NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 12 GB Comparison

The GeForce RTX 3080 12 GB and the GeForce GTX 460M sit at opposite ends of NVIDIA’s hardware timeline. The RTX 3080 12 GB is a modern Ampere desktop part, while the GTX 460M is a Fermi-era mobile chip from 2010. The database places the RTX 3080 12 GB in the 28th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 4791 in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test. The GTX 460M sits in the 25th percentile, with an average score of 4282 in Geekbench OpenCL. These two scores, despite the massive architectural gap, are closer than the launch dates suggest, but the performance context is entirely different.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only comparable metric in the database is the average benchmark score. The RTX 3080 12 GB scores 4791, while the GTX 460M scores 4282. That is a raw difference of 509 points, which translates to an 11.9% advantage for the RTX 3080 12 GB. In practical terms, this is a modest lead, but it comes with a caveat: the tests are different. The RTX 3080 12 GB runs a DirectX 12 Steel Nomad workload, while the GTX 460M runs an OpenCL benchmark. The database shows no direct head-to-head tests between the two, so this comparison relies on their respective average scores.

Looking at the nearest rivals, the RTX 3080 12 GB is nearly tied with the AMD Radeon R5 M255, which scores 4788, a delta of 0.1%. It also edges out the AMD Radeon R5 M335 by 0.8%, with that card scoring 4752. The RTX 3080 12 GB trails the NVIDIA GeForce 940MX by 1.1% (that card scores 4844) and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M by 1.3% (score 4855). So the RTX 3080 12 GB is effectively in a tight cluster of older or low-end parts, at least in this single database metric.

The GTX 460M, by comparison, is flanked by the AMD FirePro W2100, which scores 4295 and is 0.3% ahead, and the AMD Radeon Vega 3, which scores 4268 and is 0.3% behind. The NVIDIA Quadro K3000M is 1% ahead at 4241, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 GDDR6 is 1.2% behind at 4335. The GTX 460M’s position in this group shows it is not the slowest part in its weight class, but it is far from competitive with any modern enthusiast GPU.

The biggest win for the RTX 3080 12 GB is its 11.9% higher average score. The biggest win for the GTX 460M is its power efficiency and form factor, which are discussed later. In raw compute, the RTX 3080 12 GB delivers 30.64 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, while the GTX 460M delivers 518.4 GFLOPS. That is a 59-fold difference in theoretical floating-point throughput. The pixel rate tells a similar story: 164.2 GPixel/s versus 5.400 GPixel/s, a 30-fold gap. Texture rate is 478.8 GTexel/s against 21.60 GTexel/s, a 22-fold difference. None of these compute figures appear in the benchmark scores, but they explain why the RTX 3080 12 GB is a desktop-class part while the GTX 460M is a legacy mobile chip.

FAQ

Q: Which card has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The RTX 3080 12 GB scores 4791 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, while the GTX 460M scores 4282 in Geekbench OpenCL. The RTX 3080 12 GB leads by 509 points, or 11.9%.

Q: How do these cards compare to their closest rivals in the database?

A: The RTX 3080 12 GB is within 1.3% of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M (4855) and 1.1% of the NVIDIA GeForce 940MX (4844). The GTX 460M is within 1.2% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 GDDR6 (4335) and 0.3% of the AMD Radeon Vega 3 (4268).

Q: What is the memory configuration difference?

A: The RTX 3080 12 GB has 12 GB of GDDR6X on a 384-bit bus, delivering 912.4 GB/s of bandwidth. The GTX 460M has 1536 MB of GDDR5 on a 192-bit bus, delivering 60.00 GB/s. The RTX 3080 12 GB offers 15.2 times the bandwidth.

Q: Which card supports ray tracing and tensor cores?

A: The RTX 3080 12 GB includes 70 RT cores and 280 tensor cores. The GTX 460M has neither, as it predates those hardware features.

Q: What is the power draw of each card?

