AMD Radeon RX 460 Review | 118 Data compared

The ASUS Radeon RX 460 ROG STRIX is a budget-friendly, entry-level graphics card built around AMD’s 14nm FinFET Polaris 11 silicon. Designed for energy efficiency, it features 896 stream processors and a narrow 128-bit memory interface that yields 112GB/s of memory bandwidth. The ASUS variant differentiates itself from competitors by utilizing a tiny 7.6-inch PCB paired with a custom dual-fan DirectCU II cooler, customizable Aura RGB lighting, and an extra 4-pin fan header controlled directly by GPU temperatures. It is highly flexible out of the box, offering a Gaming Mode (1236MHz) and an automatic OC Mode that safely pushes the boost clock up to 1256MHz. A major pro of this card is its highly efficient design; the Polaris 11 architecture targeting a sub-75 watt TDP makes it cool, very quiet, and easy to run. The physical package is highly generous for a budget MSRP starting at $109, throwing in RGB customization, a 4 phase power array, and bundled premium decals and cable ties. On the downside, the RX 460 possesses less than half the hardware resources of its larger Polaris...

The TechSpot review of the 14nm Polaris 11-based AMD Radeon RX 460 highlights its capability as an entry-level, sub-$150 card providing strong 1080p performance in eSports titles like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Overwatch. Its key advantages lie in high frame rates for competitive gaming, optimized performance for DirectX 12/Vulkan APIs, and suitability for budget-conscious, low-power PC builds. Conversely, the review notes disappointing power efficiency, with the card showing less than a 10% reduction in system power usage compared to older, 2013-era alternatives. Further cons include minimal, unstable overclocking headroom and poor value for 4GB models, which are overshadowed by superior, higher-priced options like the RX 470.

The AMD Radeon RX 460 (Polaris 11) is a budget-friendly graphics card priced at $110, targeting mainstream gamers and power-sensitive applications like thin-and-light notebooks. Built on a 14nm FinFET process, the chip packs 3 billion transistors into a 123 mm² die and features 896 stream processors, 56 texture units, and a 128-bit memory bus providing 112 GB/s of bandwidth. It handles new APIs remarkably well, showing performance advantages in DirectX 12 and Vulkan compared to older Nvidia architectures. Partner designs, such as the Asus Strix model, include premium touches like RGB lighting, physical dual-link DVI-D, HDMI 2.0b, and DisplayPort 1.3 outputs capable of driving 4K at 120 Hz. Pros: Affordable entry point: Launches at a very low MSRP of $110. Modern API performance: Performs well in modern DX12 and Vulkan titles. Low power architecture: Sub-75W board rating designed for high efficiency. Strong display connectivity: Features modern HDMI 2.0b and DisplayPort 1.3/1.4 outputs. Cons: Partner card bloat: Factory-overclocked models unneccessarily add bulky coolers and 6-pin power connectors. Design flaws: The specific Asus Strix cooler has a flimsy plastic shroud and leaves...

The TechPowerUp review of the ASUS Radeon RX 460 STRIX OC 4 GB highlights a budget 14 nm "Polaris 11" card with an effective DirectCU II cooler, featuring dual fans, 0 dB idle, a 6-pin connector, and Aura RGB lighting. Pros include out-of-the-box factory overclocking to 1236 MHz, solid thermal performance, and modern display capabilities like HDMI 2.0b. YouTube · Conversely, the review notes that the 896 stream processors limit performance, rendering the 4 GB VRAM capacity mostly redundant, as the GPU cannot drive settings high enough to utilize it. The $149 price point is deemed poor value due to this limited performance, and the card's overclocked power consumption exceeds 75 W, resulting in poor efficiency compared to competitors.

AMD Radeon RX 460 Review Summary The XFX Radeon RX 460 Core Edition (2GB) is a highly disappointing, entry-level budget graphics card that fails to deliver a competent 1080p gaming experience, making it a definitive false economy for budget-conscious gamers. On the positive side, the card features a modest power draw that utilizes a single-port power connector to help with basic system compatibility, and it launched at an affordable entry point of around £95 to £110 in the UK. However, its severe specifications—including a pitiful 56 texture units, 896 shaders, and a narrow 128-bit memory bus—ultimately bottle-neck real-world application, resulting in a frustratingly unstable driver installation process that can cause catastrophic system hangs. The card’s primary downfall is its abysmal gaming performance across demanding titles, rendering them virtually unplayable unless settings are heavily compromised. In Doom running on the Vulkan API, the 1080p Ultra preset causes crippling lag, and even dropping to Medium settings yields an unplayable frame rate below 20 FPS. Similarly, The Witcher 3 and Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor suffer from jerky, borderline-playable performance at lowered settings, while...

The Trusted Reviews analysis identifies the AMD Radeon RX 460 as an affordable, entry-level graphics card suitable for budget-conscious, 1080p eSports gaming. Key pros include its low purchase price and solid, playable performance in less demanding titles like Overwatch. However, a major con is the card's unexpectedly high 150W TDP, which draws significantly more power than competitors like the Nvidia GTX 1050, undermining its value as an entry-level upgrade. The review concludes that these power inefficiencies make it less appealing than more modern, efficient alternatives.