AMD's RX 460 Unlocked - BIOS Update Liberates 8 TMUs, 128 Stream Processors

[Raevenlord]

Overclocking.guide's der8auer has recently posted a story regarding the recently discovered ability to "liberate" AMD's RX 460's shaders - from the Polaris 11 architecture's stock 896 shaders / 56 TMUs to a grand total of 1024 stream processors and 64 TMUs. We did some quick testing and found the mod to be working as promised.

The process is straightforward enough. First, make sure to grab TechPowerUp's own GPU-Z, and save a copy of your original BIOS by clicking the arrow next to the "BIOS Version" field, so you have a fallback in case things go wrong. Then, follow the source link towards overclocking.guide's RX 460 tested BIOSes (currently only for the ASUS STRIX O4G and the Sapphire Nitro 4G), and download the appropriate one. Then run "flash unlocked bios.bat" to flash the BIOS, and in about 15 seconds, the process should be complete, granting you about 10% of extra performance. In our own testing, using the power testing setup we use in graphics cards reviews, we saw a 4 W increase in peak power consumption.





The unlock is currently only tested on 4 GB versions of the RX 460, but considering the only difference stands in the memory amount, no reason should exist for those not to be (eventually) unlocked as well. Due to AMD's newfound interest in verifying modded BIOSes (on Polaris architecture cards) with their latest ReLive driver release, it is hard to say whether or not this might pose a problem for your driver installations in the future. For the time being, and in our own testing, attempting to run AMD's Crimson ReLive netted us a negative response, with the failed hash check leaving us only with the default display driver being loaded. This went away with AMD's previous 16.11.5 driver suite, so take care if you have the Crimson ReLive driver software suite installed on your system.



The fact that this is even possible also begs the question as to why is it so - are the yields not good enough on the RX 460 chips that AMD is being forced to "lock" portions of a higher-end chip? I would wager this isn't likely, since Polaris 11 "Baffin" is such a small chip already that yield issues shouldn't have such effects. Most likely, we'd guess that AMD is re-purposing the mobile versions of the RX 480 (RX 480M, with some now suspicious-looking 1024 stream processors) that haven't passed power requirements for the 35 W those are rated at - but which surely correctly function at the RX 460's "up to 75 W" TDP. That might mean that AMD designed the original "Baffin" with 1024 stream processors for mobile devices, and carved the RX 460 as a way to recycle eventual defective dies that would surface for that particular SKU, not passing certification. But yields being better than expected, and demand for RX 460 cards outweighing the defective chips' output, AMD was forced to soft lock the extra stream processors on the "Baffin" SKU to satisfy demands.



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[Midland Dog]

compare to the GTX 960 coz they have similar core config

 

[TheinsanegamerN]

A 7-8% increase in performance for a 2-3 watt higher TDP seems like a great tradeoff. Wonder why they didnt sell just that as the 460, and the cut down 460 for the mobile chip.

 

[Solaris17]

Not have been with AMd for a bit. Would this happen to be affected by this.

https://www.techpowerup.com/forums/...relive-locks-out-polaris-bios-modders.228536/

On which case isnt this a problem for people that want to run or maybe even need newer drivers?

 

[ShurikN]

Is the unlocked one the same as the one Apple got?

 

[owen10578]

Is the unlocked one the same as the one Apple got?

Yea that's what I thought too. Their Pro 460 is 1024 cores and I thought "it cant be a super locked down Polaris 10 can it?" now it all makes sense.

 

[cdawall]

Is the unlocked one the same as the one Apple got?

Yes, but clocked higher the MBP is only at 900mhz

 

[ShurikN]

Yes, but clocked higher the MBP is only at 900mhz

I've read that the MBP has a lot of issues with heat, especially with an i7, so that might be why.

 

[owen10578]

I've read that the MBP has a lot of issues with heat, especially with an i7, so that might be why.

That's what apple gets for prioritizing thinness and quietness when no one gives a shit.

 

[cdawall]

I've read that the MBP has a lot of issues with heat, especially with an i7, so that might be why.

Oh I'm sure. They all throttle heavy so I'm not surprised

 

[cryohellinc]

Any bios around for gtx 1080 into Titan P?

 

[Ferrum Master]

Ah.. same as in the old good days!!

 

[TheDeeGee]

What's the point if you're still gonna have a console 30 FPS experience?

 

[dj-electric]

Member when GPU overclocking mattered? I member, CGN 1.0 members

 

[Assimilator]

10% free performance is nice, but not particularly useful on a card this slow. Now it's "only" 50% slower than the RX 470 and not 60%.... hardly something to write home about.

 

[Steevo]

10% free performance is nice, but not particularly useful on a card this slow. Now it's "only" 50% slower than the RX 470 and not 60%.... hardly something to write home about.

People playing minecraft and other lightweight games will appreciate it, plus the ability to overclock, plus its free and something to do...... but I guess to you its kinda how I feel about your posts in AMD themed threads...... why, do you have nothing better to do?

 

[wiak]

now we have to start to wonder, do RX 480 really have 2304 gcn coress

 

[prtskg]

10% free performance is nice, but not particularly useful on a card this slow. Now it's "only" 50% slower than the RX 470 and not 60%.... hardly something to write home about.

You should think from the point of view of those who have this card. Extra performance for free will be welcomed by them.

 

[TheinsanegamerN]

now we have to start to wonder, do RX 480 really have 2304 gcn coress

Yes. It was known ahead of launch that the 480 was the full polaris 10 die, and that the 460 was a cut down polaris 11 die. The rumor that the full polaris 10 was a 2560 core part was put down months ago.

 

[owen10578]

Yes. It was known ahead of launch that the 480 was the full polaris 10 die, and that the 460 was a cut down polaris 11 die. The rumor that the full polaris 10 was a 2560 core part was put down months ago.

Never heard that the 460 was a cut down polaris 11...

 

[kruk]

Never heard that the 460 was a cut down polaris 11...

Until the RX460 was officially revealed, everybody thought it was the full Polaris 11 chip with 16 CUs, probably because it was written on the June slides from AMD.

The card also was also really short on the pictures and had a tiny cooler.

Everybody was probably expecting a 2.5 times of HD 7750 power at sub 50 W, but instead we got huge cards with dual fans, some even had additional power connectors, and additionally they weren't meeting the speed expectations.

And now it's revealed that some of these cards might run flawlessly with full power, but instead of releasing them as RX 465 and pushing the price of RX 460 down, they cut them. Really disappointing ...