Tech enthusiasts recently uncovered one interesting feature lurking underneath a handful of AMD Radeon RX 460 aftermarket models. These select RX 460 models can be unlocked to provide additional TMUs and stream processors. These features were disabled by AMD at the factory.
This new overclocking potential was reported by Overclocking.guide, an online forum dedicated to everything regarding overclocking. According to some forum contributors, who were able to unlock their RX 460 video cards, they were able to push the card's specs beyond its default limits.
The original RX 460 video card has 896 SPUs and 56 TMUs. The unlocked version of the card can have as much as 1,024 SPUs and 64 TMUs. That opens up an additional 128 shaders and eight TMUs, a figure that is significant especially considering the card's price.
Some overclockers and benchmark testers reported that the unlocked Radeon RX 460 could provide up to 12.5 percent in performance gains, although this figure depends entirely on what game the video card is being tested on, according to Digital Trends.
Several overclocking websites and forums have tried unlocking their Radeon RX 460 test units to take advantage of that additional boost. On the other hand, it appears that not all Radeon RX 460 video cards can be unlocked.
According to Tech Spot, only the Sapphire Nitro 4G, and the ASUS Strix O4G models can be unlocked as of this writing. Interested users who want a boost for their video cards can download the required BIOS at the overclocking guide website. It is highly recommended to keep a copy of the original BIOS just in case something untoward happens.
Tech experts have noted that AMD locked the RX 460 video cards for a reason, which is why only those with advanced knowledge about the process are encouraged to test it. Moreover, unlocking the video card may cause the device's warranty to be voided in some cases.