CPU or video card?

[unevendozen]

Howdy

I am currently running a core2 E6300 at 1.8ghz with a geforce 7600 video card. I believe its 256 mb of video ram. I'd like to upgrade both but only have about $200 to spend right now. If I want to boost my fps in WoW would I be better served by a new 9600 or a new E6750? I am leaning towards the video card since all old world content runs fine. Its only in outlands that I start to get 30 fps or so. Makes me think the old GPU is choking on the higher poly count terrain.

This is basically the only game I play so an SLI set up or a quad core is way overkill.

Thanks!

 

[AntiFreze]

I would recommend getting the new 9600GT, sub $200 and will make wow run very well.

How much system ram do you have? If 1GB or less, you will want to buy a 2nd gig as this will increase your fps (especially in shatt)

 

[DSF]

Can you turn the graphics settings down any farther? If that helps the game run faster, then a beefier graphics card would probably help.

Also, is overclocking your CPU an option? There should be a fair bit of headroom on that E6300.

If I were you, I would try overclocking the CPU before I spent any money. It shouldn't be a problem to get the chip up to 2.4GHz or so on stock cooling. Then I'd spend money on a new graphics card before CPU.

 

[soccerballtux]

Please tell us more like what resolution you're playing at.
I'd recommend a 3850 256MB, that'll more than be sufficient. Then get a CPU cooler for $40 (tuniq tower) and overclock your CPU and you'd be set.

 

[AzN]

8800gt for sure. There's no other card that performs in it's price range and more future proof than 9600gt.

 

[Denithor]

First, if you don't have 2GB memory, upgrade. My buddy played WoW with an e6300 (2.33GHz)/7600GT/512MB RAM and it ran like crap, especially in cities. I upgraded him to 2GB RAM and it now runs totally smooth at 1280x1024 with eye candy maxed.

Second, OC your e6300 to around 2.3GHz (or higher if it will go). Follow the sticky guide at the top of the CPU + OC forum for instructions on safe and stable overclocking. If your memory + motherboard are up to the task, 7x333-400 (2.33-2.80GHz) should be doable. Stock cooling should be more than adequate for this OC.

Third, pick up either a Radeon HD3850 for $150 or a GeForce 8800GT for $200. Lean toward the 8800GT if you play anything else, the additional power will help more in other games than in WoW.

Only use option three after you have done the first two, WoW is much more demanding on CPU/RAM than on GPU. The rig in my sig will run WoW smooth as silk at 16x12 with all detail on high (max everything) and I'm only running an x1900gt.

 

[BenSkywalker]

If you have anything under 2GB of system RAM, start there. Shat is particularly nasty for RAM requirements although the 25 mans can be fairly brutal on the larger pulls too.

After getting to 2GB system RAM, you will want a vid card with 512MB on board memory, old world was fine but with all the horde and alliance hanging in Shat now no matter how much GPU power you are packing you are going to get pretty nasty slowdown when a couple hundred toons or more are hanging out in Shat. When 2.4 goes live, the situation on the new island will be at least as bad as it is now in Shat on the weekends(PTR is brutal). Outlands also has higher levels of texture detail then the old world. While there are some slightly more demanding elements to TBC in terms of visuals, most of them are relatively minor and don't have that large of an impact on GPU demands. Going with something like a 9600GT would be a very good choice if you already have a couple GBs of system RAM. On board RAM impacts performance more then the power of the GPU within reason(a 256MB 880GT is going to beat a 512MB 6200, but within reason ).

In terms of processor power you are in essence capped there. Going higher may make a slight difference, but I have a rig with a PD 805(@4GHZ) that can keep the framerate at cap the majority of the time even in Shat or during large pulls in 25 mans. Blizz has capped the FPS for dual core processors, anything over their limitations isn't gong to get you too much in the way of additional performance.

Where are you at in terms of content btw? Not that it in general makes too much of a difference, but I noticed a clear step up in system demands moving from Gruul/Mag to TK/SSC although not much a change after that.

 

[Arkaign]

Memory > Video Card Upgrade > Cpu considerations

What mobo/cooler do you have? If you have something mediocre, then perhaps a new Asus P35 mobo + Tuniq would do you well, you could probably get ~3ghz out of that 6300, then upgrade to Q9450 or something on down the line someday.

 

[unevendozen]

Thanks for all the responses. Some answers to questions:

With regards to my system memory, I am at the max of 4GB. Of course XP only sees 3.25 of that. :frown:

I am running the game on my Dell Ultrasharp 20" widescreen display. My resolution is 1680x1050.

I have turned the graphics down as far as I can tolerate. I have weather effects turned to minimum, the terrain distance at medium, etc etc. The only things I have maxed are spell detail and object detail. Without the object detail things just look mushy, and its either maximum or minimum. No mediums on that one.

As far as my point in the game, I am at lvl 70 with my Tauren hunter, Roastbeef. My trusty side kick Sandwich and I are gearing up to start running Karazhan.

I've never done any overclocking so that would be something completely new, and therefore, scary! I dont want to fry my desktop! hahaha... I will check out the sticky.

Ok, I think thats it. I appreciate the advice so far!!

 

[Tempered81]

put one of these in your system: 9600gt, 8800gt, 3850, or 3870.

If you can afford it put 3 of these: 8800ultra black pearl Ed.

