Shuffling Through The Cards
Awarded for its position as the best bang-for the buck graphics solution in both single-card and SLI configurations, the only question in the minds of hopeful buyers of Nvidia's GeForce GTX 460 1 GB card is: which particular board to buy? Over a dozen manufacturers offer a vast array of clock speeds, accessory packages, and support. So, we asked that question for you.
Nine companies responded with the product they felt offered the strongest argument for their brand, and today we’re going to compare these reference and aftermarket-altered GeForce GTX 460s. Here’s a quick overview of what your $220-$260 can buy:
| General Details: GeForce GTX 460 1 GB Products 1-3 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Row 0 - Cell 0 | Asus ENGTX460 TOP/2DI/1GD5 | ECS Black NBGTX460-1GPI-F | EVGA GTX 460 01G-P3-1373-AR |
| GPU Clock | 775 MHz | 765 MHz | 763 MHz |
| Shader Clock | 1550 MHz | 1530 MHz | 1526 MHz |
| DRAM Rate | GDDR5-4000 | GDDR5-3700 | GDDR5-3800 |
| DVI | Two Dual-Link | Two Dual-Link | Two Dual-Link |
| HDMI | Mini HDMI | Mini HDMI | Mini HDMI |
| DisplayPort | None | None | None |
| VGA | By Adapter | By Adatper | By Adapter |
| Output Adapters | DVI to HDMI, DVI-I to VGA | DVI to HDMI, DVI-I to VGA | Mini to Full HDMI, DVI-I to VGA |
| Length | 9.6" | 8.5" | 8.3" |
| Height | 4.9" | 5.4" | 4.4" |
| Total Thickness | 1.6" | 2.4" | 1.4" |
| Cooler Thickness | 1.4" | 2.2" | 1.3" |
| Weight | 22.0 Ounces | 24.5 Ounces | 20.5 Ounces |
| PCB Version | M5Q-1041P(B) | Nvidia P1041 1.0 | Nvidia P1041 0B |
| VRM | Five Phases | Three Phases | Three Phases |
| Warranty | Three Years | Three Years | Lifetime |
| Added Value | 92 mm Fan CD Wallet | Arctic Cooling Accelero Twin Turbo Pro cooler | Extended Warranty Step-Up Program |
| General Details: GeForce GTX 460 1 GB Products 4-6 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Row 0 - Cell 0 | Gigabyte GTX 460 GV-N460OC-1GI | Jetway GTX 460 "Mystery Card" | MSI N460GTX Cyclone 1GD5/OC |
| GPU Clock | 715 MHz | 900 MHz | 725 MHz |
| Shader Clock | 1430 MHz | 1800 MHz | 1451 MHz |
| DRAM Rate | GDDR5-3600 | GDDR5-3800 | GDDR5-3600 |
| DVI | Two Dual-Link | One Dual-Link | Two Dual-Link |
| HDMI | Mini HDMI | Full HDMI | Mini HDMI |
| DisplayPort | None | None | None |
| VGA | By Adapter | One 15-Pin | By Adapter |
| Output Adapters | Mini to Full HDMI, DVI-I to VGA | None | DVI to HDMI, DVI-I to VGA |
| Length | 8.9" | 8.3" | 8.3" |
| Height | 4.6" | 4.4" | 5.1" |
| Total Thickness | 1.4" | 1.4" | 1.4" |
| Cooler Thickness | 1.3" | 1.3" | 1.3" |
| Weight | 20.0 Ounces | 18.0 Ounces | 18.5 Ounces |
| PCB Version | 3rd-party Reference | Nvidia P672 | 3rd-party Reference |
| VRM | Three Phases | Three Phases | Three Phases |
| Warranty | Three Years | N/A | Three Years |
| Added Value | 2x 92mm Fans $20 "Starcraft 2" Rebate | N/A | Oversized Cooler |
| General Details: GeForce GTX 460 1 GB Products 7-9 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Row 0 - Cell 0 | Palit GTX 460 Sonic Platinum | Sparkle GTX 460 1024 MB GDDR5 | Zotac GTX 460 ZT-40402-10P |
| GPU Clock | 800 MHz | 700 MHz | 675 MHz |
| Shader Clock | 1600 MHz | 1400 MHz | 1350 MHz |
| DRAM Rate | GDDR5-4000 | GDDR5-3600 | GDDR5-3600 |
| DVI | Two Dual-Link | Two Dual-Link | Two Dual-Link |
| HDMI | Full HDMI | Mini HDMI | Full HDMI |
| DisplayPort | None | None | Full-Size |
| VGA | One 15-Pin | By Adapter | By Adapter |
| Output Adapters | None | HDMI Cable DVI-I to VGA | DVI-I to VGA |
| Length | 7.4" | 8.3" | 8.3" |
| Height | 4.4" | 4.4" | 4.4" |
| Total Thickness | 1.5" | 1.4" | 1.5" |
| Cooler Thickness | 1.4" | 1.3" | 1.3" |
| Weight | 16.0 Ounces | 16.5 Ounces | 20.0 Ounces |
| PCB Version | Custom | Nvidia P1041 | Custom |
| VRM | Four Phases | Three Phases | Three Phases |
| Warranty | One Year | Lifetime | Lifetime |
| Added Value | None | 6' Mini to Full HDMI Cable, Extended Warranty | Free "Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands" Extended Warranty |
With the general details for each of today’s cards covered on the first page, let’s see what specifics make each of these cards shine.
