FirePro D500 vs GeForce GTX 560M SLI

FirePro D500

2014Core: 725 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 560M SLI

2011Core: 775 MHz
Similar parts
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FirePro D500 vs GeForce GTX 560M SLI Performance Spectrum

About G3D Mark

G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.

FirePro D500 vs GeForce GTX 560M SLI: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

FirePro D500

2014

Why buy it

  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 4.5 vs 0 G3D/$ ($500 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 2 GB).
  • More future proof: GCN 1.0 (2012−2020) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • 2014 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 174% higher power demand at 274W vs 100W.

GeForce GTX 560M SLI

2011

Why buy it

  • Draws 100W instead of 274W, a 174W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2011 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 4.5 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $500 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce GTX 560M SLI is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 0.1% in PassMark G3D (2,274 vs 2,272), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
FirePro D500 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 4 GB vs 2 GB of VRAM, a 28nm process instead of 40nm, and a newer 2014 generation instead of 2011. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
FirePro D500 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. GeForce GTX 560M SLI still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

FirePro D500 vs GeForce GTX 560M SLI Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

AMD

FirePro D500

The FirePro D500 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 18 2014. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 725 MHz. It has 1536 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 274W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,272 points.

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 560M SLI

The GeForce GTX 560M SLI is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 6 2011. It features the Fermi architecture. The core clock speed is 775 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,274 points.

Graphics Performance

The FirePro D500 scores 2,272 and the GeForce GTX 560M SLI reaches 2,274 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The FirePro D500 is built on GCN 1.0 while the GeForce GTX 560M SLI uses Fermi, both on 28 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 1,536 (FirePro D500) vs 384 (GeForce GTX 560M SLI).

FeatureFirePro D500GeForce GTX 560M SLI
G3D Mark Score
2,272
2,274
Architecture
GCN 1.0
Fermi
Process Node
28 nm
40 nm
Shading Units
1536+300%
384

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 560M SLI gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The FirePro D500 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureFirePro D500GeForce GTX 560M SLI
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
Upscaling support
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
Standard
NVIDIA Reflex
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The FirePro D500 has 4 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 560M SLI carries 2 GB. FirePro D500 gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 64-bit on the FirePro D500 and 128-bit on the GeForce GTX 560M SLI.

FeatureFirePro D500GeForce GTX 560M SLI
VRAM Capacity
4 GB+100%
2 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
64-bit
128-bit+100%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (FirePro D500) vs 12 (11_0) (GeForce GTX 560M SLI). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.0. Maximum simultaneous displays: 6 vs 2.

FeatureFirePro D500GeForce GTX 560M SLI
DirectX
12
12 (11_0)
Vulkan
1.2
1.2
OpenGL
4.6+15%
4.0
Max Displays
6+200%
2
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: VCE 1.0 (FirePro D500) vs PureVideo HD VP4 (GeForce GTX 560M SLI). Decoder: UVD 3.2 vs PureVideo HD VP4. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (FirePro D500) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 ASP (GeForce GTX 560M SLI).

FeatureFirePro D500GeForce GTX 560M SLI
Encoder
VCE 1.0
PureVideo HD VP4
Decoder
UVD 3.2
PureVideo HD VP4
Codecs
H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2
H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 ASP
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The FirePro D500 draws 274W versus the GeForce GTX 560M SLI's 100W — a 93% difference. The GeForce GTX 560M SLI is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (FirePro D500) vs 350W (GeForce GTX 560M SLI). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 1x 6-pin. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 90°C.

FeatureFirePro D500GeForce GTX 560M SLI
TDP
274W
100W-64%
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
PCIe-powered
1x 6-pin
Length
279mm
Slots
2
0-100%
Temp (Load)
75°C-17%
90°C
Perf/Watt
8.3
22.7+173%
💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is FirePro D500 (2014 vs 2011).

FeatureFirePro D500GeForce GTX 560M SLI
MSRP
$500
Codename
Tahiti
N12E-GS
Release
January 18 2014
January 6 2011
Ranking
#484
#632

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