Choosing between the RX 460 vs RX 470 can be challenging, especially if you’re building a budget gaming PC or upgrading an older system. Although both graphics cards belong to AMD’s Polaris lineup, they target different performance levels and gaming audiences. The RX 460 was designed as an entry-level GPU for esports and lightweight gaming, while the RX 470 offers significantly more power for demanding AAA titles and high-quality 1080p gaming.
Even years after their original release, these GPUs remain popular in the used market thanks to their affordable prices and dependable performance. However, differences in compute units, memory bandwidth, VRAM capacity, and power consumption create a noticeable performance gap between them. Whether you’re interested in smooth esports gameplay, casual gaming, or maximizing value on a tight budget, understanding these differences is essential. This RX 460 vs RX 470 comparison covers every important aspect to help you determine which graphics card is the smarter.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison Table
Before diving into detailed comparisons, here’s a quick overview of how the RX 460 and RX 470 compare across their most important specifications.
| Feature | AMD Radeon RX 460 | AMD Radeon RX 470 |
| Architecture | Polaris 11 | Polaris 10 |
| Process Node | 14nm FinFET | 14nm FinFET |
| Stream Processors | 896 | 2,048 |
| Compute Units | 14 | 32 |
| Base Clock | 1,090 MHz | 926 MHz |
| Boost Clock | Up to 1,200 MHz | Up to 1,206 MHz |
| VRAM | 2GB / 4GB GDDR5 | 4GB / 8GB GDDR5 |
| Memory Bus | 128-bit | 256-bit |
| Memory Bandwidth | 112 GB/s | 211 GB/s |
| TDP | 75W | 120W |
| PCIe Power Connector | Usually None | 6-Pin |
| Recommended PSU | 400W | 450W |
| DirectX Support | DirectX 12 | DirectX 12 |
| Best Resolution | 1080p Low-Medium | 1080p High-Ultra |
Quick Highlights Table
If you’re looking for the main differences at a glance, this table summarizes the strengths of each GPU.
| Category | Winner | Reason |
| Gaming Performance | RX 470 | Around 50–80% faster in most games |
| VRAM Capacity | RX 470 | Up to 8GB available |
| Memory Bandwidth | RX 470 | Nearly double the bandwidth |
| Power Efficiency | RX 460 | Lower 75W power consumption |
| Small Form Factor PCs | RX 460 | Often doesn’t require external power |
| AAA Gaming | RX 470 | Better high settings at 1080p |
| Esports Titles | RX 470 | Higher FPS and smoother gameplay |
| Budget Office PC | RX 460 | Lower cost and lower power draw |
| Overall Value | RX 470 | Superior long-term performance |
RX 460 vs RX 470 Specifications Explained
Although both graphics cards were launched as part of AMD’s Polaris generation, they serve entirely different purposes.
The RX 460 was introduced as an affordable graphics card targeting casual gamers, HTPC users, and esports enthusiasts. It focuses on delivering respectable 1080p gaming while maintaining very low power consumption. Because many RX 460 models operate entirely from the PCIe slot without requiring an external power connector, they’re ideal for upgrading prebuilt desktops with limited power supplies.
The RX 470, on the other hand, is built using the much larger Polaris 10 GPU. It includes more than twice as many stream processors, significantly higher memory bandwidth, and substantially greater compute performance. These improvements make it far more capable in modern games, allowing players to enjoy higher graphics settings, smoother frame rates, and better longevity.
In terms of raw hardware, the RX 470 is clearly the more powerful graphics card. Its 256-bit memory interface and increased shader count provide a considerable advantage in gaming, content creation, and GPU-intensive workloads.
Gaming Performance Comparison
Gaming performance is where the difference between the RX 460 vs RX 470 becomes most apparent.
The RX 460 performs well in lightweight and competitive games such as Valorant, League of Legends, Dota 2, Rocket League, and Counter-Strike 2. These titles are optimized to run efficiently, allowing the RX 460 to achieve playable frame rates even with medium or high settings.
However, modern AAA games place much heavier demands on graphics hardware. Titles like Cyberpunk 2077, Hogwarts Legacy, Starfield, and Alan Wake 2 require significantly more shader performance and memory bandwidth than the RX 460 can comfortably provide. As a result, users often need to reduce settings to Low while relying on upscaling technologies whenever available.
The RX 470 delivers a much stronger gaming experience. Thanks to its 2,048 stream processors and 256-bit memory bus, it maintains smoother gameplay at medium-to-high settings in many popular games. In numerous benchmarks, it outperforms the RX 460 by approximately 50% to 80%, depending on the title and graphics settings.
