Questions about selecting GPU for Starcraft 2

[2timer]

I am looking to play Starcraft 2 on my PC almost exclusively. I've read the forums and I've heard that SC2 is CPU bound, and high end GPU dollars don't scale performance.

What would the minimal GPU I need to play on High settings and get me just above 30 FPS? I've already spent a good bit of money putting together a rig, and if I could save some dough on the GPU that would be really cool. Looking to really dial in the GPU for SC2.

 

[alcoholbob]

Just above 30fps, as in average, or minimum fps?

If average fps of 30 all you need is a AMD HD6670 or Nvidia GT 640, which are $70 and $80 respectively.

Minimum fps at 30, then you probably need at least a AMD 7770 or GT 650Ti.

 

[2timer]

Just above 30fps, as in average, or minimum fps?

If average fps of 30 all you need is a AMD HD6670 or Nvidia GT 640, which are $70 and $80 respectively.

Minimum fps at 30, then you probably need at least a AMD 7770 or GT 650Ti.

Yes I was hoping for a minimum of 30 FPS. Is it unusual that a game released almost 3 years ago requires the latest generation GPU to get a minimum of 30 FPS?

I'm a little upset because I've heard Starcraft 2 is CPU bound. Now I find out I need a $100 CPU and a $100 GPU. Shoot.

I don't know a whole lot about PC gaming Btw.

 

[blastingcap]

Yes I was hoping for a minimum of 30 FPS. Is it unusual that a game released almost 3 years ago requires the latest generation GPU to get a minimum of 30 FPS?

I'm a little upset because I've heard Starcraft 2 is CPU bound. Now I find out I need a $100 CPU and a $100 GPU. Shoot.

I don't know a whole lot about PC gaming Btw.

IMHO, what you want is a used GTX 460. Nvidia GPUs do better in SC2 and the GTX 460 1GB is pretty cheap. If you know you won't be upgrading past 1920x1200 anytime soon, or if you game at 1680x1050, then a GTX 460 768MB is almost as fast and is also plenty for SC2.

http://www.techspot.com/review/305-starcraft2-performance/page7.html (This is for 19x12 so if you are at 1920x1080 you should get slightly better performance than these numbers)

If you are okay with literally scraping by at 30 fps then you can opt for other cards. In fact, if you are truly cheap, you could probably get something like a GTS 250 or 9800 GT and overclock by 10-20% and still hit that 30fps threshold on Ultra graphics settings. Turn down graphics slightly if you must. If you are okay with playing on High instead of Ultra, even a stock 9600 GT or GT 240 GDDR5 should be okay: http://www.techspot.com/review/305-starcraft2-performance/page8.html

And if you are okay with playing on Medium, you can go really, really cheap and the game will still look pretty good: http://www.techspot.com/review/305-starcraft2-performance/page9.html

The problem with going that cheap is that your bang for the buck doesn't get better and might even get worse if you start scraping the bottom of the barrel. I mean yeah you could buy a GT 240 512GB GDDR5 and overclock it and do fine, but for many modern games,you would have to play on Medium or lower, and the card will still cost you what, $30-40 used? If you were to pay an additional $30, you could get a used GTX 460 1GB that would be a viable gaming card for much longer (thanks to faster GPU and more VRAM) and let you play on High/Ultra in most games, and most GTX 460's can overclock some crazy amount even at stock voltage.. you could get 800MHz on stock easily.

Now you may say: but I am playing SC2 exclusively! But even so, you may run into situations even more extreme than what they tested for in Techspot, like if you have a mothership cloaking a bunch of units and are fighting another guy who also has a mothership cloaking a bunch of units, each of you with observers sort of in range. That's a CPU and GPU-straining fight and you really don't want to be lagged too badly there. Also, 4v4s can get really intense too. And Legacy of the Void may require higher graphics in a couple of years. I don't know.. I just think $30-40 for a low end card isn't good bang for the buck and you should at the bare minimum get a used GT 9800 or GTS 250 for, say, $40-50 to get a smoother experience and more bang for the buck.

