NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 v2 vs NVIDIA GRID K2 Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 v2 and NVIDIA GRID K2 are two very different products from different eras, and the benchmark data reflects that. The GRID K2 is the clear performance winner, delivering a 17.5% higher Geekbench OpenCL score (10,602 vs. 8,743) than the GTX 460 v2. However, the GTX 460 v2 is a consumer desktop card with display outputs, while the GRID K2 is a server-oriented accelerator with no outputs. The verdict from the data is straightforward: the GRID K2 wins on raw compute and memory capacity, but the GTX 460 v2 is the only one of the two that can actually drive a display.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the benchmark results, the NVIDIA GRID K2 is the superior performer. In the head-to-head Geekbench OpenCL test, the GRID K2 scores 10,602 against the GTX 460 v2's 8,743, a decisive 17.5% advantage. This is not a marginal win; it is a substantial lead that places the GRID K2 in a higher performance class. The data shows the GRID K2 also carries significantly more memory (4 GB vs. 1 GB) and a wider memory bus (256-bit vs. 192-bit), which contributes to its 160.0 GB/s bandwidth versus the GTX 460 v2's 96.19 GB/s.

Yet, the choice is not purely about speed. The GTX 460 v2 has display outputs (2x DVI, 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a), while the GRID K2 has "No outputs." For any system that needs to connect to a monitor, the GTX 460 v2 is the only functional option. The GRID K2 is designed for virtualized or server environments where rendering happens off-screen. The GTX 460 v2 also has a lower TDP (160 W vs. 225 W) and requires a less powerful PSU (450 W vs. 550 W), making it easier to integrate into a standard desktop. The verdict: choose the GRID K2 for raw compute and memory-intensive workloads; choose the GTX 460 v2 for any task that requires a physical display output or a simpler power requirement.

Architecture Differences

The two cards are built on fundamentally different architectures and process nodes. The GTX 460 v2 uses the GF114 chip based on the Fermi 2.0 architecture, manufactured on a 40 nm process at TSMC. It packs 1,950 million transistors into a 332 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 5.9M / mm². The GRID K2, in contrast, uses the GK104 chip with the newer Kepler architecture, built on a 28 nm process at the same foundry. This smaller node allows the GRID K2 to fit 3,540 million transistors into a smaller 294 mm² die, achieving a much higher density of 12.0M / mm².

The compute resources differ dramatically. The GTX 460 v2 has 336 shading units, 56 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 24 raster output units (ROPs). The GRID K2 more than quadruples the shading units to 1,536 and doubles the TMUs to 128, while increasing ROPs to 32. This explains the GRID K2's higher pixel rate of 23.84 GPixel/s and texture rate of 95.36 GTexel/s, compared to the GTX 460 v2's 10.91 GPixel/s and 43.62 GTexel/s. The FP32 compute also reflects this: the GRID K2 outputs 2.289 TFLOPS versus the GTX 460 v2's 1,046.3 GFLOPS.

Memory architectures are also distinct. The GTX 460 v2 has 1 GB of GDDR5 on a 192-bit bus, while the GRID K2 has 4 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus. The GRID K2's memory clock is 1250 MHz (5 Gbps effective) versus the GTX 460 v2's 1002 MHz (4 Gbps effective), resulting in 160.0 GB/s bandwidth versus 96.19 GB/s. The GRID K2 also supports PCIe 3.0 x16, while the GTX 460 v2 is limited to PCIe 2.0 x16. Both support DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6, but the GRID K2 additionally supports Vulkan 1.2.175, which the GTX 460 v2 lacks.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark comparison available is Geekbench OpenCL, and it is a clear win for the GRID K2. The GRID K2 scores 10,602, while the GTX 460 v2 scores 8,743. The delta is -17.5% when viewed from the GTX 460 v2's perspective, meaning the GRID K2 is 17.5% faster. This is a substantial margin that aligns with the architectural differences: the GRID K2 has 1,536 shading units versus 336, and 128 TMUs versus 56.

Beyond the head-to-head, the percentile rankings place these cards in similar overall tiers. The GTX 460 v2 has a percentile rank of 44 among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 8,743. The GRID K2 has a percentile rank of 42, with an average benchmark score of 8,080. Notably, the GRID K2's average score is lower than its OpenCL score because it also has a Geekbench Metal score of 5,557, which drags down the average. The GTX 460 v2 only has the OpenCL result. This means in the OpenCL test specifically, the GRID K2 is 17.5% ahead, but in a broader average, the GTX 460 v2 actually edges ahead by about 8.2% (8,743 vs. 8,080) due to the GRID K2's weaker Metal showing.

