GeForce GTX 460M SLI vs Radeon HD 4870

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.

GeForce GTX 460M SLI vs Radeon HD 4870 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

GeForce GTX 460M SLI vs Radeon HD 4870: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

GeForce GTX 460M SLI

2010

Why buy it

✅74.7% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Draws 75W instead of 150W, a 75W reduction.
✅More future proof: Fermi (2010−2014) on 40nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 2 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 4.6 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $299 MSRP).

Radeon HD 4870

2008

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 4.6 vs 0 G3D/$ ($299 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (2 GB vs 512 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 460M SLI across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2008 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌100% higher power demand at 150W vs 75W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce GTX 460M SLI is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 74.7% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 0.5% in PassMark G3D (1,393 vs 1,386), so the answer here is pretty clean.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce GTX 460M SLI is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 40nm process instead of 55nm and a newer 2010 generation instead of 2008. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon HD 4870 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Radeon HD 4870 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce GTX 460M SLI has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 460M SLI vs Radeon HD 4870 Technical Specifications

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

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.

Radeon HD 4870

The Radeon HD 4870 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in June 25 2008. It features the TeraScale architecture. The core clock speed is 750 MHz. It has 800 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 55 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,386 points. Launch price was $299.

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Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 460M SLI scores 1,393 and the Radeon HD 4870 reaches 1,386 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.5% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 460M SLI is built on Fermi while the Radeon HD 4870 uses TeraScale, both on 40 nm vs 55 nm. Shader units: 384 (GeForce GTX 460M SLI) vs 800 (Radeon HD 4870).

Feature	GeForce GTX 460M SLI	Radeon HD 4870
G3D Mark Score	1,393	1,386
Architecture	Fermi	TeraScale
Process Node	40 nm	55 nm
Shading Units	384	800+108%

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 460M SLI gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon HD 4870 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce GTX 460M SLI	Radeon HD 4870
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	AMD Anti-Lag

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 460M SLI has 512 MB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 4870 carries 2 GB. Radeon HD 4870 gives you 300% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the GeForce GTX 460M SLI and 64-bit on the Radeon HD 4870.

Feature	GeForce GTX 460M SLI	Radeon HD 4870
VRAM Capacity	0.5 GB	2 GB+300%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	Unknown
Bus Width	128-bit+100%	64-bit

🎬

Media & Encoding

Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 ASP (GeForce GTX 460M SLI) vs H.264 (Radeon HD 4870).

Feature	GeForce GTX 460M SLI	Radeon HD 4870
Encoder	PureVideo HD VP4	—
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP4	—
Codecs	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 ASP	H.264

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 460M SLI draws 75W versus the Radeon HD 4870's 150W — a 66.7% difference. The GeForce GTX 460M SLI is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 460M SLI) vs 500W (Radeon HD 4870). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 2x 6-pin.

Feature	GeForce GTX 460M SLI	Radeon HD 4870
TDP	75W-50%	150W
Recommended PSU	350W-30%	500W
Power Connector	1x 6-pin	2x 6-pin
Slots	0	—
Temp (Load)	85°C	—
Perf/Watt	18.6+102%	9.2

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Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce GTX 460M SLI (2010 vs 2008).

Feature	GeForce GTX 460M SLI	Radeon HD 4870
MSRP	—	$299
Codename	N11E-GS	RV770
Release	September 3 2010	June 25 2008
Ranking	#696	#784

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