Recommend a Video Card for Stacraft 2

[smackababy]

Lots of units killing the frame rate could just as easily be the CPU being the bottleneck.

If it preforms anything like WoW, it is extremely CPU dependant. According to the review post above, however, Ultra settings see a GPU limitation.

 

[LucJoe]

Here's GPU performance comparison on the beta client and here's the CPU one. Read and decide

I have a BFG 8800GT OC 512mb (probably similar performance to the 9800GT) that you could take off my hands, cheap.

 

[bunnyfubbles]

If it preforms anything like WoW, it is extremely CPU dependant. According to the review post above, however, Ultra settings see a GPU limitation.

RTS games in general tend to have a need for fast processors due to the large number of units/buildings in the game.

the same can go for any game...WoW for instance requires a fast processor because of the sheer volume of players and NPCs that can be on your screen at once, or even a game like Left 4 Dead when a huge zombie hoard panic event sends masses of zombies at you.

 

[BentMyWookie]

That's really strange! I play Starcraft 2 with that very graphics card and it plays just fine. Perhaps it's your processor?

Or perhaps I lowered the settings on the game. Not sure. I'll get back to you on that.
Right after I get to these damned furnace filters...augh...I hate housework.

 

[Athadeus]

No, it is definitely his graphics. I have a Conroe e6300 @ 2.4ghz and it had serious slowdown problems and poor framerate with an 256mb X1800XT, and no problems with a 512mb HD 4770. With the old graphics card, the game would have from 3-10 seconds when a match started, when I saw the smoke vents on scrap station the first time in the map, and when any building was being built or destroyed.

 

[KevinH]

Ok I just found out that my psu is an ultra 350w. So I am sort of power limited. The contenders are the following.

9800gt green edition : $65

gt240 ddr5 : $58

90% think that the 9800gt is a better performer, but would my psu power it fine?

I was running an oc core2duo system with an 8800gt for 2 years with an earthwatts 380.

 

[yottabit]

Lots of units killing the frame rate could just as easily be the CPU being the bottleneck.

Except if I lower my shader/graphics settings the FPS increases dramatically. The 400 zerglings might be a bad example as I believe that could very well be my cpu bottlenecking.
But on Ultra settings it's really the shaders that hold you back... when you get things like immortals and sentries using their special effects and you zoom in on the action the framerate drops with my 5770. A large swarm of mutalisks seems to be good at dropping the framerate when I zoom in. Again, it's always playable from the overhead view and it's only when you zoom in (which you would never do during a competitive game) the framerate drops a bit. I'm perfectly happy with that level of performance from my 5770 at 1080p Ultra, and I know that if I someday decide to throw a second one in crossfire I'll be all set.

 

[frozentundra123456]

Ok I just found out that my psu is an ultra 350w. So I am sort of power limited. The contenders are the following.

9800gt green edition : $65

gt240 ddr5 : $58

90% think that the 9800gt is a better performer, but would my psu power it fine?

That 9800gt green edition looks like a good deal. I am running one of the 9800GT green edition cards on a 300 watt OEM power without any problem so far, so your power supply should be fine.

 

[hans007]

That 9800gt green edition looks like a good deal. I am running one of the 9800GT green edition cards on a 300 watt OEM power without any problem so far, so your power supply should be fine.

that should be a good choice especially for the price.


i got a 4770 for about $75 (radeon) and i can run 1920x1080 ultra settings and it seems fine.

starcraft 2 really isnt that video card heavy a game. in fact at 1920x1080 I ran it on my integrated 785G HD 4200 video card and it was pretty smooth on low settings.

it seems like it doesnt really benefit from more than 2 cores, so basically any $60-100 card and a fast dual core wold probably be enough unless you want to run lots of AA at ultra settings then maybe you have to spend a few more dollars on your video card if you are running say 19x12 or 19x1080.

 

[Qbah]

That 9800GT for $65 is a great deal. Your PSU will be fine. I'd say go for it.

 

[nyker96]

I think from beta testing results, the NV cards like 9800gt plays a bit better than hd4850s etc. but this game really is not very gpu intensive and is very sensitive to cpu, you need a good dual core+ to get the most out of it, preferably one that is overclocked. gpu side if you not turning on AA, get a 4850 or 9800gt or gts 250 will do nicely. but why don't you wait until the game is release before upgrading that way you can have some good solid benchmarks on the release version to guide you on a wiser upgrade path?

 

[Mojonba]

thx for the suggestions guys, i just bought a 9800gt green edition for $65