WoW Graphics card recomendations

[TheShmooDude]

And that includes 25 man raids and Alterac Valley (for those that are familiar with the game). I know WoW isn't terribly graphics intensive but my current 256MB x800 (factory oc'd memory) only manages 20-40 fps depending on what I'm doing at the time. I've debated getting an 8800GTS but I have a feeling that would be overkill.

I have an AMD Athalon 64 @ 2.4 GHz and 2 GB RAM. I've been debating about stepping up to an X2 (there's currently a liquidation from the store closing down and I can get a 939 x2 4200 for 175, though the price may go down more the longer I wait assuming no one buys it) but that's a separate issue from graphics I'm guessing.

So the question is... What graphics card will get me 60 fps during intensive fights (Alterac Valley with lots of AEs going off would likely be the hardest with 40 man raids gone)

 

[Murasame]

I'm currently playing wow bc with a x1900gt rev.2. I play on a 19" screen at 1440x900 with 60fps at all times. Except we landing in shatt or if. Though I'm quite sure that my slow down then has more to do with my playing wow on vista with only a gig of ram. I'd say to play wow at 1920x1200 at 60fps at all times you'd need about a x1950xt or a 8800gts. With the gts being a better performer and future proof for dx10 I'd so go for that. I've seen some gts cards for under $300.

 

[secretanchitman]

at least a 7900GT, cause my card does WoW at 1920x1080 4xAA/8xAF at 60fps. its overclocked though.

so i would say a 7950GT/8800GTS (320MB or 640MB) would be your best bet...or the ati equivalent if you prefer ati.

 

[OneOfTheseDays]

Just get the 8800GTS and be done with it.

 

[tuteja1986]

Originally posted by: Sudheer Anne
Just get the 8800GTS and be done with it.

Thats overkill for WOW ... Don't get 8800GTS for only WOW.

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2381&p=4

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102067 just get this card and it will run WOW on 1900x1200 at 60FPS.. even a X1950pro can do that too.

7800GT / X1950pro Can run World of warcarft all at 2048x1536 res at 50FPS easy.

 

[latino666]

I would get a x1950pro.

Read this.. It might have a fix to the bug in WoW: BC when people are playing the game with 8800's.

 

[imported_thefonz]

1950 pro FTW!

 

[TheShmooDude]

Remember, I'm talking high stress areas with lots of people/spell effects in it. Are you guys really sure a x1950pro will be able to handle that at 1920x1200? It seems kinda low to me. How much faster is it than an x800? Significantly?

And btw, the 20-40 fps is no aa/af. I'd like to be able to turn those on with a better card.

 

[Matt2]

Get an 8800GTS 320mb.

You wont be disappointed.

 

[Garrosh]

read this:
http://enthusiast.hardocp.com/article.html?art=MTI5Myw5LCxoZW50aHVzaWFzdA==

8800GTS can achieve avg 60+ FPS at 1920 x 1200 even with 8x TRAA and 16x AF

 

[Aikouka]

Originally posted by: tuteja1986
Thats overkill for WOW ... Don't get 8800GTS for only WOW.

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2381&p=4

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102067 just get this card and it will run WOW on 1900x1200 at 60FPS.. even a X1950pro can do that too.

7800GT / X1950pro Can run World of warcarft all at 2048x1536 res at 50FPS easy.

If you enjoy aliasing and blurry, smushed textures in the distance~

 

[madogvt]

I play Wow at 1650x1080 on a 7900GT with 2gigs of RAM and Opteron 180 and get 60 FPS tops. Flying into Shatt it drops into the mid 40's, for example.

Based on my experience, I think you want more than a 7900GT.

 

[MDE]

I play on an X1900XT and with 4x AA at 1600x1200 I don't stutter during instances or combat. Take off the AA and I'm probably over 75FPS most of the time.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

Nothing will, I have been playing WoW for over 2 years and now have the 8800GTX and FPS still drops down under CERTAIN conditions.

 

[chizow]

My frame rates used to drop below 30fps on my 9700pro back when they called it WC3.

 

[TheShmooDude]

Originally posted by: WaTaGuMp
Nothing will, I have been playing WoW for over 2 years and now have the 8800GTX and FPS still drops down under CERTAIN conditions.

Really? Do you have 2 GB RAM and a sufficiently fast processor? FOr some reason I kinda figured an 8800GTX would handle everything that wow could throw at it no problem...

