AMD Radeon R7 M460 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The recorded benchmark data separates these two mobile GPUs cleanly. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M wins the only head-to-head test available, the Geekbench OpenCL benchmark, by a substantial margin. Its score of 9745 is 47.4% higher than the AMD Radeon R7 M460's score of 6612. This is not a narrow victory; it is a dominant one that places the GTX 950M in a different performance tier altogether.

The GTX 950M also shows strength in the broader database context. It holds a 42nd percentile rank among all GPUs, while the R7 M460 sits at the 38th percentile. More telling is the average benchmark score: the GTX 950M averages 8135 across its recorded tests, whereas the R7 M460 averages 6612. That difference of 1523 points represents a 23% gap in overall measured performance. The GTX 950M also has two benchmark entries (OpenCL and Vulkan), demonstrating a wider range of tested capabilities, while the R7 M460 only has a single OpenCL result.

The R7 M460 does not win any recorded benchmark category. However, its closest rivals in the database reveal its positioning. The R7 M460 sits within 1.5% of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M, within 0.9% of the Intel UHD Graphics P750, and within 0.5% of the AMD Radeon HD 7730M. This cluster of scores around 6500 to 6700 suggests the R7 M460 is a competent entry-level mobile part, suitable for light gaming and general graphics acceleration, but it is not in the same league as the GTX 950M.

Where each one wins, then, is clear: the GTX 950M wins on raw compute performance and the only direct comparison available. The R7 M460 wins on being a more modern architecture with a higher DirectX feature level, which may matter for specific software compatibility even if raw scores lag.

The Verdict

Choose the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M if you prioritize compute performance above all else. The data shows a 47.4% lead in OpenCL, which is the primary cross-platform compute benchmark. The GTX 950M also has a higher average score (8135 vs 6612) and a higher percentile rank (42nd vs 38th). For tasks like GPU-accelerated rendering, physics simulation, or any workload that leverages OpenCL, the GTX 950M is the clear choice. It also offers double the memory capacity (4 GB vs 2 GB), which matters for larger textures and datasets.

Choose the AMD Radeon R7 M460 if you need a more modern DirectX feature set. The R7 M460 supports DirectX 12 (12_0), while the GTX 950M only supports DirectX 12 (11_0). This means the R7 M460 can run certain modern games and applications that require DirectX 12 feature level 12_0, whereas the GTX 950M cannot. The R7 M460 also has a higher memory clock in terms of effective data rate (4.5 Gbps vs 1800 Mbps), which contributes to its higher memory bandwidth per bus width. However, this advantage is theoretical; the GTX 950M still has a wider 128-bit bus, giving it more total bandwidth (28.80 GB/s vs 36.00 GB/s, though the R7 M460 wins here with a 25% higher bandwidth figure).

For the typical laptop buyer, the GTX 950M is the better overall performer. The R7 M460 is a fallback option for those who specifically need DirectX 12_0 support and are willing to accept a 47.4% compute deficit. If gaming is the primary use case, the GTX 950M's higher raw performance will translate to better frame rates in most titles. The R7 M460's only real advantage is the API support, which is a niche concern.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The single recorded head-to-head test is Geekbench OpenCL. The GTX 950M scores 9745, and the R7 M460 scores 6612. The delta is 47.4%, meaning the GTX 950M is nearly half again as fast. This is the largest margin in the comparison and it is decisive.

To put this in context, the GTX 950M's nearest rivals in the database are the AMD Radeon R9 M360 (avg 8129, delta 0.1%), the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 (avg 8167, delta -0.4%), and the NVIDIA GeForce 945M (avg 8099, delta 0.4%). The GTX 950M's average score of 8135 sits comfortably within this group, meaning it performs like a mid-range desktop-class GPU from a few generations back. The R7 M460, by contrast, has nearest rivals like the AMD Radeon HD 7730M (avg 6581, delta 0.5%), the Intel UHD Graphics P750 (avg 6554, delta 0.9%), and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 1010 (avg 6698, delta -1.3%). Its average of 6612 places it in entry-level territory.

The GTX 950M also has a Vulkan score of 6525, which is not directly compared to the R7 M460 (which lacks a Vulkan benchmark entry). However, this score demonstrates that the GTX 950M has been tested in a modern API and performs reasonably, though its OpenCL score is higher. The R7 M460 has no Vulkan result in the database, so its Vulkan performance is unknown.

The biggest wins each way are: the GTX 950M wins OpenCL by 47.4%, and the R7 M460 wins on DirectX feature level (12_0 vs 11_0) and memory bandwidth (36.00 GB/s vs 28.80 GB/s). The bandwidth win is notable: the R7 M460 achieves 36.00 GB/s with a 64-bit bus and GDDR5 memory, while the GTX 950M achieves 28.80 GB/s with a 128-bit bus and DDR3 memory. The R7 M460 is more efficient per bus bit, but the GTX 950M's wider bus still gives it a different trade-off profile.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in OpenCL compute?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M is significantly faster. It scores 9745 in Geekbench OpenCL, which is 47.4% higher than the AMD Radeon R7 M460's score of 6612.

