AMD Radeon RX 460 vs AMD Radeon RX 560X Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark results between the AMD Radeon RX 560X and the AMD Radeon RX 460 are remarkably close, with each card claiming exactly one victory in the two available tests. The data shows a split decision that hinges on which API workload is being examined.

In the Geekbench Vulkan test, the RX 560X edges ahead with a score of 20231 against the RX 460's 20198. The delta here is a razor-thin 0.2%, which places the two cards virtually on par for Vulkan-based workloads. This margin is well within run-to-run variance for most real-world scenarios, meaning users would be hard-pressed to notice any practical difference in Vulkan titles.

The more significant gap appears in the Geekbench OpenCL test, where the RX 460 actually takes the lead. The RX 460 scores 17855, while the RX 560X trails at 17020, producing a deltaPct of -4.7% for the RX 560X. This is the larger of the two performance gaps and runs counter to what one might expect from the newer, higher-clocked part. The RX 460's OpenCL advantage is substantial enough to be measurable in compute-oriented applications that rely on OpenCL acceleration.

Looking at the overall average benchmark scores, the two cards are nearly inseparable. The RX 560X posts an average score of 18626, while the RX 460 averages 18373. That difference amounts to roughly 1.4%, which aligns with the mixed results seen in the individual tests. Both cards sit in the 62nd percentile among all GPUs, confirming that they occupy the same performance tier in the broader market landscape.

When examining the nearest rivals for each card, the competitive positioning becomes clearer. The RX 560X's closest competitors include the AMD Radeon Pro 5700 XT (average score 18685, deltaPct -0.3%), the AMD FirePro D500 (18533, +0.5%), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 (18789, -0.9%), and the NVIDIA Tesla K80 (18866, -1.3%). For the RX 460, the nearest rivals are the Intel Arc A770M (18383, -0.1%), the AMD FirePro D500 (18533, -0.9%), the AMD Radeon Pro 5700 (18189, +1%), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile (18159, +1.2%).

These rival comparisons reveal that both cards slot into a performance window spanning roughly 18159 to 18866 average score points. The RX 560X sits slightly higher in that window, but the RX 460 holds its ground remarkably well given its lower specifications. The data suggests that in the aggregate, the RX 560X is the marginally faster card, but the RX 460's OpenCL showing prevents any clean sweep.

FAQ

Q: Which card wins the Geekbench OpenCL benchmark?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 460 wins the OpenCL test with a score of 17855, while the RX 560X scores 17020, giving the RX 460 a 4.7% advantage in that workload.

Q: How do the two cards compare in the Geekbench Vulkan benchmark?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 560X scores 20231 in Vulkan, edging out the RX 460's 20198 by just 0.2%, making the Vulkan results effectively a tie.

Q: What are the average benchmark scores for each card?

A: The RX 560X has an average benchmark score of 18626, while the RX 460 averages 18373, a difference of about 1.4% in favor of the RX 560X.

Q: Do both cards have the same memory bandwidth?

A: Yes, both the RX 560X and RX 460 feature a 128-bit memory bus with GDDR5 memory running at 1750 MHz, delivering 112.0 GB/s of bandwidth in both cases.

Q: What percentile ranking do these GPUs hold?

A: Both the RX 560X and RX 460 sit in the 62nd percentile among all GPUs, indicating they occupy the same performance tier in the overall market.

Q: Which card has more shading units?

A: The RX 560X has 1024 shading units, compared to 896 on the RX 460, giving the RX 560X a 14.3% advantage in raw shader count.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear but modest verdict: the AMD Radeon RX 560X is the faster card overall, but the margin is slim and the story is complicated by the RX 460's OpenCL win. The RX 560X's average benchmark score of 18626 versus the RX 460's 18373 confirms its position as the more capable part in aggregate. However, the RX 460's 4.7% OpenCL advantage means that users targeting OpenCL-heavy workloads might actually prefer the older card.

For Vulkan-based gaming or rendering, the RX 560X is the safer choice, even if its 0.2% lead in that test is nearly negligible. The RX 560X also brings a higher base clock (1175 MHz vs 1090 MHz), a higher boost clock (1275 MHz vs 1200 MHz), and more shading units (1024 vs 896), texture mapping units (64 vs 56), and higher theoretical fill rates. Those specification advantages translate into the slightly better average score.

The RX 460, despite being the older product from the Arctic Islands generation, holds up admirably. Its OpenCL score of 17855 is genuinely competitive, and its overall average of 18373 puts it within striking distance of the RX 560X. For budget-conscious builds where OpenCL compute matters more than peak gaming performance, the RX 460's results justify consideration.

Both cards are end-of-life products with identical power requirements (75 W TDP, no power connectors, 250 W suggested PSU) and identical dimensions (170 mm length). Neither card offers a clear value proposition over the other in terms of features, so the decision comes down to the benchmark split. The RX 560X takes the overall crown by a narrow margin, but the RX 460 is not a card to dismiss outright.