A: The RTX 3080 12 GB has a TDP of 350 W and requires a 750 W suggested PSU. The GTX 460M has a TDP of 50 W and uses no external power connectors.

Q: Which card has a higher transistor density?

A: The RTX 3080 12 GB packs 28,300 million transistors on a 628 mm² die, for a density of 45.1M per mm². The GTX 460M has 1,170 million transistors on a 238 mm² die, for a density of 4.9M per mm².

Architecture Differences

The RTX 3080 12 GB uses the GA102 chip built on Ampere architecture, fabricated on an 8 nm process at Samsung. It packs 28,300 million transistors into a 628 mm² die. The GTX 460M uses the GF106 chip on Fermi architecture, built on a 40 nm process at TSMC, with 1,170 million transistors on a 238 mm² die. The process node difference is stark: 8 nm versus 40 nm, which explains the transistor density gap of 45.1M per mm² versus 4.9M per mm².

The RTX 3080 12 GB features 8960 shading units, 280 texture mapping units, and 96 raster operation pipelines. It also carries 70 RT cores and 280 tensor cores, enabling hardware-accelerated ray tracing and AI workloads. The GTX 460M has 192 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 24 ROPs, with no RT or tensor core support. These are generations apart in compute capability.

Memory architecture differs fundamentally. The RTX 3080 12 GB runs GDDR6X at 19 Gbps effective, with a 384-bit bus and 912.4 GB/s bandwidth. The GTX 460M runs GDDR5 at 2.5 Gbps effective, with a 192-bit bus and 60.00 GB/s bandwidth. The RTX 3080 12 GB also uses a PCIe 4.0 x16 interface, while the GTX 460M uses PCIe 2.0 x16. API support is another divider: the RTX 3080 12 GB supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The GTX 460M supports DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6, but no Vulkan.

The RTX 3080 12 GB is a dual-slot desktop card measuring 285 mm in length, 112 mm in height, and 40 mm in width. It uses a single 12-pin power connector. The GTX 460M is an MXM module, meaning it is designed for laptops and portable devices, with no specified dimensions or power connectors. Its display outputs are listed as portable device dependent, whereas the RTX 3080 12 GB offers 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a.

Specification Differences

The specification table shows clear divergence. The RTX 3080 12 GB has a base clock of 1260 MHz and a boost clock of 1710 MHz. The GTX 460M has no listed base or boost clock, only a memory clock of 625 MHz (2.5 Gbps effective). The RTX 3080 12 GB’s memory clock is 1188 MHz, translating to 19 Gbps effective.

Memory size: 12 GB versus 1536 MB. Memory type: GDDR6X versus GDDR5. Bus width: 384 bit versus 192 bit. Bandwidth: 912.4 GB/s versus 60.00 GB/s. Shading units: 8960 versus 192. TMUs: 280 versus 32. ROPs: 96 versus 24. RT cores: 70 versus none. Tensor cores: 280 versus none.

Pixel rate: 164.2 GPixel/s versus 5.400 GPixel/s. Texture rate: 478.8 GTexel/s versus 21.60 GTexel/s. FP32 performance: 30.64 TFLOPS versus 518.4 GFLOPS. FP16: the RTX 3080 12 GB hits 30.64 TFLOPS (1:1), while the GTX 460M has no listed FP16 capability.

TDP: 350 W versus 50 W. Slot width: dual-slot versus MXM module. Power connectors: 1x 12-pin versus none. Suggested PSU: 750 W versus null. Bus interface: PCIe 4.0 x16 versus PCIe 2.0 x16. Display outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a versus portable device dependent.

Release dates: the RTX 3080 12 GB launched on 2022-01-10, while the GTX 460M launched on 2010-09-02. The RTX 3080 12 GB has a launch MSRP of 799 USD, while the GTX 460M has no listed MSRP. Both are end-of-life products. The RTX 3080 12 GB’s predecessor is GeForce 20 and its successor is GeForce 40. The GTX 460M’s predecessor is GeForce 300M and its successor is GeForce 500M.