It looks like the 8800GTS is gonna be my best bet. The question is, how much benefit will I get with a 640MB over a 320MB? In World of Warcraft and in other games (though I play WoW 90%+ of the time).

Edit: Spelling

 

[stevf]

i just put together a core2duo e6600, 2gb ram, and 8800GTS 640MB at 1680x1050 and all settings maxed and yes in the cities when it is crowded FPS drops into the 40's - I think this has more to do with the amount of data going back and forth over the net more than the hardware.

However, from a playability standpoint , no less than 40 fps for WOW is more than great

 

[Gamingphreek]

A GTS is far overkill. a 7900GT or an X1900 series card will do ABSOLUTELY fine. Don't waste your money on a GTS when a 7900GT will be JUST FINE.

Nothing will, I have been playing WoW for over 2 years and now have the 8800GTX and FPS still drops down under CERTAIN conditions.

Then there is something wrong with your system. You are lacking in another area or there is something wrong. My computer was running WoW and Halo and Halo Dedicated server as well as GAIM and 2 Firefox browsers all at the same time and frame rates NEVER dropped at 12x10. It is more than capable of doing 19x12

-Kevin

 

[Skott]

I think if you are more concerned about performance than price then the 8800GTS 640 is the answer. If money is somewhat a concern then the 8800GTS 320 will be a better balance. Some people will caution against spending money on a card just to play a single game but if its a game where you play every day year after year then its justifiable IMO. You will get your money back in enjoyment if you play that much. Also be sure to go to your server message board (VN boards) and ask what others are using as well and see if there is any concensus. In the end its really what you need/want. I wouldnt worry too much what others think.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

Originally posted by: TheShmooDude

Originally posted by: WaTaGuMp
Nothing will, I have been playing WoW for over 2 years and now have the 8800GTX and FPS still drops down under CERTAIN conditions.

Really? Do you have 2 GB RAM and a sufficiently fast processor? FOr some reason I kinda figured an 8800GTX would handle everything that wow could throw at it no problem...

It looks like the 8800GTS is gonna be my best bet. The question is, how much benefit will I get with a 640MB over a 320MB? In World of Warcraft and in other games (though I play WoW 90%+ of the time).

Edit: Spelling

4600+ 2 gigs of OCZ DDR400 at 2 3 2 5 timings

 

[WaTaGuMp]

Originally posted by: Gamingphreek
A GTS is far overkill. a 7900GT or an X1900 series card will do ABSOLUTELY fine. Don't waste your money on a GTS when a 7900GT will be JUST FINE.

Nothing will, I have been playing WoW for over 2 years and now have the 8800GTX and FPS still drops down under CERTAIN conditions.

Then there is something wrong with your system. You are lacking in another area or there is something wrong. My computer was running WoW and Halo and Halo Dedicated server as well as GAIM and 2 Firefox browsers all at the same time and frame rates NEVER dropped at 12x10. It is more than capable of doing 19x12

-Kevin

Nothing is wrong with my system, but asking a card to run 60 FPS 100% of the time isnt gonna happen. Go put 5 billion people in one area back in the days like the Silithus event and no card in the world is gonna hang with it. My FPS is smooth all I am saying is you are not going to get 60 FPS with the game all the time. I run at 1680 res maxed settings also. i am looking to move in to the 24" LCD area and 1920 hopefully in a month or 2.

 

[Frintin]

i just put together a core2duo e6600, 2gb ram, and 8800GTS 640MB at 1680x1050 and all settings maxed and yes in the cities when it is crowded FPS drops into the 40's - I think this has more to do with the amount of data going back and forth over the net more than the hardware.

Blizzard runs a heavy amount of network and graphic caching code in WOW anyway. You are never going to be able to get over their slowdowns no matter what card you get. WoW does not require a huge video card to look and play nicely.

Set your sights a bit more realistically...you need lots of video memory for WoW you do not need speed.

 

[TheShmooDude]

Ok, so perhaps my goal of 60 fps at all times was a little lofty. Mostly I'm tired of getting under 20 fps in cities and other graphics intensive areas. Regardless I think I'm going to go with an 8800 series since not only are they very fast but they're quiet. I think what I'm going to do is purchase an eVGA 8800GTS 320mb, see how that performs and it will give me the option to step up in a couple of months.

Unless anyone else has any suggestions (like whether the 640mb card will make a difference for WoW) I'll probably actually purchase the card in a couple of days.