 

[frozentundra123456]

IMHO, what you want is a used GTX 460. Nvidia GPUs do better in SC2 and the GTX 460 1GB is pretty cheap. If you know you won't be upgrading past 1920x1200 anytime soon, or if you game at 1680x1050, then a GTX 460 768MB is almost as fast and is also plenty for SC2.

http://www.techspot.com/review/305-starcraft2-performance/page7.html (This is for 19x12 so if you are at 1920x1080 you should get slightly better performance than these numbers)

If you are okay with literally scraping by at 30 fps then you can opt for other cards. In fact, if you are truly cheap, you could probably get something like a GTS 250 or 9800 GT and overclock by 10-20% and still hit that 30fps threshold on Ultra graphics settings. Turn down graphics slightly if you must. If you are okay with playing on High instead of Ultra, even a stock 9600 GT or GT 240 GDDR5 should be okay: http://www.techspot.com/review/305-starcraft2-performance/page8.html

And if you are okay with playing on Medium, you can go really, really cheap and the game will still look pretty good: http://www.techspot.com/review/305-starcraft2-performance/page9.html

The problem with going that cheap is that your bang for the buck doesn't get better and might even get worse if you start scraping the bottom of the barrel. I mean yeah you could buy a GT 240 512GB GDDR5 and overclock it and do fine, but for many modern games,you would have to play on Medium or lower, and the card will still cost you what, $30-40 used? If you were to pay an additional $30, you could get a used GTX 460 1GB that would be a viable gaming card for much longer (thanks to faster GPU and more VRAM) and let you play on High/Ultra in most games, and most GTX 460's can overclock some crazy amount even at stock voltage.. you could get 800MHz on stock easily.

Now you may say: but I am playing SC2 exclusively! But even so, you may run into situations even more extreme than what they tested for in Techspot, like if you have a mothership cloaking a bunch of units and are fighting another guy who also has a mothership cloaking a bunch of units, each of you with observers sort of in range. That's a CPU and GPU-straining fight and you really don't want to be lagged too badly there. Also, 4v4s can get really intense too. And Legacy of the Void may require higher graphics in a couple of years. I don't know.. I just think $30-40 for a low end card isn't good bang for the buck and you should at the bare minimum get a used GT 9800 or GTS 250 for, say, $40-50 to get a smoother experience and more bang for the buck.[/QUOTE

I am playing with an i5 and a hd7770, single player. I get around 4O fps on ultra. Surprisingly I am gpu bound in this scenario. You could get a used card as this poster suggested, but unless you can get one from someone who you know is reliable, I would try to get enough extra to just get a new hd7770 or 7750. I got mine for 90.00 after rebate on sale at microcenter. That is only 40 or 50 dollars more than a used card, you know it hasn't been abused, and you have a warranty.

 

[mikeymikec]

I get a bit of slowdown occasionally in SC2 (max settings 1080p) with my Ph2X6 and 5770 but most of the time the FPS is way higher than 30 and runs nice and smooth.

 

[frozentundra123456]

I get a bit of slowdown occasionally in SC2 (max settings 1080p) with my Ph2X6 and 5770 but most of the time the FPS is way higher than 30 and runs nice and smooth.

Normally at 1080p I get 40+ fps on ultra in single player. I have not played in any big on-line battles, actually I dont really play on-line since I am kind of mediocre and online play is so competitive.

It actually seems the slowdowns have pretty much disappeared recently for some reason.

 

[mikeymikec]

Normally at 1080p I get 40+ fps on ultra in single player. I have not played in any big on-line battles, actually I dont really play on-line since I am kind of mediocre and online play is so competitive.

It actually seems the slowdowns have pretty much disappeared recently for some reason.

A classic example for me is when I play the Outbreak single player campaign map, during night-time. When the lighting effects around the camp are visible and zombies are walking through the lit area, there's a bit of slow-down for me. Not a serious one, but noticeable.

 

[ThinClient]

I have dual GTX460's; the game looked great on them.

 

[2timer]

IMHO, what you want is a used GTX 460. Nvidia GPUs do better in SC2 and the GTX 460 1GB is pretty cheap. If you know you won't be upgrading past 1920x1200 anytime soon, or if you game at 1680x1050, then a GTX 460 768MB is almost as fast and is also plenty for SC2.

http://www.techspot.com/review/305-starcraft2-performance/page7.html (This is for 19x12 so if you are at 1920x1080 you should get slightly better performance than these numbers)
if you are okay with playing on Medium, you can go really, really cheap and the game will still look pretty good: http://www.techspot.com/review/305-starcraft2-performance/page9.html

The problem with going that cheap is that your bang for the buck doesn't get better and might even get worse if you start scraping the bottom of the barrel. I mean yeah you could buy a GT 240 512GB G sort of in range. That's a CPU and GPU-straining fight and you really don't want to be lagged too badly there. Also, 4v4s can get really intense too. And Legacy of the Void may require higher graphics in a couple of years. I don't know.. I just think $30-40 for a low end card isn't good bang for the buck and you should at the bare minimum get a used GT 9800 or GTS 250 for, say, $40-50 to get a smoother experience and more bang for the buck.

That helps me a lot, thank you :thumbsup: