NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 SE vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M Comparison

# Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The single available head-to-head benchmark — Geekbench OpenCL — delivers a decisive verdict in favor of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M. The 770M scores 8,552 points compared to the GTX 460 SE's 6,389 points, a delta of -25.3% from the perspective of the older card. This means the 770M outperforms the 460 SE by roughly a third in raw compute throughput as measured by OpenCL. That is not a marginal gap; it is a generational leap made visible in a single metric.

Looking at the broader benchmark context, the GTX 460 SE's average benchmark score is 6,389, placing it in the 37th percentile of all GPUs. The GTX 770M's average score is 6,000, which puts it in the 35th percentile. This is a curious inversion: the 770M wins the head-to-head OpenCL test decisively, yet its average benchmark score across all tests is actually lower than the 460 SE's average. The explanation lies in the benchmark suites themselves — the 460 SE has only a single OpenCL result contributing to its average, while the 770M also carries a Geekbench Metal score of 3,448, which drags down its composite average. The OpenCL test is the only apples-to-apples comparison available, and it favors the 770M by a wide margin.

The nearest rival data reinforces the 460 SE's position. The GTX 460 SE sits exactly level with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580M at 6,389 points (0% delta), while the NVIDIA RTX PRO 5000 72 GB Blackwell is only 0.3% ahead at 6,407 points. The AMD Radeon Pro WX 4100 trails by 0.9%, and the AMD Radeon R7 M350 is 1% behind. For the GTX 770M, the nearest rivals cluster tightly: the AMD Radeon RX 6400 matches it at 6,001 points (0% delta), the NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell Server is 0.1% behind at 5,996, the AMD FirePro W4100 is 0.2% behind at 5,987, and the NVIDIA Quadro K4000M is also 0.2% behind at 5,986. These tight clusters suggest both cards are positioned in a crowded mid-range performance band, but the 770M's OpenCL advantage over the 460 SE is anything but tight.

# Where Each One Wins

The GTX 770M wins the only head-to-head benchmark available, and it wins decisively. In OpenCL compute workloads, the 770M's 8,552 score versus the 460 SE's 6,389 represents a 25.3% advantage. This is the kind of margin that translates into real-world differences in GPU-accelerated tasks such as video encoding, physics simulations, and general-purpose compute. The 770M's architecture is simply more efficient at converting its resources into raw throughput.

The GTX 460 SE, despite losing the head-to-head, shows resilience in its average benchmark score. Its 6,389 average is 6.1% higher than the 770M's 6,000 average, driven by the fact that the 460 SE's only benchmark is its strong OpenCL result, while the 770M's Metal score of 3,448 pulls its composite down. If the comparison were restricted to OpenCL alone, the 770M wins outright. But if one looks at the aggregate across different API workloads, the 460 SE's single data point holds up better in percentile rankings (37th vs. 35th).

For use-case segmentation, the data suggests the 770M is the better choice for compute-heavy applications that leverage OpenCL. The 460 SE, meanwhile, offers no demonstrated advantage in any specific workload category — it simply has a higher average because its benchmark portfolio is narrower. The 770M's additional Metal benchmark result indicates it was tested in Apple ecosystem contexts, where the 460 SE has no corresponding data. This makes the 770M the more versatile card across API ecosystems, even if its average score suffers from the lower Metal result.

# Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two GPUs is substantial and explains the performance delta. The GTX 460 SE is built on the GF104 chip using the Fermi architecture, fabricated on TSMC's 40 nm process. It packs 1,950 million transistors into a 332 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 5.9 million per square millimeter. The GTX 770M, by contrast, uses the GK106 chip with the Kepler architecture on a 28 nm process. It contains 2,540 million transistors in a smaller 221 mm² die, achieving 11.5 million transistors per square millimeter — nearly double the density of the Fermi part.

This density advantage translates directly into raw computing resources. The 770M fields 960 shading units, 80 texture mapping units, and 24 ROPs. The 460 SE, meanwhile, has 288 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. The 770M has more than three times the shader count and nearly 67% more TMUs, though the 460 SE retains more ROPs. These resource differences manifest in the compute numbers: the 770M delivers 1.530 TFLOPS of FP32 performance versus the 460 SE's 748.8 GFLOPS — more than double the floating-point throughput. Pixel rate favors the 770M at 15.94 GPixel/s versus 7.800 GPixel/s, and texture rate is similarly lopsided at 63.76 GTexel/s versus 31.20 GTexel/s.

The memory architectures also diverge. The 460 SE uses a 256-bit memory bus with 1,024 MB of GDDR5, achieving 108.8 GB/s of bandwidth. The 770M uses a narrower 192-bit bus but compensates with 3 GB of GDDR5, though its bandwidth is lower at 96.19 GB/s. The 770M's larger frame buffer is a clear advantage for modern workloads with high VRAM demands. Both cards support DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6, but the 770M adds Vulkan 1.2.175 support while the 460 SE has no Vulkan capability listed. This gives the 770M access to a modern low-overhead graphics API that the 460 SE simply cannot use.

