AMD Radeon Vega 8 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon Vega 8 records an average benchmark score of 9221, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 records 7925. The Vega 8 sits at the 45th percentile of all GPUs, compared to the GTX 460 at the 41st percentile.

Q: How do the two compare in the head-to-head OpenCL test?

A: In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the AMD Radeon Vega 8 scores 8822 versus 7925 for the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460, a 11.3% advantage for the AMD part.

Q: What are the nearest rivals to each GPU in the database?

A: The Vega 8's nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon 890M (0.1% ahead), the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 (0.6% ahead), the GTX 465 (0.8% ahead), and the GTX 850M (0.9% ahead). The GTX 460's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Quadro K4100M (0.2% ahead), the Quadro P5000 (1.4% ahead), the GTX 880M (1.4% ahead), and the GTX 650 Ti (1.6% ahead).

Q: What are the power requirements for each card?

A: The AMD Radeon Vega 8 has a TDP of 25 W and requires no power connectors, as it is an integrated graphics processor. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 has a TDP of 160 W, requires two 6-pin power connectors, and lists a suggested power supply of 450 W.

Q: Which GPU supports Vulkan?

A: The AMD Radeon Vega 8 supports Vulkan 1.3, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 has no Vulkan support listed in the database. Both support DirectX 12 and OpenGL 4.6.

Q: What memory configurations do the two GPUs use?

A: The AMD Radeon Vega 8 uses system shared memory, with size, type, bus width, and bandwidth all dependent on the host system. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 has 768 MB of dedicated GDDR5 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing 86.40 GB/s of bandwidth.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Radeon Vega 8 is built on the GCN 5.0 architecture using the Raven chip, manufactured by GlobalFoundries on a 14 nm process. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 uses the Fermi architecture with the GF104 chip, produced by TSMC on a 40 nm process. The process node difference is substantial, with the Vega 8's 14 nm process allowing for a much higher transistor density of 23.5 million transistors per square millimeter, compared to 5.9 million for the GTX 460.

The Vega 8 integrates 4,940 million transistors on a 210 mm² die, while the GTX 460 packs 1,950 million transistors onto a larger 332 mm² die. This reflects the generational gap between the two parts, as the Vega 8 launched in 2018 while the GTX 460 launched in 2010.

The AMD part is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) with system shared memory, meaning its memory performance depends entirely on the host system's RAM. The NVIDIA part is a discrete card with dedicated GDDR5 memory. The Vega 8 has 512 shading units, 32 texture mapping units, and 8 raster output units. The GTX 460 has 336 shading units, 56 texture mapping units, and 24 raster output units.

In terms of feature support, the Vega 8 lists DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3. The GTX 460 lists DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6, with no Vulkan support recorded. The Vega 8 also supports FP16 compute at 2.253 TFLOPS with a 2:1 ratio, while the GTX 460 has no FP16 capability listed.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains one direct head-to-head comparison between these two GPUs, using the Geekbench OpenCL test. The AMD Radeon Vega 8 scores 8822, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 scores 7925. This gives the Vega 8 an 11.3% advantage in raw compute performance.

Looking at the broader benchmark picture, the Vega 8 also has results in Geekbench Metal (10706) and Geekbench Vulkan (8134), tests which the GTX 460 does not appear in. The Metal result is particularly strong, suggesting the Vega 8 handles Apple's compute framework well despite being an integrated part.

The average scores reinforce the OpenCL result. The Vega 8 averages 9221 across its benchmark entries, while the GTX 460 averages 7925. That is a gap of roughly 16% in favor of the AMD integrated solution, a notable outcome given the GTX 460 is a discrete card with dedicated memory.

The percentile rankings tell a similar story. The Vega 8 sits at the 45th percentile of all GPUs in the database, placing it just below the midpoint of the performance distribution. The GTX 460 sits at the 41st percentile. While both are mid-range performers by modern standards, the Vega 8 holds a consistent edge in every recorded metric.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Radeon Vega 8 | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 |

