FirePro M40003 vs GeForce GTX 460M SLI

FirePro M40003

2012Core: 675 MHz
VS
NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 460M SLI

2010Core: 675 MHz

FirePro M40003 vs GeForce GTX 460M SLI Performance Spectrum

About G3D Mark

G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.

FirePro M40003 vs GeForce GTX 460M SLI: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

FirePro M40003

2012

Why buy it

  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 9.1 vs 0 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • 700% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 512 MB).
  • Draws 33W instead of 75W, a 42W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • 2012 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

GeForce GTX 460M SLI

2010

Why buy it

  • Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2010 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 9.1 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
  • 127.3% higher power demand at 75W vs 33W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce GTX 460M SLI is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 2.1% in PassMark G3D (1,393 vs 1,364), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
FirePro M40003 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 4 GB vs 512 MB of VRAM, a 28nm process instead of 40nm, and a newer 2012 generation instead of 2010. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
FirePro M40003 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. GeForce GTX 460M SLI still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

FirePro M40003 vs GeForce GTX 460M SLI Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

AMD

FirePro M40003

The FirePro M40003 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in June 27 2012. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 675 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 33W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,364 points.

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 460M SLI

The GeForce GTX 460M SLI is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 3 2010. It features the Fermi architecture. The core clock speed is 675 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,393 points.

Graphics Performance

The FirePro M40003 scores 1,364 and the GeForce GTX 460M SLI reaches 1,393 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The FirePro M40003 is built on GCN 1.0 while the GeForce GTX 460M SLI uses Fermi, both on 28 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 512 (FirePro M40003) vs 384 (GeForce GTX 460M SLI).

FeatureFirePro M40003GeForce GTX 460M SLI
G3D Mark Score
1,364
1,393+2%
Architecture
GCN 1.0
Fermi
Process Node
28 nm
40 nm
Shading Units
512+33%
384

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 460M SLI gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The FirePro M40003 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureFirePro M40003GeForce GTX 460M SLI
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
Upscaling support
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
Standard
NVIDIA Reflex
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The FirePro M40003 has 4 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 460M SLI carries 512 MB. FirePro M40003 gives you 700% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 64-bit on the FirePro M40003 and 128-bit on the GeForce GTX 460M SLI.

FeatureFirePro M40003GeForce GTX 460M SLI
VRAM Capacity
4 GB+700%
0.5 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
64-bit
128-bit+100%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (FirePro M40003) vs 12 (11_0) (GeForce GTX 460M SLI). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 6 vs 2.

FeatureFirePro M40003GeForce GTX 460M SLI
DirectX
12
12 (11_0)
Vulkan
1.2
1.2
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
6+200%
2
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: VCE 1.0 (FirePro M40003) vs PureVideo HD VP4 (GeForce GTX 460M SLI). Decoder: UVD 4.0 vs PureVideo HD VP4. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 (FirePro M40003) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 ASP (GeForce GTX 460M SLI).

FeatureFirePro M40003GeForce GTX 460M SLI
Encoder
VCE 1.0
PureVideo HD VP4
Decoder
UVD 4.0
PureVideo HD VP4
Codecs
H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4
H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 ASP
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The FirePro M40003 draws 33W versus the GeForce GTX 460M SLI's 75W — a 77.8% difference. The FirePro M40003 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (FirePro M40003) vs 350W (GeForce GTX 460M SLI). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 1x 6-pin. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 85°C.

FeatureFirePro M40003GeForce GTX 460M SLI
TDP
33W-56%
75W
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
PCIe-powered
1x 6-pin
Length
82mm
Height
0mm
Slots
1
0-100%
Temp (Load)
75°C-12%
85°C
Perf/Watt
41.3+122%
18.6
💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is FirePro M40003 (2012 vs 2010).

FeatureFirePro M40003GeForce GTX 460M SLI
MSRP
$150
Codename
Chelsea
N11E-GS
Release
June 27 2012
September 3 2010
Ranking
#752
#696

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