For gamers who primarily play modern titles at 1080p, the RX 470 remains the more capable and enjoyable option.
1080p Gaming Performance
At Full HD resolution, both GPUs can still provide playable performance, but their target audiences differ considerably.
The RX 460 is best suited for gamers willing to prioritize frame rates over visual quality. Lowering texture quality, shadows, and post-processing effects helps maintain smoother gameplay in newer releases. Older games from the late 2010s perform particularly well on this GPU.
The RX 470 offers much greater flexibility. Most esports games easily exceed 100 FPS, while many AAA titles remain comfortably playable at medium or even high settings. The additional VRAM available on 8GB variants also reduces texture pop-in and improves performance in memory-intensive games.
If your goal is consistent 60 FPS gameplay at 1080p, the RX 470 is the stronger investment.
Esports Performance
Competitive gamers generally prioritize high frame rates over maximum visual quality.
In games like:
- Counter-Strike 2
- Valorant
- Overwatch 2
- Rainbow Six Siege
- Fortnite (Performance Mode)
- Apex Legends
both graphics cards perform reasonably well.
The RX 460 can often deliver 60–120 FPS depending on the title and settings, making it perfectly adequate for casual esports players.
The RX 470 pushes frame rates much higher, often exceeding 144 FPS in optimized titles when paired with a capable processor. This makes it a better choice for gamers using high-refresh-rate monitors.
Beyond higher average FPS, the RX 470 also provides improved 1% low frame rates, resulting in smoother gameplay during intense action scenes.
Productivity and Content Creation Performance
Although neither GPU was designed specifically for professional workloads, both can accelerate applications that support GPU computing.
Tasks such as:
- Photo editing
- Video playback
- Light video editing
- Streaming
- Multi-monitor productivity
are handled competently by both cards.
However, the RX 470 completes GPU-accelerated workloads much faster due to its significantly higher compute performance. Video rendering, image processing, and hardware-accelerated editing all benefit from the additional shader resources and memory bandwidth.
For users who occasionally edit videos or stream gameplay, the RX 470 provides noticeably better overall responsiveness.
Memory Performance and VRAM
Memory configuration is one of the biggest differences in the RX 460 vs RX 470 comparison. While both GPUs use GDDR5 memory, the RX 470 offers considerably more bandwidth and capacity, which directly impacts gaming performance.
The RX 460 comes in both 2GB and 4GB variants with a 128-bit memory interface. This is sufficient for esports titles and older games but can become a bottleneck in newer AAA releases that require more VRAM for high-resolution textures.
The RX 470, by contrast, features a 256-bit memory bus and is available with 4GB or 8GB of GDDR5 memory. The wider bus nearly doubles the available bandwidth, allowing textures, shaders, and game assets to load much faster.
For gamers planning to play modern titles, the 8GB version of the RX 470 is particularly valuable because many recent games recommend at least 6GB to 8GB of VRAM for medium to high settings at 1080p.
Memory Comparison
| Specification | RX 460 | RX 470 |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| VRAM | 2GB / 4GB | 4GB / 8GB |
| Memory Bus | 128-bit | 256-bit |
| Memory Speed | 7 Gbps | 6.6 Gbps |
| Memory Bandwidth | 112 GB/s | 211 GB/s |
Despite the slightly lower memory speed, the RX 470’s wider memory bus provides nearly twice the bandwidth, giving it a substantial performance advantage.
Architecture and Compute Performance
Although both graphics cards are built on AMD’s Polaris architecture using a 14nm manufacturing process, they use different GPU dies.
The RX 460 utilizes the smaller Polaris 11 chip, designed for entry-level gaming and energy efficiency. Meanwhile, the RX 470 is powered by the much larger Polaris 10 GPU, which includes significantly more processing resources.
Compute Comparison
| Feature | RX 460 | RX 470 |
| GPU Core | Polaris 11 | Polaris 10 |
| Stream Processors | 896 | 2,048 |
| Compute Units | 14 | 32 |
| Texture Units | 56 | 128 |
| Render Output Units | 16 | 32 |
These additional resources enable the RX 470 to process graphics workloads much more efficiently, resulting in higher frame rates, smoother gameplay, and better support for demanding graphical effects.
Power Consumption and Efficiency
Power efficiency is one area where the RX 460 shines.
With a typical board power of just 75W, many RX 460 models do not require an external PCIe power connector. This makes installation incredibly simple, especially for users upgrading OEM systems with lower-wattage power supplies.
The RX 470 consumes approximately 120W, requiring a 6-pin PCIe power connector and a higher-quality power supply. While it draws more electricity, the additional performance per watt remains impressive considering the substantial increase in gaming capability.