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

| Architecture | GCN 5.0 | Fermi |

| Chip | Raven | GF104 |

| Process node | 14 nm | 40 nm |

| Foundry | GlobalFoundries | TSMC |

| Transistors | 4,940 million | 1,950 million |

| Die size | 210 mm² | 332 mm² |

| Transistor density | 23.5M / mm² | 5.9M / mm² |

| Base clock | 300 MHz | Not listed |

| Boost clock | 1100 MHz | Not listed |

| Memory clock | System Shared | 900 MHz, 3.6 Gbps effective |

| Memory size | System Shared | 768 MB |

| Memory type | System Shared | GDDR5 |

| Memory bus | System Shared | 192 bit |

| Memory bandwidth | System Dependent | 86.40 GB/s |

| Shading units | 512 | 336 |

| TMUs | 32 | 56 |

| ROPs | 8 | 24 |

| Pixel rate | 8.800 GPixel/s | 9.450 GPixel/s |

| Texture rate | 35.20 GTexel/s | 37.80 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 1,126.4 GFLOPS | 907.2 GFLOPS |

| FP16 | 2.253 TFLOPS (2:1) | Not listed |

| TDP | 25 W | 160 W |

| Slot width | IGP | Dual-slot |

| Power connectors | None | 2x 6-pin |

| Suggested PSU | Not listed | 450 W |

| Bus interface | IGP | PCIe 2.0 x16 |

| Display outputs | Motherboard Dependent | 2x DVI, 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a |

| DirectX | 12 (12_1) | 12 (11_0) |

| Vulkan | 1.3 | Not listed |

| Release date | 2018-02-11 | 2010-07-11 |

| Launch MSRP | Not listed | 199 USD |

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon Vega 8 wins on compute throughput. Its FP32 rating of 1,126.4 GFLOPS exceeds the GTX 460's 907.2 GFLOPS by roughly 24%. The Vega 8 also supports FP16 compute, which the GTX 460 lacks entirely, making it the better choice for workloads that can leverage reduced precision arithmetic.

The Vega 8 also wins on efficiency and integration. Its 25 W TDP is dramatically lower than the GTX 460's 160 W, and it requires no power connectors or separate card slot. For compact systems, home theater PCs, or office machines where a discrete GPU is impractical, the Vega 8 is the only realistic option between the two. It also supports Vulkan 1.3, which the GTX 460 does not, giving it access to modern graphics APIs.

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 wins on memory bandwidth and rasterization throughput. Its dedicated 768 MB of GDDR5 memory on a 192-bit bus delivers 86.40 GB/s of bandwidth, whereas the Vega 8 depends entirely on system RAM. The GTX 460 also has higher pixel rate (9.450 GPixel/s versus 8.800 GPixel/s) and texture rate (37.80 GTexel/s versus 35.20 GTexel/s), along with more ROPs (24 versus 8) and more TMUs (56 versus 32). For older games or applications that rely heavily on fill rate rather than raw compute, the GTX 460's dedicated memory and higher rasterization rates give it an edge.

The GTX 460 also offers a discrete card's advantages: its own display outputs (2x DVI and 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a), a PCIe 2.0 x16 interface, and a dual-slot cooler. It does not compete for system memory, which can matter in systems with limited RAM capacity.

The Verdict

The benchmark data clearly favors the AMD Radeon Vega 8 in overall compute performance. It leads the Geekbench OpenCL test by 11.3%, holds a higher average score (9221 versus 7925), and ranks higher in the database's percentile distribution (45th versus 41st). Its FP32 output of 1,126.4 GFLOPS exceeds the GTX 460's 907.2 GFLOPS, and it adds Vulkan 1.3 and FP16 support that the older NVIDIA card lacks.

For builders assembling a new system today, the Vega 8 is the sensible choice if the workload involves modern APIs, compute tasks, or power-sensitive builds. Its 25 W TDP and lack of power connectors make it trivial to integrate into any motherboard with compatible display outputs. The fact that an integrated GPU outperforms a discrete card from 2010 in compute workloads speaks to how far integrated graphics have come.

However, the GTX 460 is not without a case. Its dedicated 768 MB of GDDR5 memory provides 86.40 GB/s of bandwidth, something the Vega 8 cannot match since its memory performance is system dependent. The GTX 460 also offers higher pixel and texture rates, more ROPs and TMUs, and its own display outputs. In scenarios where fill rate matters more than compute, or where the host system has slow or limited RAM, the GTX 460 could still hold its own.

The realistic recommendation depends on the use case. For a modern, low-power, integrated build with access to current graphics APIs, the AMD Radeon Vega 8 is the stronger pick. For a legacy system with a PCIe slot available, or for tasks that benefit from dedicated memory bandwidth and higher rasterization throughput, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 remains a functional option. The data shows the Vega 8 as the faster part overall, but the GTX 460's discrete memory and fill rate advantages mean it is not entirely obsolete.