Close to the Metal Episode 7: AMD pushes entry level gaming with sub-$200 GPUs

By Brad Bourque August 10, 2016

AMD already set the standard for budget PC gaming with the $200 Radeon RX 480. The unassuming card provides smooth framerates at 1440p, even with the settings cranked up.

So it only makes sense that AMD would double down on the budget market with a pair of new cards, the $180 RX 470, and the $109 RX 460.

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At just $20 short of the RX 480, it’s harder for the RX 470 to make space. It isn’t certified VR ready, and there’s a performance dip in synthetic benchmarks that would suggest the higher-end card has a bit more potential waiting to be unlocked. It almost feels like a down-clocked version of the better card, without any advantage besides the $20 bill.

The RX 460, on the other hand, is cut from the same cloth as the massively popular GTX 750 Ti. Available in both 2GB and 4GB variations, the sub-$150 RX 460 uses only 75 Watts, so it can fit in cobbled together or size-conscious systems. Its performance isn’t revolutionary, but it’s perfectly happy to play games like Rocket League, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, or even Overwatch.

Obviously we’re a bit more excited about one of these cards than the other, but for the full scoop you’ll have to tune into this week’s episode of Close to the Metal. This podcast features Brad Bourque and Greg Nibler.

Close to the Metal is a podcast from Digital Trends that focuses on the geekier side of life. It tackles the topics PC enthusiasts argue over in language everyone can understand. Please subscribe, share, and send your questions to podcast@digitaltrends.com. We broadcast the show live on YouTube every Wednesday at 1pm EST/10am PST.

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Former Digital Trends Contributor

Brad Bourque is a native Portlander, devout nerd, and craft beer enthusiast. He studied creative writing at Willamette…

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