NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 SE vs NVIDIA GRID K2 Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data splits the two cards cleanly along compute-oriented workloads versus legacy rasterization tasks. The NVIDIA GRID K2 wins the only shared benchmark in the database, the Geekbench OpenCL test, by a substantial 47.8% margin. That result positions the K2 as the clear choice for any workload that leans on general-purpose GPU compute, OpenCL acceleration, or high-throughput parallel math. Its 2.289 TFLOPS of FP32 throughput and 160.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth support that profile, giving it roughly 2.7 times the raw floating-point rate of the GTX 560 SE, which sits at 847.9 GFLOPS.

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 SE does not win any recorded benchmark in this comparison. Its only entry in the database is the same Geekbench OpenCL test, where it scores 7171 against the K2's 10602. That means the GTX 560 SE has no use-case category where the measured data favors it. Where the GTX 560 SE might appear more attractive is in system integration: it draws 150 W versus the K2's 225 W, requires a 450 W suggested power supply instead of 550 W, and is a shorter card at 210 mm versus 267 mm. It also has display outputs, while the GRID K2 has none, so the GTX 560 SE is the only one of the two that can drive a monitor directly. But in pure performance terms, the recorded numbers give every win to the GRID K2.

The percentile ranking reinforces that split. The GRID K2 sits at the 42nd percentile among all GPUs in the database, while the GTX 560 SE sits at the 39th. The gap is not enormous, but it is consistent with the K2's higher average benchmark score of 8080 versus 7171 for the GTX 560 SE. The K2's nearest rivals, such as the GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost at 8067 and the GeForce 945M at 8099, cluster tightly around its average; the GTX 560 SE's nearest rivals, like the Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580 at 7170 and the GeForce GTX 750 at 7222, sit in a lower band. The data suggests the K2 competes in a slightly higher performance tier.

Architecture Differences

The two cards come from different NVIDIA architectures built on different process nodes. The GRID K2 uses the GK104 chip, a Kepler design fabricated on a 28 nm process at TSMC. The GTX 560 SE uses the GF114 chip, a Fermi 2.0 design fabricated on a 40 nm process, also at TSMC. That process gap explains a significant part of the performance difference: the K2 packs 3,540 million transistors into a 294 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 12.0 million per square millimeter. The GTX 560 SE packs 1,950 million transistors into a larger 332 mm² die, for a density of only 5.9 million per square millimeter. The Kepler part is denser, newer, and more efficient per unit area.

The compute resources differ by a wide margin. The GRID K2 has 1536 shading units, 128 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. The GTX 560 SE has 288 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs. That is roughly 5.3 times as many shading units on the K2, 2.7 times as many TMUs, and 1.3 times as many ROPs. The pixel rate tells the same story: the K2 reaches 23.84 GPixel/s, while the GTX 560 SE reaches 8.832 GPixel/s. Texture rate is 95.36 GTexel/s versus 35.33 GTexel/s. These are large architectural gaps, not incremental differences.

Memory configurations also diverge. The GRID K2 carries 4 GB of GDDR5 on a 256 bit bus, with 160.0 GB/s of bandwidth and a memory clock of 1250 MHz (5 Gbps effective). The GTX 560 SE carries only 1024 MB of GDDR5 on a 192 bit bus, with 91.87 GB/s of bandwidth and a memory clock of 957 MHz (3.8 Gbps effective). The K2 has four times the capacity and roughly 74% more bandwidth. For workloads that are memory-bound, that is a decisive advantage.

Feature support differs in one notable way. Both cards report DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6. The GRID K2 also reports Vulkan 1.2.175 support, while the GTX 560 SE has no Vulkan entry in the database. The K2 uses PCIe 3.0 x16, while the GTX 560 SE uses PCIe 2.0 x16. The K2 has no display outputs, which is consistent with its GRID positioning as a server or virtualization card, while the GTX 560 SE provides 2x DVI and 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a. The GTX 560 SE also has a predecessor and successor recorded (GeForce 400 and GeForce 600 respectively), while the K2 has none.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

Only one benchmark in the database runs both cards: Geekbench OpenCL. The GRID K2 scores 10602, and the GTX 560 SE scores 7171. The delta is 47.8% in favor of the K2. That is a decisive margin, well beyond run-to-run noise and consistent with the underlying hardware differences. To put it in context, the GTX 560 SE's score would need to rise by about 48% just to match the K2, a gap that no driver optimization or clock adjustment could reasonably close given the architectural disparity.

The K2's OpenCL score of 10602 is also far above its own nearest rivals' averages. The GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost averages 8067, the GeForce 945M averages 8099, and the GeForce GTX 880M averages 8040. The K2 beats all of them by more than 30% in this specific test, even though its overall average benchmark score is pulled down by its weaker Metal result. The GTX 560 SE's OpenCL score of 7171 sits much closer to its nearest rivals: the Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580 scores 7170, the GeForce GTX 970 scores 7157, and the AMD Radeon Vega 8 Mobile scores 7203. The GTX 560 SE is essentially tied with those parts on this workload, while the K2 is in a different class.

