WC3 jerky, video card or cpu?

[nardvark]

Hey all, I've been playing WC3 at 960x***x32 resolution (I can't recall the 2nd number, but it's the next step up from 800x600x32).
I've been getting rather jerky performance when there are lots of units on the screen, and I was wondering if this is a video card issue or a cpu issue. It really shouldn't be a cpu issue, because I'm running on a P4 1.7 Ghz (alas, it's a willy) with 384mb pc800, but I mentioned this to a friend and he said "might be your cpu...?"
I suspect it's a video card limitation, since I'm still running on my poor old ATI Radeon 32mb DDR.
Just wondering if anyone else with a similar setup was having better/worse/similar performance?
thanks in advance for input.

 

[BCompDude]

Its not your CPU for sure. But that vid card should be able to handle it just fine. . .Make sure that you don't have any other programs running in the background (ala Antivirus programs, AIM or other instant messangers or any Downloads).

 

[tart666]

It's probably the weird resolution. bump it up to 1024/768.
Blizzard has a system test routine. I have an expert 98 8MB card on PIII-450 and it passed fine at 800x600, so I seriously doubt that your system is stressed, it must be a bug.

just my 2 ¢

Toni

 

[AnAndAustin]

All good advice, but you really are killing your PC's gaming potential by sticking a RadeonDDR in there, you might as well play on a Duron1ghz (no disrespect) unless you up your gfx card. With Rad8500LE and GF3TI200 cards offering fantastic perf for so little cash (comparatively) it makes VERY little sense to settle for anything less, esp with a 1.7ghz CPU. If you can afford the extra a GF4TI4200 would be very wise as it is EXCELLENT value and a great all-rounder.

 

[joe678]

are all the video settings turned up? if so, turn them down, i played the beta with my gf3ti 200 and it would get jerky with all the settings juiced...

 

[nardvark]

ugh, silly me, I forgot to disable norton's automatic scanning, that's mostly the problem.
yes anandaustin, I'm really crippling my gaming by keeping this board, but I'm in college...and I have no money, so I can't replace my video card as often as I'd like. I think I'm gonna hold out for the radeon 9500.
we'll see if killing norton helps, I haven't gotten time to test it yet (work is always getting in the way of my gaming, I should really just stop being employed...)
thanks for all the replies!