AMD Radeon R5 M420 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M and the AMD Radeon R5 M420 represent two distinct eras of mobile graphics, separated by nearly six years of architectural evolution. Benchmark data from Geekbench OpenCL shows the older Fermi-based GTX 460M holding a modest but definitive edge, scoring 4282 against the R5 M420’s 3956, a delta of 8.2%. While both parts are end-of-life products aimed at entry-level laptops, the data reveals that raw compute advantages and memory bandwidth tell a more complex story than simple generational progression.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in the Geekbench OpenCL benchmark?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M wins the single head-to-head benchmark with a score of 4282, compared to the AMD Radeon R5 M420’s 3956, giving the NVIDIA part an 8.2% performance advantage.

Q: How do these GPUs rank against all other graphics cards?

A: The GTX 460M sits at the 25th percentile of all GPUs, while the R5 M420 sits just below at the 23rd percentile, indicating both are entry-level performers with the NVIDIA part ranking slightly higher overall.

Q: What are the closest rivals to each GPU according to benchmark scores?

A: The GTX 460M’s nearest rival is the AMD FirePro W2100 (score 4295, delta -0.3%), while the R5 M420’s closest competitor is the NVIDIA GeForce 830M (score 3957, delta 0%).

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The AMD Radeon R5 M420 has 320 shading units, significantly more than the 192 shading units found on the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M.

Q: What is the memory configuration difference between the two?

A: The GTX 460M uses 1536 MB of GDDR5 memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering 60.00 GB/s bandwidth, whereas the R5 M420 uses 4 GB of DDR3 memory on a 64-bit bus, yielding only 16.00 GB/s.

Q: Which GPU supports the Vulkan API?

A: Only the AMD Radeon R5 M420 supports Vulkan (version 1.2.170); the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M has no Vulkan support listed, though both support DirectX 12 and OpenGL 4.6.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two mobile GPUs is substantial, reflecting their different design philosophies and release timelines. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M is built on the Fermi architecture using the GF106 chip, manufactured on a 40 nm process at TSMC. This older design packs 1,170 million transistors into a large 238 mm² die, resulting in a transistor density of just 4.9M per mm². In contrast, the AMD Radeon R5 M420 employs the GCN 1.0 architecture with the Jet chip, fabricated on a more modern 28 nm process, also at TSMC. The AMD part uses only 690 million transistors on a much smaller 56 mm² die, achieving a higher density of 12.3M per mm².

These architectural choices lead to fundamentally different resource allocations. The Fermi-based GTX 460M relies on fewer but more powerful compute units, featuring 192 shading units, 32 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 24 raster operation units (ROPs). The GCN-based R5 M420 counters with 320 shading units, but reduces the count to 20 TMUs and only 8 ROPs. This means the AMD part has more parallel compute lanes but fewer texture and pixel processing resources. The memory subsystems diverge even further: the GTX 460M utilizes fast GDDR5 memory with a wide 192-bit bus, while the R5 M420 uses slower DDR3 on a narrow 64-bit interface. Clock behavior also differs, with the GTX 460M not listing base or boost clocks while the R5 M420 runs at a 780 MHz base and 850 MHz boost.

The feature set reflects the generational shift. The R5 M420 supports Vulkan 1.2.170, a modern low-overhead API, and lists DirectX 12 (11_1) support, whereas the GTX 460M lists DirectX 12 (11_0) and no Vulkan. The bus interface also differs, with the GTX 460M using PCIe 2.0 x16 and the R5 M420 using the newer PCIe 3.0 x8 standard. The GTX 460M is a discrete MXM module with a 50 W TDP and no power connectors, while the R5 M420 is an IGP (integrated graphics processor) with no listed TDP.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark comparison available is the Geekbench OpenCL test, and the data clearly favors the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M. The GTX 460M scores 4282, while the AMD Radeon R5 M420 scores 3956, resulting in an 8.2% victory for the older NVIDIA part. This outcome is notable given the R5 M420’s newer architecture, higher shading unit count, and larger memory capacity of 4 GB versus 1536 MB. The GTX 460M’s win likely stems from its vastly superior memory bandwidth of 60.00 GB/s, which is nearly four times the R5 M420’s 16.00 GB/s, and its higher pixel rate of 5.400 GPixel/s versus 6.800 GPixel/s for the AMD part — wait, the pixel rate actually favors AMD, but the GTX 460M still wins overall.

Looking at the nearest rival data provides additional context for each GPU’s positioning. The GTX 460M’s score of 4282 places it within 0.3% of the AMD FirePro W2100 (4295) and 0.3% above the AMD Radeon Vega 3 (4268). It also outperforms the NVIDIA Quadro K3000M (4241) by 1%, but trails the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 GDDR6 (4335) by 1.2%. Meanwhile, the R5 M420’s score of 3956 puts it essentially tied with the NVIDIA GeForce 830M (3957, delta 0%), just 0.1% behind the NVIDIA GeForce GT 745M (3953), and 0.2% below the NVIDIA Quadro K2000 (3964), while trailing the AMD Radeon HD 6850 X2 (3977) by 0.5%. This shows that while the GTX 460M competes in a slightly higher bracket, both cards cluster tightly among entry-level solutions.

