 GTexel/s versus 45.36 GTexel/s, a 118% difference. These figures are derived from the Quadro's higher clock rate and greater number of texture mapping units.

Specification Differences

| Specification | NVIDIA Quadro K5100M | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 |

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

| Chip | GK104 | GF114 |

| Architecture | Kepler | Fermi 2.0 |

| Generation | Quadro Kepler-M (Kx100M) | GeForce 500 |

| 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 | 771 MHz | Not listed |

| Boost Clock | 771 MHz | Not listed |

| Memory Clock | 900 MHz (3.6 Gbps effective) | 1000 MHz (4 Gbps effective) |

| Memory Size | 8 GB | 1024 MB |

| Memory Bandwidth | 115.2 GB/s | 128.0 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 1536 | 336 |

| TMUs | 128 | 56 |

| ROPs | 32 | 32 |

| Pixel Rate | 24.67 GPixel/s | 11.34 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 98.69 GTexel/s | 45.36 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 2.369 TFLOPS | 1,088.6 GFLOPS |

| TDP | 100 W | 150 W |

| Slot Width | MXM Module | Dual-slot |

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

| Suggested PSU | Not listed | 450 W |

| Bus Interface | MXM-B (3.0) | PCIe 2.0 x16 |

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

| Vulkan | 1.2.175 | Not listed |

| Release Date | 2013-07-22 | 2011-05-16 |

| Predecessor | Quadro Fermi-M | GeForce 400 |

| Successor | Quadro Maxwell-M | GeForce 600 |

| Launch MSRP | Not listed | 199 USD |

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different NVIDIA architecture generations, and the database records substantial differences in their underlying designs.

The Quadro K5100M is built on the Kepler architecture using the GK104 chip, fabricated on a 28 nm process at TSMC. It packs 3,540 million transistors into a 294 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 12.0M per mm². Kepler was designed for higher efficiency per clock, and the data reflects this: the Quadro achieves 2.369 TFLOPS of FP32 compute with a TDP of just 100 W.

The GTX 560 uses the older Fermi 2.0 architecture with the GF114 chip, produced on a 40 nm process, also at TSMC. It contains 1,950 million transistors spread over a larger 332 mm² die, resulting in a lower transistor density of 5.9M per mm². Fermi 2.0 was less efficient per clock, and the GTX 560 delivers 1,088.6 GFLOPS of FP32 compute while consuming 150 W.

The compute core count differs dramatically. The Quadro has 1,536 shading units, 128 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. The GTX 560 has 336 shading units, 56 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. The Quadro has 4.6 times more shading units and 2.3 times more TMUs, which explains its much higher pixel and texture rates.

Memory architecture also diverges. Both use GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, but the Quadro's 8 GB capacity dwarfs the GTX 560's 1 GB. The GTX 560 compensates with a higher memory clock (1000 MHz versus 900 MHz), giving it 128.0 GB/s bandwidth versus 115.2 GB/s for the Quadro. For memory-bound workloads that fit within 1 GB, the GTX 560 has a slight bandwidth edge; for anything larger, the Quadro's capacity is decisive.

API support differs in one notable area: the Quadro K5100M supports Vulkan 1.2.175, while the GTX 560 lists no Vulkan support. Both cards support DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6.

Physical and integration differences are significant. The Quadro is an MXM module with a 3.0 MXM-B interface, designed for laptops and portable workstations, with no power connectors required. The GTX 560 is a dual-slot desktop card using PCIe 2.0 x16, requiring two 6-pin power connectors and a 450 W power supply. The GTX 560 has a fixed length of 210 mm (8.3 inches) and offers 2x DVI plus 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a outputs, while the Quadro's display outputs are dependent on the portable device it is installed in.

The release timeline shows the GTX 560 debuted on 2011-05-16, while the Quadro K5100M followed on 2013-07-22. The GTX 560's predecessor is the GeForce 400 series and its successor is the GeForce 600 series. The Quadro's predecessor is the Quadro Fermi-M and its successor is the Quadro Maxwell-M. Both are now end-of-life products.