Power Comparison
| Category | RX 460 | RX 470 |
| Typical Board Power | 75W | 120W |
| External Power | Usually None | 6-Pin |
| Recommended PSU | 400W | 450W |
| Heat Output | Low | Moderate |
If minimizing electricity usage and heat is your priority, the RX 460 has the advantage. However, the RX 470 delivers significantly more performance for its additional power draw.
Cooling and Noise Levels
Both GPUs are available from manufacturers such as Sapphire, MSI, ASUS, XFX, Gigabyte, and PowerColor, meaning cooling performance varies by model.
Most RX 460 cards feature compact single-fan or dual-fan coolers. Because the GPU consumes very little power, temperatures generally remain low, and fan noise is minimal even during gaming sessions.
The RX 470 produces more heat due to its higher power consumption. Fortunately, most aftermarket models include larger heatsinks and dual-fan cooling systems that maintain safe operating temperatures without becoming excessively loud.
In well-ventilated PC cases:
- RX 460 typically operates around 60–70°C
- RX 470 generally runs between 65–75°C
Premium RX 470 models often include semi-passive cooling, where the fans stop spinning entirely during light workloads.
Display Connectivity
Display outputs vary slightly depending on the manufacturer, but most models include modern connectivity options suitable for today’s monitors.
Common outputs include:
- HDMI 2.0
- DisplayPort 1.4
- Dual-Link DVI-D
Both cards support:
- AMD FreeSync
- Multi-monitor setups
- Hardware video decoding
- 4K video playback
- HDR support (model dependent)
For everyday multimedia use, there is little difference between the two GPUs.
Driver Support and Software Features
AMD continues to provide legacy driver support for Polaris-based graphics cards, ensuring compatibility with Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Both GPUs benefit from AMD software features such as:
- Radeon Anti-Lag
- Radeon Image Sharpening
- Radeon Chill
- Radeon Overlay
- Radeon Enhanced Sync
- AMD FreeSync support
- Custom fan tuning
- Performance monitoring
Since both belong to the same architecture generation, they receive nearly identical software functionality.
Real-World Gaming Experience
Synthetic specifications only tell part of the story. Real-world gaming performance paints a much clearer picture.
With the RX 460, gamers should expect smooth performance in older games and esports titles. It handles classics like GTA V, Skyrim Special Edition, Rainbow Six Siege, and Rocket League comfortably at medium to high settings.
However, modern games often require compromises. Reducing texture quality, shadows, ambient occlusion, and anti-aliasing becomes necessary to maintain playable frame rates.
The RX 470 dramatically improves this experience.
Games launch faster, textures load more smoothly, and frame rates remain far more consistent during demanding scenes. Open-world games benefit especially from the increased VRAM and memory bandwidth, reducing stuttering caused by texture streaming.
For users upgrading from an RX 460, the RX 470 feels like a substantial leap rather than a minor improvement.
Price-to-Performance Analysis
On the used market in 2026, both graphics cards remain affordable, making them attractive options for budget-conscious gamers.
The RX 460 is typically one of the least expensive dedicated gaming GPUs available. It offers excellent value for users who only play esports titles or need a basic graphics upgrade for older systems.
The RX 470 costs more, but the performance increase far outweighs the price difference. In many cases, paying a little extra results in nearly double the gaming capability and a much longer usable lifespan.
When evaluating value rather than just initial cost, the RX 470 is the stronger purchase.
Best Value For Different Users
| User Type | Recommended GPU |
| Office PC Upgrade | RX 460 |
| HTPC Build | RX 460 |
| Budget Gaming PC | RX 470 |
| AAA Gaming | RX 470 |
| Esports Gaming | RX 470 |
| Streaming | RX 470 |
| Content Creation | RX 470 |
| Best Long-Term Investment | RX 470 |
Overall, while the RX 460 remains a capable entry-level graphics card, the RX 470 delivers a significantly better balance of performance, features, and longevity, making it the better value for most gamers.
Key Takeaways
When comparing RX 460 vs RX 470, the performance gap is much larger than their names suggest. While both GPUs belong to AMD’s Polaris family, the RX 470 was designed for mainstream gaming, whereas the RX 460 targets entry-level users and esports enthusiasts.
Key Points
- RX 470 delivers 50–80% better gaming performance in most modern titles.
- RX 470 offers up to 8GB of VRAM, making it more future-proof.
- RX 460 consumes only 75W, making it ideal for systems with limited power supplies.
- RX 470’s 256-bit memory bus provides nearly double the memory bandwidth.
- RX 460 is perfect for casual gamers and older esports titles.
