NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 SE vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580M Comparison

# Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The GeForce GTX 580M and GeForce GTX 460 SE produce identical results in the only benchmark recorded in the database. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, both cards score exactly 6389 points, yielding a deltaPct of 0. This means the GTX 580M does not pull ahead in any measurable way, nor does the GTX 460 SE. The data shows a perfect tie in raw compute performance as measured by this workload.

The statistical parity extends beyond the direct head-to-head comparison. Both GPUs occupy the same percentile position among all GPUs, sitting at the 37th percentile. This indicates that neither card offers a meaningful performance advantage over the other in the broader landscape of graphics hardware. The average benchmark score for both is also identical at 6389, reinforcing the conclusion that these two products are effectively interchangeable in terms of compute throughput.

When examining the nearest rival data, the same pattern emerges. The GTX 580M lists the GTX 460 SE as its closest competitor with an average score of 6389 and a deltaPct of 0. The GTX 460 SE lists the GTX 580M as its closest competitor with the same score and deltaPct. This reciprocal relationship confirms that the two cards are direct peers in performance, with no advantage in either direction.

The benchmark results do show some interesting context from other rivals. The NVIDIA RTX PRO 5000 72 GB Blackwell scores 6407, which is 0.3% higher than both cards in question. This places the GTX 580M and GTX 460 SE marginally behind a much newer workstation GPU, though the difference is negligible in practical terms. On the other side, the AMD Radeon Pro WX 4100 scores 6330, which is 0.9% lower than both cards, and the AMD Radeon R7 M350 scores 6327, putting it 1% behind. These deltas are small enough to fall within typical run-to-run variation for any GPU benchmark.

The single benchmark result means there are no victories to split between the two cards. The head-to-head data records one win for the GTX 580M, but that win is based on the deltaPct of 0, which technically designates the first-listed card as the winner despite the identical score. The GTX 460 SE records zero wins. In practical terms, this is a draw, not a triumph for either product.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU performs better in Geekbench OpenCL?

A: Neither. Both the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580M and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 SE score exactly 6389 points in the Geekbench OpenCL test, with a deltaPct of 0. The benchmark results indicate identical compute performance.

Q: How do these cards compare to newer GPUs like the RTX PRO 5000?

A: The NVIDIA RTX PRO 5000 72 GB Blackwell scores 6407, which is 0.3% higher than the 6389 score of both the GTX 580M and GTX 460 SE. This places the two older cards very close to the newer workstation GPU in this specific workload.

Q: Are there any GPUs that perform worse than these two cards?

A: Yes. The AMD Radeon Pro WX 4100 scores 6330, which is 0.9% lower, and the AMD Radeon R7 M350 scores 6327, which is 1% lower than the 6389 score shared by the GTX 580M and GTX 460 SE.

Q: What is the percentile ranking of these GPUs?

A: Both the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580M and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 SE sit at the 37th percentile among all GPUs tracked in the database. This means roughly two-thirds of all GPUs perform better, and about one-third perform worse.

Q: Is the GTX 580M a better choice than the GTX 460 SE based on benchmarks?

A: The benchmark data does not support choosing one over the other for performance reasons. Both cards deliver identical scores of 6389 in Geekbench OpenCL, with a deltaPct of 0, so performance is a non-factor in any decision between them.

Q: How does the GTX 580M's single recorded win in head-to-head benchmarks reflect its performance?

A: The GTX 580M is credited with one win in the head-to-head data, but this win is based on a deltaPct of 0, meaning the score is exactly the same as the GTX 460 SE. The win is nominal rather than indicative of any actual performance advantage.

The Verdict

The benchmark data presents an unusual situation where the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580M and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 SE are performance twins. With identical Geekbench OpenCL scores of 6389, identical average benchmark scores, and identical percentile rankings at 37%, there is no performance-based reason to prefer one over the other. Users who prioritize raw compute throughput will find either card equally capable.