Specification Differences

The RX 560X and RX 460 share several core specifications but diverge in computational resources and clock speeds. Both use the same 128-bit memory bus, 112.0 GB/s bandwidth, and 4 GB vs 2 GB memory configurations respectively. The RX 560X comes with 4 GB of GDDR5, while the RX 460 ships with 2 GB.

Clock speeds differ notably: the RX 560X has a base clock of 1175 MHz and a boost clock of 1275 MHz, while the RX 460 runs at 1090 MHz base and 1200 MHz boost. This equates to a 7.8% higher base clock and a 6.25% higher boost clock for the RX 560X.

The shading unit count is 1024 on the RX 560X versus 896 on the RX 460, a difference of 128 units. Texture mapping units are 64 on the RX 560X against 56 on the RX 460. Raster operations units (ROPs) are identical at 16 on both cards.

Pixel rate is 20.40 GPixel/s for the RX 560X and 19.20 GPixel/s for the RX 460. Texture rate stands at 81.60 GTexel/s for the RX 560X and 67.20 GTexel/s for the RX 460. FP32 performance is 2.611 TFLOPS on the RX 560X and 2.150 TFLOPS on the RX 460, with FP16 performance matching the FP32 figures at a 1:1 ratio on both.

The RX 560X is built on the Polaris 21 chip, while the RX 460 uses the Baffin chip. Both use the same 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries, with identical transistor counts of 3,000 million and die sizes of 123 mm². Transistor density is 24.4M per mm² for both. The RX 560X belongs to the Polaris (RX 500X) generation, while the RX 460 is from the Arctic Islands (RX 400) generation. Release dates differ, with the RX 460 launching in August 2016 and the RX 560X in April 2018.

Architecture Differences

Both GPUs are built on GCN 4.0 architecture, sharing the same fundamental design principles. The RX 560X uses the Polaris 21 chip, while the RX 460 uses the Baffin chip, but both are manufactured on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries with 3,000 million transistors on a 123 mm² die.

The GCN 4.0 architecture delivers identical API support across both cards: DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3. Neither card features ray tracing cores or tensor cores, which is consistent with their GCN-based design and end-of-life status.

Memory architecture is the same on both: GDDR5 type with a 128-bit bus and 112.0 GB/s bandwidth. The RX 560X doubles the memory capacity to 4 GB, while the RX 460 is limited to 2 GB. This memory capacity difference is the most impactful architectural divergence, as it affects texture loading and frame buffering in high-resolution gaming.

The RX 560X scales up the compute resources by adding 128 shading units, 8 texture mapping units, and keeping ROPs at 16. This results in higher pixel and texture rates, as well as higher FP32 and FP16 throughput. The RX 560X's FP32 of 2.611 TFLOPS is 21.4% higher than the RX 460's 2.150 TFLOPS, which directly reflects the increased shader count and higher clocks.

Both cards have identical power characteristics: 75 W TDP, no power connectors, dual-slot cooling, and a 250 W suggested PSU. The PCIe interface is PCIe 3.0 x8 on both, and display outputs are identical with 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0b, and 1x DisplayPort 1.4a. Dimensions match at 170 mm length (6.7 inches) for both cards.

The RX 460's predecessor is Pirate Islands, and its successor is Polaris. The RX 560X's predecessor is Polaris, and its successor is Vega. This generational placement explains the RX 560X's higher clock speeds and expanded memory, even though the core architecture remains unchanged.

Where Each One Wins

The RX 560X wins in the aggregate and in Vulkan-based workloads. Its 0.2% Vulkan advantage, combined with a 1.4% higher average score, makes it the default recommendation for gaming scenarios that leverage Vulkan. The higher shading unit count (1024 vs 896), higher clocks (1175/1275 MHz vs 1090/1200 MHz), and double the memory capacity (4 GB vs 2 GB) position it better for modern titles with larger texture sets and higher resolution demands.

The RX 460 wins decisively in OpenCL compute workloads. Its 17855 OpenCL score against the RX 560X's 17020 represents a 4.7% advantage, which is the largest performance gap in either direction. For applications that rely heavily on OpenCL—such as certain video encoding, machine learning inference, or scientific computing tasks—the RX 460 is the better performer despite its lower specifications elsewhere.

In terms of memory capacity, the RX 560X has a clear edge with 4 GB versus 2 GB. This matters for gaming at higher resolutions or with texture-heavy mods, where 2 GB can become a limiting factor. The RX 460's 2 GB frame buffer is adequate for 1080p gaming at moderate settings but will struggle in more demanding scenarios.

The RX 560X also wins on raw compute throughput, offering 2.611 TFLOPS FP32 versus 2.150 TFLOPS on the RX 460, along with higher pixel and texture rates. These advantages make the RX 560X the better choice for tasks that scale with shader count and clock speed, such as rasterization-heavy rendering or general GPGPU workloads that don't specifically rely on OpenCL.

For users who prioritize Vulkan gaming and want the safety margin of extra memory, the RX 560X is the clear pick. For users whose primary workloads are OpenCL-based or who are constrained by power and want comparable performance at a lower specification point, the RX 460's benchmark results make it a legitimate alternative. The data shows a 1-1 split in head-to-head tests, so the choice ultimately depends on which API and which workloads matter most to the user.