 

[Arkaign]

Originally posted by: unevendozen
Thanks for all the responses. Some answers to questions:

With regards to my system memory, I am at the max of 4GB. Of course XP only sees 3.25 of that. :frown:

I am running the game on my Dell Ultrasharp 20" widescreen display. My resolution is 1680x1050.

I have turned the graphics down as far as I can tolerate. I have weather effects turned to minimum, the terrain distance at medium, etc etc. The only things I have maxed are spell detail and object detail. Without the object detail things just look mushy, and its either maximum or minimum. No mediums on that one.

As far as my point in the game, I am at lvl 70 with my Tauren hunter, Roastbeef. My trusty side kick Sandwich and I are gearing up to start running Karazhan.

I've never done any overclocking so that would be something completely new, and therefore, scary! I dont want to fry my desktop! hahaha... I will check out the sticky.

Ok, I think thats it. I appreciate the advice so far!!

Any of the cards Jared listed would be great for you. I think the 9600GT specifically because of the price, and excellent DX10 performance.

Overclocking is a snap, usually. What mobo do you have?

 

[Foxery]

Originally posted by: unevendozen
With regards to my system memory, I am at the max of 4GB. Of course XP only sees 3.25 of that. :frown:

I am running the game on my Dell Ultrasharp 20" widescreen display. My resolution is 1680x1050.

Your system is plenty beefy for a relatively old game like WoW - many people play with half those specs. I actually suspect the high resolution is your choke point. Your system would fly with High Detail at lower resolutions. See if you can run something like 1400x900 without the screen looking blocky.

 

[taltamir]

Wow is indeed a ram hog, but you seem to have plenty. Vista WILL see more ram, but it will also consume more ram for the core OS... so it balances out.
I would guess a GPU would give you better FPS...
9600GT is the ideal choice at the moment. However it IS possible that the CPU is the issue, its hard to be sure.

A faster CPU would also mean faster loading times and faster day to day operations anywhere else, from file compression, to opening programs, to whatever

Generally I find that a balanced approach is best (have a CPU and GPU from the same generation). However sometimes this is just not an option. You could wait a little, save another 100$ and let prices drop a little on the new parts... maybe get a 150$ CPU and 150$ GPU... heck maybe do it today and sell the old ones on ebay. should cover some of the cost. even if they sell for 40$ each its still good hard cash.

I sold an old 250 (IDE), 320 (SATA), and 500GB (SATA) harddrives lying around for 40,50,70$ respectively. I really should have sold them years ago when they were worth more.

 

[unevendozen]

Yep, I was thinking the high resolution was the problem too. Just wasnt sure if a new video card or CPU would be the best solution. I have tried playing at a lower rez and at full screen it looks awful. The Dells look gorgeous at their native resolution but they do not handle downsampling well. I can play in a smaller window but then it seems like I am wasting so much wonderful screen real estate. It definitely runs smoother at lower resolutions though. Its a catch 22.

The MOBO that is in my machine is: INTEL BOXDP965LTCK intel 965 chipset serial ata300 atx form factor 1xpci-e(x16)/3xpci-e(x1)/3xpci/4xddr2 w/sata2,lan(gb),usb 2.0

 

[taltamir]

actually whats your vram? if its 128MB then this might be the problem, video performance tanks when you combine high res with low vram.

So I am leaning more towards GPU upgrade...

 

[unevendozen]

Originally posted by: taltamir
actually whats your vram? if its 128MB then this might be the problem, video performance tanks when you combine high res with low vram.

Its 256MB of DDR2

 

[BenSkywalker]

It definitely runs smoother at lower resolutions though.

Then it is without a doubt your vid card that is holding you back. You really don't want to blow it on Prince because your framerate bottomed out, you didn't get your pet out in time for shadow nova which nerfed your dps and your tank went down in phase 2 and miss your shot at getting that bow now do you?

Pick up something along the lines of a 9600GT, make sure you have Vent/Teamspeak, Omen/KTM and BigWigs/DeadlyBossMods running and you should be all set to fly through Kara(oh yeah, a nice BM spec helps out a lot in there too, and either a Ravager or a kitty).

 

[taltamir]

and if it tanks at higher res then its the vram amount... you could try disabling a few select settings, if you can take down that vram usage (disabling ram hungry features like AA) then you would see MASSIVE improvement in your FPS...

I would go with the 9600GT 512MB for 180$. Best bang for the buck.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814150277
http://www.ncixus.com/products/28577/PVT94PYDF4/XFX/

As long as you register it within the 1st month you get full warranty for YOUR lifetime (not expected lifetime of product like most other "lifetime" warranties) and the lifetime of whomever you sell it to as used!
That means higher resale price down the road when you upgrade your computer.

 

[BenSkywalker]

and if it tanks at higher res then its the vram amount... you could try disabling a few select settings, if you can take down that vram usage (disabling ram hungry features like AA) then you would see MASSIVE improvement in your FPS...

Based on his earlier comments he has everything turned down except object detail(which is poly related, not texture) and spell detail. Unfortunately the way Blizzard has WoW set up he must leave spell detail on high or he will not be able to handle several boss fights properly(not sure why they haven't fixed it yet, but without spell detail on high you will, based on what you can see, just randomly die during certain encounters, for content he will be reaching soon Netherspite's scorched earth or whatever it is called is an example). Hunters have enough trouble getting good raid spots, don't want to look like a huntard his first time on a new boss

 

[Piuc2020]

Get a new videocard, your 7600 is definitely the weakest link in your system, an E6300 at 1.8GHz is definitely no slouch when it comes to gaming.