Q: Does the AMD Radeon R7 M460 have any advantage over the GTX 950M?

A: Yes. The R7 M460 supports DirectX 12 (12_0), while the GTX 950M only supports DirectX 12 (11_0). The R7 M460 also has higher memory bandwidth (36.00 GB/s vs 28.80 GB/s) due to its GDDR5 memory, despite having a narrower 64-bit bus.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The GTX 950M has an average benchmark score of 8135 across its two recorded tests (OpenCL and Vulkan). The R7 M460 has an average score of 6612 from its single OpenCL test. The GTX 950M's average is 23% higher.

Q: Which GPU has more memory?

A: The GTX 950M has 4 GB of DDR3 memory, while the R7 M460 has 2 GB of GDDR5 memory. The GTX 950M has twice the capacity, which is beneficial for larger textures and workloads.

Q: What are the closest performance rivals for each GPU?

A: For the GTX 950M, the nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon R9 M360 (avg 8129, 0.1% delta), the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 (avg 8167, -0.4% delta), and the NVIDIA GeForce 945M (avg 8099, 0.4% delta). For the R7 M460, the nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon HD 7730M (avg 6581, 0.5% delta), the Intel UHD Graphics P750 (avg 6554, 0.9% delta), and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 1010 (avg 6698, -1.3% delta).

Q: Which GPU should I pick for gaming?

A: The GTX 950M is the better choice based on compute performance. Its 47.4% lead in OpenCL and higher average score (8135 vs 6612) indicate stronger raw processing power, which typically translates to better gaming performance. The R7 M460 is only preferable if you specifically need DirectX 12_0 support.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different architectural lineages. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M uses the GM107 chip, built on the Maxwell architecture. It has 1,870 million transistors on a 148 mm² die, fabricated by TSMC on a 28 nm process. The transistor density is 12.6 million transistors per square millimeter.

The AMD Radeon R7 M460 uses the Meso chip, built on the GCN 3.0 architecture. It has 1,550 million transistors on a 125 mm² die, also fabricated by TSMC on a 28 nm process. The transistor density is 12.4 million transistors per square millimeter. Both share the same process node and foundry, but Maxwell and GCN 3.0 are fundamentally different designs. Maxwell is known for its efficiency and high clock speeds, while GCN 3.0 emphasizes compute throughput per shader.

The GTX 950M has 640 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 16 render output units. The R7 M460 has 384 shading units, 24 texture mapping units, and 8 render output units. These counts directly explain the compute gap: the GTX 950M has 67% more shading units, 67% more TMUs, and 100% more ROPs. The pixel rate of the GTX 950M is 17.98 GPixel/s, while the R7 M460's is 8.192 GPixel/s. The texture rates are 44.96 GTexel/s for the GTX 950M and 24.58 GTexel/s for the R7 M460. The FP32 throughput is 1,438.7 GFLOPS for the GTX 950M and 786.4 GFLOPS for the R7 M460. The R7 M460 has a 1:1 FP16 rate of 786.4 GFLOPS, while the GTX 950M has no recorded FP16 capability.

The GTX 950M belongs to the GeForce 900M generation, with a predecessor in the GeForce 800M and a successor in the GeForce 10 Mobile. The R7 M460 belongs to the Gem System (R7 M400) generation, with a predecessor in the Solar System and a successor in the Polaris Mobile. Both are end-of-life products, with the GTX 950M released in March 2015 and the R7 M460 released in May 2016.

Specification Differences

The most obvious specification difference is memory. The GTX 950M has 4 GB of DDR3 on a 128-bit bus, with a bandwidth of 28.80 GB/s. The R7 M460 has 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 64-bit bus, with a bandwidth of 36.00 GB/s. Despite having half the bus width, the R7 M460 achieves 25% higher bandwidth because GDDR5 operates much faster than DDR3. The R7 M460's memory clock is 1125 MHz (4.5 Gbps effective), while the GTX 950M's is 900 MHz (1800 Mbps effective).

Clock speeds also differ. The GTX 950M has a base clock of 993 MHz and a boost clock of 1124 MHz. The R7 M460 has a base clock of 730 MHz and a boost clock of 1024 MHz. The GTX 950M runs higher at both levels, and its boost clock is 100 MHz higher than the R7 M460's boost clock.

The TDP is listed as 75 W for the GTX 950M, while the R7 M460 has no recorded TDP. The GTX 950M is an IGP (integrated graphics processor) with no power connectors and a PCIe 3.0 x8 bus interface. The R7 M460 also uses PCIe 3.0 x8, but its slot width and power connectors are not recorded. The GTX 950M's display outputs are portable-device dependent, while the R7 M460's are not recorded.

API support differs significantly. The GTX 950M supports DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The R7 M460 supports DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The R7 M460 has a higher DirectX feature level, but the GTX 950M has a newer Vulkan version. The production status for both is end-of-life, and neither has a recorded launch MSRP.