new vid card for WoW

[mevanvt]

I was looking into getting a new vid card so that I can play WoW at 1920x1200, native resolution on my 2405FPW. I have a Pentium D 820 w/ 1 gig of ram and an x300. I don't have the game now but I know it won't get close to playing at native on the monitor. What card can I get that is under $200 that will play WoW at or near native. I don't need to have all of the detail turned up but i'd like to get as nice of a image as I can for under $200. Can this be done?

Edit: I have a dimension 9100 so I think i have to use a single slot card but i'll have to check after work to see. The x850xt listed below is a double so i'm not sure if it will fit.

Thanks.

 

[Wreckage]

7600GT - $149

 

[Sonikku]

^ That's only after an annoying mail in rebate. You should mention the price he actually pays is $169. Still a good card.

X850XT: $159
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102688
The XT will provide slightly better performance then the GT in WoW and will cost you ten bucks less.

I run WoW with max settings (save for half draw distance) on a 9600XT with 30fps at 1280x800. The X850XT is about 4 times the performance at the 9600 and you run just fine at 1920x1200.

 

[mevanvt]

What settings would I be able to run it on with either of these cards? I've heard that nvidia cards are better suited for WoW but that is just random chatter i've read not anything official.

 

[imported_killuminati]

for a littel more get the X1800XT :
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102698

and for a Single Slot solution get the X1800XL : ( much better then X1800GTO )
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814125211

Peace & ciao !!!

 

[adams828]

Originally posted by: killuminati
for a littel more get the X1800XT :
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102698

and for a Single Slot solution get the X1800XL : ( much better then X1800GTO )
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814125211

Peace & ciao !!!

Okay, if the X1800XT is $219, and the 7600GT is $149, that's almost a 50% increase. Personally, that's not just "a little more" IMHO.

 

[mevanvt]

Originally posted by: adams828

Originally posted by: killuminati
for a littel more get the X1800XT :
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102698

and for a Single Slot solution get the X1800XL : ( much better then X1800GTO )
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814125211

Peace & ciao !!!

Okay, if the X1800XT is $219, and the 7600GT is $149, that's almost a 50% increase. Personally, that's not just "a little more" IMHO.

Yeah, I'm looking for more in the 150 dollar range if possible. I'm not a heavy gamer so all I want is to be able to play WoW at native, hopefully with the settings turned up. Would I be able to play with them turned up w/ the 7600GT or would I need something bigger.

 

[Sonikku]

Originally posted by: mevanvt
What settings would I be able to run it on with either of these cards? I've heard that nvidia cards are better suited for WoW but that is just random chatter i've read not anything official.

That, is a bunch of BS. "Nvidia. The way it's meant to be played." as it says in the video options of WoW. That's typical marketing.

If anything, the shimmering is more obvious on Nvidia cards where as ATI has superior IQ. In any case, AAtech found little difference in picture quality between the two brands.
http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=2381&p=1

 

[Bartokomus]

as an FYI OP, WoW is incredibly undemanding. As for Nvidia or ATI both are fine solutions; my friends play on 9800xt's and 6600gt's with max details and no problems.

 

[Dkcode]

I have heard that a X1800XT handles WoW beautifully at 1920 x 1200. The 7600GT has similar performance to that of a X800XL so dont bank of gaming at those resolutions with it.

If you want to game with a 24" LCD you cant skimp on the video card.

 

[mevanvt]

Originally posted by: Dkcode
I have heard that a X1800XT handles WoW beautifully at 1920 x 1200. The 7600GT has similar performance to that of a X800XL so dont bank of gaming at those resolutions with it.

If you want to game with a 24" LCD you cant skimp on the video card.

Bare minimum, what do you think I need to max out the detail? I can use that as a starting point and work down from there. W/ the 7600GT would I come pretty close?

If anything, the shimmering is more obvious on Nvidia cards where as ATI has superior IQ. In any case, AAtech found little difference in picture quality between the two brands.
http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=2381&p=1

Thanks for that link. I had been looking for it but couldn't remember where I had seen it.

 

[nitromullet]

Originally posted by: Dkcode
I have heard that a X1800XT handles WoW beautifully at 1920 x 1200. The 7600GT has similar performance to that of a X800XL so dont bank of gaming at those resolutions with it.

If you want to game with a 24" LCD you cant skimp on the video card.