The deltaPct values reveal that the GTX 460M’s performance is more volatile relative to its rivals, with deltas ranging from -1.2% to +1%, whereas the R5 M420’s rivals all fall within a narrow 0.5% band. This suggests the R5 M420 is more consistently positioned among its peers, while the GTX 460M has a wider spread of competition. The head-to-head result of 8.2% is the largest single delta in the entire dataset, indicating that the GTX 460M’s advantage over the R5 M420 is more significant than any differences between these cards and their respective nearest rivals.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ across nearly every specification category, reflecting their different design targets and eras. The manufacturing process is a clear divider: the GTX 460M uses a 40 nm node, while the R5 M420 uses a 28 nm node, with corresponding differences in transistor count (1,170 million versus 690 million) and die size (238 mm² versus 56 mm²). Transistor density nearly triples on the AMD part at 12.3M per mm² compared to 4.9M per mm².

Clock specifications show that the R5 M420 has defined base and boost clocks of 780 MHz and 850 MHz, while the GTX 460M lists no base or boost values. The memory clocks also differ: the GTX 460M runs at 625 MHz with 2.5 Gbps effective speed, whereas the R5 M420 runs at 1000 MHz with 2 Gbps effective. Memory capacity and type diverge sharply, with the GTX 460M featuring 1536 MB of GDDR5 and the R5 M420 featuring 4 GB of DDR3. The bus width is 192-bit for NVIDIA versus 64-bit for AMD, leading to bandwidth of 60.00 GB/s versus 16.00 GB/s respectively.

Compute resources differ in composition: the GTX 460M has 192 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 24 ROPs, while the R5 M420 has 320 shading units, 20 TMUs, and 8 ROPs. This results in different rates: the GTX 460M achieves 5.400 GPixel/s pixel rate and 21.60 GTexel/s texture rate, while the R5 M420 achieves 6.800 GPixel/s and 17.00 GTexel/s. FP32 performance is close, with the GTX 460M at 518.4 GFLOPS and the R5 M420 slightly higher at 544.0 GFLOPS. The GTX 460M has a 50 W TDP and uses an MXM slot width with no power connectors, while the R5 M420 is an IGP with no TDP listed.

API support shows the R5 M420 with DirectX 12 (11_1) and Vulkan 1.2.170, versus the GTX 460M’s DirectX 12 (11_0) and no Vulkan. Both support OpenGL 4.6. The bus interface is PCIe 2.0 x16 for NVIDIA and PCIe 3.0 x8 for AMD. The release dates are significantly different: the GTX 460M launched on September 2, 2010, while the R5 M420 arrived on May 14, 2016. Their generations also differ, with the GTX 460M belonging to GeForce 400M and the R5 M420 belonging to Gem System (R5 M400). Predecessor and successor naming also diverges, with the GTX 460M following GeForce 300M and preceding GeForce 500M, while the R5 M420 follows Solar System and precedes Polaris Mobile.

The Verdict

The benchmark data is unambiguous: the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M is the faster GPU, winning the only head-to-head test by 8.2% with a score of 4282 versus 3956. This result is counterintuitive given the R5 M420’s newer 28 nm architecture, higher shading unit count of 320 versus 192, and larger 4 GB memory allocation. The GTX 460M compensates for its older Fermi design with superior memory bandwidth — 60.00 GB/s versus 16.00 GB/s — and a wider 192-bit bus versus 64-bit, which likely drives its OpenCL advantage.

However, the choice between these two depends entirely on the use case. The GTX 460M is the better pick for compute workloads where memory bandwidth is critical, as evidenced by its higher benchmark score and closer competition with the AMD FirePro W2100 (4295) and NVIDIA Quadro K3000M (4241). It also offers a higher texture rate of 21.60 GTexel/s, which could benefit certain graphics tasks. The R5 M420, despite losing the benchmark, brings modern API support including Vulkan 1.2.170 and DirectX 12 (11_1), which may provide better compatibility with newer software titles even if raw performance is lower.

For users prioritizing raw OpenCL compute performance, the GTX 460M is the clear winner from the data. Its 8.2% lead over the R5 M420 is more decisive than any delta between either card and its nearest rivals, which all fall within 1.2% of their respective scores. The R5 M420’s advantage lies in its architectural modernity and feature set, but the numbers show it cannot match the GTX 460M’s execution efficiency. The GTX 460M also holds a higher percentile rank at 25% versus 23%, reinforcing its superior standing. Given the data, the GTX 460M is recommended for raw performance, while the R5 M420 serves as a more modern but slower alternative with better API support.