The nearest rivals data further contextualizes the results. The GTX 460 v2's closest competitor is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile with a score of 8,746 (0% delta), showing the GTX 460 v2 is right on par with that modern mobile chip. It also sits just above the Quadro P2200 (8,686, 0.7% faster) but below the AMD Radeon R9 M265X (8,851, -1.2%) and Radeon Pro WX 5100 (8,863, -1.4%). The GRID K2's rivals are older, with the GTX 650 Ti Boost at 8,067 (0.2% faster) and GTX 650 Ti at 8,053 (0.3% faster); the GRID K2 is slightly behind the GeForce 945M (8,099, -0.2%) and ahead of the GTX 880M (8,040, 0.5%). This suggests the GRID K2 is roughly on par with mid-range desktop GPUs from its generation, despite its server positioning.

FAQ

Q: Which card is faster in the only shared benchmark?

A: The NVIDIA GRID K2 wins Geekbench OpenCL with a score of 10,602 versus the GTX 460 v2's 8,743, a 17.5% advantage.

Q: Can I connect a monitor to either card?

A: Only the GTX 460 v2 has display outputs (2x DVI and 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a). The GRID K2 has no display outputs, so it cannot drive a monitor directly.

Q: How much memory does each card have?

A: The GTX 460 v2 has 1 GB of GDDR5, while the GRID K2 has 4 GB of GDDR5.

Q: Do these cards support the same APIs?

A: Both support DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6. The GRID K2 additionally supports Vulkan 1.2.175, which the GTX 460 v2 does not.

Q: What are the power requirements?

A: The GTX 460 v2 has a TDP of 160 W and requires a 450 W PSU with 2x 6-pin connectors. The GRID K2 has a TDP of 225 W and requires a 550 W PSU with 1x 6-pin and 1x 8-pin connectors.

Q: How do the average benchmark scores compare?

A: The GTX 460 v2 has an average benchmark score of 8,743, while the GRID K2 has an average of 8,080, because the GRID K2's Metal score of 5,557 lowers its average.

Where Each One Wins

The GRID K2 wins decisively in raw compute performance. Its OpenCL score of 10,602 is 17.5% higher than the GTX 460 v2's 8,743. It also has 4 GB of memory versus 1 GB, and a memory bandwidth of 160.0 GB/s versus 96.19 GB/s. This makes it the better choice for compute-heavy tasks like rendering, virtualized workloads, or any application that can leverage its 1,536 shading units and 128 TMUs. The GRID K2 also supports Vulkan, which is absent on the GTX 460 v2, and uses PCIe 3.0 x16 for faster host communication.

The GTX 460 v2 wins in practical desktop usability. It is the only card with display outputs, enabling direct connection to monitors. It has a lower TDP (160 W vs. 225 W), a lower PSU requirement (450 W vs. 550 W), and a smaller physical length (210 mm vs. 267 mm), making it easier to fit in standard cases. Its average benchmark score of 8,743 is actually higher than the GRID K2's average of 8,080, due to the GRID K2's weak Metal result. This suggests that in a mixed workload environment, the GTX 460 v2 holds up well despite its older architecture. The GTX 460 v2 also has a significantly lower launch MSRP of 199 USD, though the GRID K2's launch MSRP is 5,199 USD.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ across nearly every major specification. The GTX 460 v2 uses the GF114 chip on a 40 nm process with 1,950 million transistors and a 332 mm² die; the GRID K2 uses GK104 on a 28 nm process with 3,540 million transistors and a 294 mm² die. Transistor density is 5.9M / mm² versus 12.0M / mm². The GTX 460 v2 has 336 shading units, 56 TMUs, and 24 ROPs; the GRID K2 has 1,536 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. Pixel rate is 10.91 GPixel/s versus 23.84 GPixel/s, and texture rate is 43.62 GTexel/s versus 95.36 GTexel/s. FP32 performance is 1,046.3 GFLOPS versus 2.289 TFLOPS.

Memory differs significantly: 1 GB GDDR5 on a 192-bit bus at 1002 MHz (4 Gbps effective) with 96.19 GB/s bandwidth, versus 4 GB GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus at 1250 MHz (5 Gbps effective) with 160.0 GB/s bandwidth. Power requirements are 160 W with 2x 6-pin connectors and a 450 W PSU, versus 225 W with 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin and a 550 W PSU. Bus interface is PCIe 2.0 x16 versus PCIe 3.0 x16. Display outputs are 2x DVI and 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a on the GTX 460 v2, versus none on the GRID K2. Length is 210 mm (8.3 inches) versus 267 mm (10.5 inches). API support differs only in Vulkan: the GRID K2 supports 1.2.175, while the GTX 460 v2 has none. Release dates are September 2011 for the GTX 460 v2 and May 2013 for the GRID K2.