# Specification Differences

The specifications where these two cards differ are extensive. Process node: 40 nm for the 460 SE versus 28 nm for the 770M. Transistors: 1,950 million versus 2,540 million. Die size: 332 mm² versus 221 mm². Transistor density: 5.9M per mm² versus 11.5M per mm². The 770M has a base clock of 706 MHz and a boost clock of 797 MHz, while the 460 SE lists no base or boost clocks — only a memory clock of 850 MHz (3.4 Gbps effective). The 770M's memory runs at 1002 MHz (4 Gbps effective).

Memory capacity differs dramatically: 1,024 MB on the 460 SE versus 3 GB on the 770M. Bus width is 256-bit versus 192-bit. Bandwidth is 108.8 GB/s versus 96.19 GB/s. Shading units: 288 versus 960. TMUs: 48 versus 80. ROPs: 32 versus 24. Pixel rate: 7.800 GPixel/s versus 15.94 GPixel/s. Texture rate: 31.20 GTexel/s versus 63.76 GTexel/s. FP32: 748.8 GFLOPS versus 1.530 TFLOPS.

Power characteristics are also distinct. The 460 SE has a 150 W TDP, requires dual-slot cooling, needs 2x 6-pin power connectors, and suggests a 450 W power supply. The 770M is far more efficient at 75 W TDP, uses an MXM module form factor, requires no power connectors, and lists no PSU suggestion. The 460 SE uses PCIe 2.0 x16, while the 770M uses MXM-B (3.0). Display outputs: the 460 SE offers 2x DVI and 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a, while the 770M's outputs are listed as "Portable Device Dependent." Release dates: the 460 SE launched on 2010-11-14 with a launch MSRP of 160 USD; the 770M launched on 2013-05-29 with no MSRP listed.

# FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in OpenCL compute benchmarks?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M scores 8,552 in Geekbench OpenCL, which is 25.3% higher than the GTX 460 SE's score of 6,389. This is the only head-to-head benchmark available, and the 770M wins it outright.

Q: Why does the GTX 460 SE have a higher average benchmark score than the GTX 770M?

A: The 460 SE's average benchmark score is 6,389, derived from a single OpenCL result. The 770M's average is 6,000, which includes both an OpenCL score of 8,552 and a Geekbench Metal score of 3,448. The lower Metal score pulls the 770M's average down despite its strong OpenCL showing.

Q: How do the memory capacities compare?

A: The GTX 770M has 3 GB of GDDR5 memory, while the GTX 460 SE has 1,024 MB (1 GB) of GDDR5. The 770M's larger frame buffer is a significant advantage for texture-heavy workloads and modern games.

Q: Which GPU has better power efficiency?

A: The GTX 770M has a TDP of 75 W, exactly half of the GTX 460 SE's 150 W TDP. The 770M also requires no power connectors and uses an MXM module form factor, while the 460 SE needs 2x 6-pin connectors and a 450 W PSU.

Q: Do both GPUs support modern graphics APIs?

A: Both support DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6. However, the GTX 770M adds Vulkan 1.2.175 support, while the GTX 460 SE has no Vulkan support listed.

Q: What are the nearest rivals for each card?

A: The GTX 460 SE's closest competitor is the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580M at a 0% delta (both score 6,389). The GTX 770M's nearest rival is the AMD Radeon RX 6400 at 6,001 points, also a 0% delta.

# The Verdict

The data points to a clear choice for most users: the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M. It wins the only head-to-head benchmark by a 25.3% margin, offers triple the memory capacity, more than triple the shading units, double the FP32 throughput, and does all of this at half the power draw of the GTX 460 SE. The 770M's 75 W TDP versus 150 W, its lack of external power connectors, and its MXM form factor make it the obviously superior mobile solution. The 460 SE's only statistical advantage — a higher average benchmark score — is a product of having fewer benchmark data points, not of actual performance superiority.

The GTX 460 SE retains a niche appeal for those who value its 256-bit memory bus (108.8 GB/s versus 96.19 GB/s) and its higher ROP count (32 versus 24). These characteristics could theoretically benefit certain pixel-heavy workloads, though no benchmark data confirms such an advantage. Its 160 USD launch MSRP was competitive for its era, but the card is end-of-life with no Vulkan support and a 40 nm process that is two generations behind.

For anyone choosing between these two for a compute-focused workload, the 770M is the data-backed pick. For legacy system builders seeking a Fermi-era card with a specific power connector and slot profile, the 460 SE exists as an option, but the benchmark results do not support choosing it over the 770M on performance grounds. The 770M's higher percentile ranking in the head-to-head, its modern API support, and its superior efficiency metrics make it the rational choice from every angle the data covers.