I'm sure that the X1800XT would do the trick. I played WoW at a 1680x1050 with 4xAA/16xAF on an X1800XT 512MB, and it had no issues whatsoever. I'm sure it could handle 1920x1200. I agree with you about not skimping on the video card, a 24" LCD demands a decent video card.

 

[Dkcode]

For the OP (Sorry but im crap with the quotes)
The 7600GT only has 256MB of video ram and this might be a concern especially at 1920 x 1200 with AA & AF. I would compare the 7600GT to a X800XL and try to find some benchmarks of WoWs performance on that card and work it from there. I dont play WoW myself so i cant really say how it demanding it feels, but as other users here have posted it seems to run well on mid range hardware.

My guess is, and this is only a guess; In WoW the GT may be playable at the 24"'s native res, but you would be pushing it. It also depends on what frame rates you can live with. If your a hardcore WoW player i would set your sights on the X1800XT 512 for the smoothest experience but even then, games like oblivion would push the XT over the edge.

 

[Sonikku]

Originally posted by: nitromullet

Originally posted by: Dkcode
I have heard that a X1800XT handles WoW beautifully at 1920 x 1200. The 7600GT has similar performance to that of a X800XL so dont bank of gaming at those resolutions with it.

If you want to game with a 24" LCD you cant skimp on the video card.

I'm sure that the X1800XT would do the trick. I played WoW at a 1680x1050 with 4xAA/16xAF on an X1800XT 512MB, and it had no issues whatsoever. I'm sure it could handle 1920x1200. I agree with you about not skimping on the video card, a 24" LCD demands a decent video card.

Hit control R while in game and give us an idea of your frame rate. I want to see if it's in the hundreads.

 

[Arcanedeath]

For WoW at that 1920x1200 resolution I would suggest a 512mb card of at least the X1800Xt calibur, you might be able to slip by with at 7800GT ish card but anything below this and on raids you can forget about smooth frame rates w/ good detail. if you dont raid a 7600gt can prob. get you by at that resolution.

 

[dguy6789]

A Radeon 9800 Pro 128MB can play World of Warcraft at 1280x960 maximum settings with no problem at all, so a 7600GT or X850XT could probably play World of Warcraft at 1920x1200 without AA quite well. I know my X850XTPE has absolutely no problem playing FarCry, Half Life 2, and countless other titles at 2048x1536 with all the graphical options maxed out with "only" 256MB of video memory.

 

[Arcanedeath]

WoW has widely varrying demands on the graphics card, if you do not raid a 7600GT will most likely work fine for max details w/ no AA but if you want AA / AF and high resolution or if you go on raids your gonig to need what I suggested for decent framerates and smooth gameplay.

 

[mevanvt]

Originally posted by: Arcanedeath
WoW has widely varrying demands on the graphics card, if you do not raid a 7600GT will most likely work fine for max details w/ no AA but if you want AA / AF and high resolution or if you go on raids your gonig to need what I suggested for decent framerates and smooth gameplay.

I have heard that on a larger display AA doesn't make as much of a difference. Do you know if this is the case?

 

[Arcanedeath]

this is true at higher resolution AA makes less of a difference because the pixels are smaller already, but it does and can make a dramatic difference, esp in WoW jaggies are pretty nasty esp. in outdoor areas.

 

[mevanvt]

Well i've been thinking about it and I will probably be going with either the 7600GT or the X850XT. Any opinions on which is better and which manufacturer to buy? I'll be getting the 256 mb versions because the 512 are bit too expensive.

 

[Dkcode]

Leadtek, EVGA & XFX would be my reccomendations for Nvidia & Sapphire, Connect 3D, Asus, Gigabyte for ATI.

Looking for a good deal on a X1800XL might be a good idea too.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

I have to agree WoW is a little more brutal then people give it credit for, try being in a 40 man raid with heavy AOE going like in BWL etc, or have 90% of the server in one area for a world event. Granted having too many people in one area will eat MOST cards to death, but my point is skimping on a card when you are running a high res like 1920 is only gonna hurt you down the road when games are even more taxing on a system.

 

[Arcanedeath]

For the money an X1800XT 256mb @ 219 AR is the way to go at newegg

 

[mevanvt]

I ended up getting the 7600GT listed in the second post.

 

[hans007]

i've got a pentium D 820 with a 7600gt.

i'd say anything more than the 7600GT would be a waste of money as the pentium D 820 is really not fast enough to push even a x1800xl to the limit.