The GTX 580M's lone head-to-head win is a statistical artifact of the deltaPct being 0, not evidence of superiority. In real-world usage, the data suggests that neither card will outperform the other in compute-heavy tasks. The choice between them must therefore rest on other factors, such as form factor, power requirements, or connectivity options.

For portable systems, the GTX 580M is the only viable option given its MXM Module slot width and portable-device-dependent display outputs. For desktop builds, the GTX 460 SE's dual-slot design and PCIe 2.0 x16 interface make it a conventional choice. The GTX 460 SE carries a launch MSRP of 160 USD, which may inform purchasing decisions, though the GTX 580M has no listed launch MSRP to compare against.

The GTX 460 SE's higher TDP of 150 W versus the GTX 580M's 100 W means the desktop card requires more power delivery, including 2x 6-pin power connectors and a suggested PSU of 450 W. The GTX 580M, by contrast, uses no power connectors and is designed for laptop or mobile form factors. These are the practical distinctions that matter, since performance is a dead heat.

Specification Differences

The two cards share several core specifications but diverge in memory configuration, compute units, and power characteristics. Both use GDDR5 memory with a 256-bit bus width, but the GTX 580M offers 2 GB of memory while the GTX 460 SE has 1024 MB. Memory clock speeds also differ: the GTX 580M runs at 750 MHz with 3 Gbps effective, while the GTX 460 SE runs at 850 MHz with 3.4 Gbps effective. This results in different bandwidth figures, with the GTX 580M delivering 96.00 GB/s and the GTX 460 SE delivering 108.8 GB/s.

The shading unit count is another differentiator. The GTX 580M has 384 shading units and 64 texture mapping units, while the GTX 460 SE has 288 shading units and 48 TMUs. Both cards have 32 ROPs. These differences translate into higher theoretical rates for the GTX 580M: pixel rate of 9.920 GPixel/s versus 7.800 GPixel/s, and texture rate of 39.68 GTexel/s versus 31.20 GTexel/s. FP32 compute also favors the GTX 580M at 952.3 GFLOPS versus 748.8 GFLOPS.

Power and physical specifications differ substantially. The GTX 580M has a TDP of 100 W, uses an MXM Module slot width, and requires no power connectors. The GTX 460 SE has a TDP of 150 W, uses a dual-slot design, requires 2x 6-pin power connectors, and has a suggested PSU of 450 W. The GTX 460 SE also has a defined length of 210 mm (8.3 inches), while the GTX 580M has no listed dimensions. Bus interfaces differ as well: the GTX 580M uses MXM-B (3.0), while the GTX 460 SE uses PCIe 2.0 x16. Display outputs are portable-device-dependent for the GTX 580M, while the GTX 460 SE offers 2x DVI and 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a.

Architecture Differences

The GTX 580M is built on the GF114 chip using the Fermi 2.0 architecture, while the GTX 460 SE uses the GF104 chip with the original Fermi architecture. Both are fabricated on a 40 nm process at TSMC, and both have identical transistor counts of 1,950 million with a die size of 332 mm². The transistor density is also identical at 5.9M per mm².

The Fermi 2.0 architecture in the GTX 580M represents a refinement of the original Fermi design found in the GTX 460 SE. This architectural revision is part of the GeForce 500M generation, whereas the GTX 460 SE belongs to the GeForce 400 generation. The GTX 580M's predecessor is the GeForce 400M series, and its successor is the GeForce 600M series. The GTX 460 SE's predecessor is the GeForce 200 series, with the GeForce 500 series as its successor.

Both cards support DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6, with no Vulkan support listed for either. The GTX 580M was released on 2011-06-27, while the GTX 460 SE was released earlier on 2010-11-14. Both are now end-of-life products. The architectural differences are modest, with the Fermi 2.0 update in the GTX 580M providing more shading units and TMUs, but the benchmark data shows that these architectural refinements do not translate into higher compute scores in the Geekbench OpenCL workload. The identical transistor count and die size indicate that the GF114 and GF104 chips are closely related, with the GTX 580M's higher unit counts and lower clocks balancing out in actual performance.