The Verdict

The data points to the RTX 3080 12 GB as the stronger performer in absolute terms, with an 11.9% higher average benchmark score. It also holds overwhelming leads in raw compute, memory bandwidth, and feature support. The GTX 460M, however, is not without its own context: it draws 50 W versus 350 W, fits in an MXM module, and requires no external power. For a portable device from 2010, that was a reasonable design. For modern workloads, the RTX 3080 12 GB is the only viable option, supporting DirectX 12 Ultimate, ray tracing, and tensor operations.

The percentile rankings are close: 28th for the RTX 3080 12 GB, 25th for the GTX 460M. This suggests that in the database’s overall distribution, both are mid-to-low tier. But the RTX 3080 12 GB’s score comes from a demanding DX12 test, while the GTX 460M’s comes from an OpenCL workload. The RTX 3080 12 GB’s nearest rivals are low-end parts like the Radeon R5 M255 and GeForce 940MX, which indicates that its Steel Nomad score is not representative of its actual gaming capability, likely due to the test’s nature. The GTX 460M’s nearest rivals include the RTX 4070 GDDR6, a much newer card, which shows how compressed the low end of benchmark scores can be.

For a builder today, the RTX 3080 12 GB is the clear pick for any desktop workload involving modern APIs, high-resolution textures, or compute tasks. The GTX 460M is obsolete for gaming, lacking Vulkan support, RT cores, and tensor cores. Its 1536 MB memory is insufficient for current titles. The RTX 3080 12 GB’s 12 GB GDDR6X and 912.4 GB/s bandwidth handle large assets easily.

Where Each One Wins

The RTX 3080 12 GB wins in every computational category recorded. FP32 performance is 30.64 TFLOPS, which is 59 times the GTX 460M’s 518.4 GFLOPS. Pixel throughput is 30 times higher, texture throughput is 22 times higher. Memory bandwidth is 15.2 times higher, which matters for 4K textures and heavy shader work. It supports ray tracing and AI acceleration via tensor cores, features absent from the GTX 460M. The RTX 3080 12 GB also has a modern PCIe 4.0 interface and three DisplayPort outputs, making it suitable for multi-monitor setups.

The GTX 460M wins in power consumption and form factor. At 50 W, it uses one-seventh the power of the RTX 3080 12 GB (350 W). It requires no power connectors and no suggested PSU, while the RTX 3080 12 GB demands a 750 W PSU. The GTX 460M is an MXM module, meaning it fits into laptop chassis designed for that standard. The RTX 3080 12 GB is a 285 mm dual-slot card that will not fit in most portable systems. The GTX 460M also has a longer production legacy, launching in 2010, but both are end-of-life.

In terms of raw benchmark score, the RTX 3080 12 GB leads by 11.9%, but that lead is narrow compared to the architectural gulf. The database shows the RTX 3080 12 GB is surrounded by much older or weaker cards in its score range, which suggests the Steel Nomad test does not favor its architecture. The GTX 460M’s OpenCL score places it near the RTX 4070 GDDR6, a card with a far higher price and performance tier, which indicates the OpenCL test is not discriminating either.

For use cases, the RTX 3080 12 GB is for desktop gaming, rendering, and compute. The GTX 460M is for legacy laptop repair or low-power embedded systems. There is no modern workload where the GTX 460M is preferable, except extreme power-constrained scenarios where 50 W is a hard limit and 350 W is impossible. The RTX 3080 12 GB’s 28th percentile is modest, but its feature set and bandwidth make it a functional card for DirectX 12 titles. The GTX 460M’s 25th percentile and lack of Vulkan support make it a museum piece. The choice is obvious: the RTX 3080 12 GB, despite its age, remains a competent desktop GPU, while the GTX 460M is only relevant for its historical value.