The K2 also has a Geekbench Metal score of 5557, which the GTX 560 SE has no recorded equivalent for. That test does not factor into the head-to-head comparison, but it contributes to the K2's average benchmark score of 8080. The average of 5557 and 10602 is 8079.5, which rounds to the recorded 8080, confirming that the K2's average is dragged down by its weaker Metal showing. Even so, the average remains about 12.7% above the GTX 560 SE's 7171 average. The head-to-head data is unambiguous: on the shared workload, the GRID K2 wins by a wide margin, and no measured test favors the GTX 560 SE.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear conclusion: the NVIDIA GRID K2 outperforms the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 SE in every recorded benchmark category. Its OpenCL score is 47.8% higher, its average benchmark score is 8080 versus 7171, and its percentile rank is 42 versus 39. The K2 also carries architectural advantages that explain those numbers: more shading units, more texture units, more ROPs, more memory, wider bus, and higher bandwidth. The GTX 560 SE does not win a single recorded test.

Who should pick the GRID K2? Any workload that depends on OpenCL compute, large memory buffers, or high FP32 throughput. The 4 GB frame buffer and 160.0 GB/s bandwidth make it suitable for datasets that would overflow the GTX 560 SE's 1024 MB. The lack of display outputs means it is not a card for a desktop workstation with a monitor attached; it belongs in a server or a system where another GPU handles display. The 225 W TDP and 550 W suggested PSU are higher demands, but the performance headroom justifies them in compute-focused systems.

Who should pick the GTX 560 SE? The recorded data does not show any performance scenario where it beats the K2. Its advantages are practical rather than benchmark-driven: lower power draw at 150 W, a smaller 210 mm card length, a 450 W suggested PSU, and the presence of display outputs. It also has a Vulkan entry missing from its feature set, so it is not future-proof in that regard. For a legacy system that needs a basic GPU with monitor outputs and modest power requirements, the GTX 560 SE is the only one of the two that can physically drive a display. But for raw compute performance, the GRID K2 is the superior part by every measured metric.

The percentile data reinforces the verdict. The K2's nearest rivals all sit in the 8040 to 8099 range, while the GTX 560 SE's nearest rivals sit in the 7157 to 7222 range. That is a consistent tier gap of roughly 12 to 13% in average score. The K2 is not a top-tier card by modern standards, but it is clearly a step above the GTX 560 SE. The recommendation, strictly from the data, is the GRID K2 for compute-oriented use and the GTX 560 SE only for display-capable, low-power legacy systems where the K2's lack of outputs disqualifies it.

FAQ

Q: Which card has the higher OpenCL benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA GRID K2 scores 10602 in Geekbench OpenCL, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 SE scores 7171. The K2 leads by 47.8%.

Q: Does the GTX 560 SE win any benchmark in the comparison?

A: No. The database records one shared test, Geekbench OpenCL, and the GRID K2 wins it. The GTX 560 SE has no recorded wins in this comparison.

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

A: The GRID K2 has 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256 bit bus, while the GTX 560 SE has 1024 MB of GDDR5 on a 192 bit bus. The K2 also has higher bandwidth at 160.0 GB/s versus 91.87 GB/s.

Q: Can either card output video to a display?

A: Only the GTX 560 SE has display outputs: 2x DVI and 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a. The GRID K2 lists no outputs, consistent with its server-oriented GRID positioning.

Q: Which card has better Vulkan support?

A: The GRID K2 reports Vulkan 1.2.175 support. The GTX 560 SE has no Vulkan entry in the database.

Q: How do the two cards compare in power requirements?

A: The GRID K2 has a 225 W TDP and a suggested 550 W power supply. The GTX 560 SE has a 150 W TDP and a suggested 450 W power supply. The K2 uses one 6-pin and one 8-pin connector, while the GTX 560 SE uses two 6-pin connectors.

Specification Differences

| Specification | NVIDIA GRID K2 | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 SE |

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

| 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 |

| Shading units | 1536 | 288 |

| TMUs | 128 | 48 |

| ROPs | 32 | 24 |

| Memory size | 4 GB | 1024 MB |

| Memory bus width | 256 bit | 192 bit |

| Memory bandwidth | 160.0 GB/s | 91.87 GB/s |

| Memory clock | 1250 MHz, 5 Gbps effective | 957 MHz, 3.8 Gbps effective |

| FP32 performance | 2.289 TFLOPS | 847.9 GFLOPS |

| Pixel rate | 23.84 GPixel/s | 8.832 GPixel/s |

| Texture rate | 95.36 GTexel/s | 35.33 GTexel/s |

| TDP | 225 W | 150 W |

| Power connectors | 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin | 2x 6-pin |

| Suggested PSU | 550 W | 450 W |

| Bus interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 2.0 x16 |

| Display outputs | No outputs | 2x DVI, 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a |

| Vulkan | 1.2.175 | None |

| Card length | 267 mm (10.5 inches) | 210 mm (8.3 inches) |

| Release date | 2013-05-10 | 2012-02-19 |

| Launch MSRP | 5,199 USD | None recorded |