- RX 470 handles AAA games much better at 1080p Medium to High settings.
- Both GPUs support DirectX 12, Vulkan, FreeSync, and AMD Radeon Software features.
- The RX 470 provides significantly better long-term value despite its slightly higher price and power consumption.
Pros & Cons
Choosing between the RX 460 vs RX 470 depends on your gaming needs, budget, and PC hardware. Here’s a quick look at the strengths and weaknesses of each graphics card.
RX 460
Pros
- Low 75W power consumption
- Many models require no external power connector
- Affordable on the used market
- Compact size for small PC builds
- Quiet operation
- Great for esports and older games
- Easy upgrade for OEM desktops
Cons
- Limited gaming performance in modern AAA titles
- 2GB models struggle with newer games
- Narrow 128-bit memory bus
- Lower compute performance
- Less future-proof than the RX 470
RX 470
Pros
- Excellent 1080p gaming performance
- Up to 8GB GDDR5 VRAM
- Much faster than the RX 460
- Wide 256-bit memory interface
- Better for streaming and content creation
- Handles modern games more comfortably
- Outstanding value on the used market
Cons
- Higher 120W power consumption
- Requires a 6-pin PCIe power connector
- Produces more heat than the RX 460
- Slightly higher purchase cost
Buying Recommendations
The right choice in the RX 460 vs RX 470 comparison depends on your intended use.
Buy the RX 460 if:
- You have a very limited budget.
- Your PC power supply lacks a PCIe power connector.
- You mainly play games like Valorant, League of Legends, Dota 2, Minecraft, Rocket League, or CS2.
- You need a low-profile or compact graphics card.
- You want an inexpensive upgrade for an office or prebuilt PC.
Buy the RX 470 if:
- You want the best gaming performance for your money.
- You plan to play modern AAA games at 1080p.
- You stream, edit videos, or multitask.
- You want smoother gameplay and higher graphics settings.
- You prefer a GPU that will remain capable for several more years.
For most gamers, the RX 470 is well worth the extra investment because of its significantly higher performance and better long-term usability.
Final Verdict
The RX 460 vs RX 470 comparison clearly shows that these graphics cards target different types of users.
The RX 460 remains a respectable entry-level GPU thanks to its low power consumption, compact design, and affordability. It continues to perform well in esports games and older titles, making it an excellent option for casual gamers or those upgrading older systems without replacing the power supply.
However, the RX 470 stands out as the superior graphics card in almost every other category. It offers substantially higher gaming performance, a wider memory interface, more VRAM options, and better support for modern games. Whether you’re playing competitive shooters or demanding AAA releases, the RX 470 delivers a noticeably smoother and more enjoyable experience.
If your budget allows and your system can support it, the RX 470 is the overall winner. It provides better value, stronger performance, and greater longevity, making it the smarter choice for most users in 2026.
FAQ Section
Q1: Is the RX 470 much faster than the RX 460?
Ans: Yes. The RX 470 is generally 50–80% faster than the RX 460 in most games thanks to its higher shader count, wider memory bus, and increased memory bandwidth.
Q2: Can the RX 460 still run modern games?
Ans: Yes, but you’ll often need to use Low graphics settings in newer AAA games. It performs much better in esports titles and older releases.
Q3: Which GPU is better for 1080p gaming?
Ans: The RX 470 is the clear winner for 1080p gaming, offering smoother frame rates and support for Medium to High graphics settings in many games.
Q4: Does the RX 460 require external power?
Ans: Most RX 460 models do not require a PCIe power connector, making them ideal for upgrading systems with lower-wattage power supplies.
Q5: Is 4GB VRAM enough in 2026?
Ans: For esports and older games, 4GB is generally sufficient. However, many newer AAA titles benefit from 6GB or 8GB of VRAM, giving the RX 470 8GB models a clear advantage.
Q6: Which graphics card offers better value on the used market?
Ans: The RX 470 offers the best price-to-performance ratio because its significant performance improvement usually justifies the slightly higher cost.
Q7: Which GPU should I buy in 2026?
Ans: If your budget and power supply allow, choose the RX 470. If you need an ultra-budget, low-power graphics card for esports or an older PC, the RX 460 is still a solid option.
Short Conclusion
The RX 460 vs RX 470 battle has a clear winner for most gamers. While the RX 460 remains a capable low-power graphics card for casual gaming and esports, the RX 470 delivers a substantial boost in performance, better memory capacity, and greater longevity. Its ability to handle modern 1080p games with higher settings makes it the better investment for anyone building or upgrading a budget gaming PC. Unless you’re limited by power supply or budget, the RX 470 is the recommended choice for the best overall gaming experience and value.
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