Midrange card for WoW?

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Biggrich76

Limp Gawd
Joined
Mar 16, 2005
Messages
411
Hey guys (and gals),

A friend of mine just picked up a Dell Inspiron 530s for $150. He wants to play WoW, but the thing only has integrated graphics at this point. I haven't been keeping up on the latest and greatest cards lately, and am wondering what I can recommend for him to get the best bang for his buck.

He has a 22" monitor and would like to play at the native res. 1680 x 1050.
AA, AF and highest settings aren't that important, but he wants to get decent FPS - especially in crowded areas.
Need something in the $75-$100 price range.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance!
 
If he has a pci-e slot the Ati 4770 will be his best bet. There'a a review on the front page here at [H]ardocp.

Also poor fps in crowded areas can also result from a not so great network connection.
 
a 9600gt will max wow out for the most part oh ya and nobody gets good frames in dalaran
 
Actually, I thought it was the other way around. I'd still go for a 4770, 4830 or 4850.
 
risqu3 said:
choose which ever video card you can get the cheapest. WoW is limited more by your CPU then GFX.
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While that may be true to some extent, I still believe the difference between a 8600 GT -> 9600 GT -> 9800 GT is going to make a pretty significant difference in FPS overall.

Most of the suggested cards are in the $100 or greater range. Anyone care to throw out any lower priced cards that would do the job? Would a 9600 GT really max out the settings with a 2.0Ghz Celeron?
 
9600GT will max it out mostly. I have a buddy running that with settings cranked and no considerable framerate drops. I'm guessing this is a E1XXX Celeron. My buddy is running a stock clock Q6600. I know WoW is CPU limited so that may be the variable here.
 
risqu3 said:
please show these reviews?

OP choose which ever video card you can get the cheapest. WoW is limited more by your CPU then GFX.
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http://xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/mainstream-cards-mmorpg_14.html#sect0

Definitely not true. HUGE variance in video cards according to XBIT's review, anyway. Going with a 9600GT is definitely not the greatest move, when large framerate increases (at 16xAF, anyway) can be had with a not-too-colossal cost of going to a 9800GT or 250 GTS instead... from the looks of it, a GTS 250 is a smart buy for one that mostly just plays WoW...
 
If he has a pci-e slot the Ati 4770 will be his best bet. There'a a review on the front page here at [H]ardocp.

Also poor fps in crowded areas can also result from a not so great network connection.
 
Also have to factor in the power supply of the machine. 4770 is prolly the best bet. My friend uses a e5200 and hd4670 and gets really decent performance at that rez.
 
On the low-end you notice a rather large discrepancy between 512MB cards (such as the 4770) and 1GB cards (such as the GTS250) as WoW will use more than 512MB at times. It just so happens that in that price range nvidia cards are more likely to have more ram than an ATI counterpart, though in those benchmarks the ATI cards do seem a bit lower than normal. Here is an alternative set of benchmarks for comparison:

http://www.pcgameshardware.com/aid,...ti-and-Nvidia-graphics-cards/Practice/?page=2

Though not necessary applicable in this case, it's worth noting that SLI support in WoW is nearly non-existent whereas Crossfire actually works quite well. This is why the 4870x2 is the performance crown in WoW by a large margin and why even a single 4890 spanks a GTX295.
 
Is it just WoW the card will be wanted for? Or are you looking at some other games too?

nVidia chips seem to do better with WoW, but within the $100 range ATI offers an overall better deal with the 4830/4770/4850 trifecta.

The CPU is a factor in WoW, especially with lots of players in the same area (Dalaran) - but the first choke is still the GPU.
 
Didn't see it mentioned, but the Inspiron 530s has a compact case and a 250w PSU. He's going to be limited to low-profile cards.
 
ryan_975 said:
Didn't see it mentioned, but the Inspiron 530s has a compact case and a 250w PSU. He's going to be limited to low-profile cards.
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I'm guessing that PSU is the major bottleneck right now. Anyone know if that PSU is upgradable? From the looks of the case, doesn't look like it's a std ATX PSU.
 
Well, I didn't realize until after I posted that it's a "slim" case/PSU/etc. Even the 9600 and 9800 low profile cards need a 350w+ PSU (according to the manufaturer specs). And the largest slim PSU (TFX) I've seen is only 300W.

He also mentioned that his wife will be using the PC to play the Sims 3, in addition to using it to play WoW. I want to make sure I give him the best advise in this situation, in the event he does want to play other games in the future as well.

At this point, I've advised him to upgrade to a bigger case and standard size ATX PSU. Otherwise he will be severely limited as far as upgrades go.
 
Umm but that would require buying a whole new system. I get the feeling that the friend wants to play it with the system that he just bought for the aforementioned $150.

This low profile 9500GT should do the job. Decent performance. Not as good as a 9800GT obviously but it will fit the case.
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17970815

Edit: Oh nm, somebody found a low profile 9800GT. That would be even better. :)
 
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that review is retarded. Do you notice a 4670 gives you the same fps @ 1680x1050 and 1920x1200?

i played WoTLK with my 4870 512, and i never experienced fps lower then 30 anywhere (dal was around 40ish)

and i played at 1920x1200 4xAA 16xAF
 
Wow requires plenty of power, especially Lich King. I'd say GTX260 at least, if you want to max it out with anti-aliasing. Even on the GTX275 I generally have to bump shadows down one notch to keep frames from dipping.
 
vjcsmoke said:
Umm but that would require buying a whole new system. I get the feeling that the friend wants to play it with the system that he just bought for the aforementioned $150.
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I would just move the MB, CPU and other hardware into the new case. The 250W PSU in the current system will not support any decent video cards. There are some decent case/PSU combos on the Egg for less than $100. Then he can pick up a standard sized video card for $80-$100 (I'm leaning toward the 9800GT).

All in all, he would only need to buy a case, PSU and video card. It's more than he wanted to spend initially but it will be a better upgrade path for him, both for WoW and going forward.
 
Seriously, The CPU is going to limit his FPS. Get a cheap, low profile video card that will work with a 250 watt PSU and run WOW "good enough".

HD4650 comes to mind, considering an old x800pro, 6600GT will run WOW at 1600x1200 on high settings this card should have more than enough GPU muscle. Might even want to look at the ~$30 HD4350 because of the 250w PSU

HD4650 $41 AR, high settings, no AA? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131151

HD4350 $23 AR, not sure what settings, but its 10x better than the 6150 intergrated chipset. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121310 or http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125251

Either way, considering its $150 PC, I would not spend more than $50 on a low profile GPU upgrade, unless your going to upgrade the entire system (new CPU + new PSU + case that can fit a full size video card, + mobo that will overclock the CPU would be nice too..... ya just get a cheap ass video card).
 
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Biggrich76 said:
I would just move the MB, CPU and other hardware into the new case. The 250W PSU in the current system will not support any decent video cards. There are some decent case/PSU combos on the Egg for less than $100. Then he can pick up a standard sized video card for $80-$100 (I'm leaning toward the 9800GT).

All in all, he would only need to buy a case, PSU and video card. It's more than he wanted to spend initially but it will be a better upgrade path for him, both for WoW and going forward.
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I've yet to see a decent PSU included with a case combo < $100.
 
ryan_975 said:
I've yet to see a decent PSU included with a case combo < $100.
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Well, everyone's definition of "decent" is a little different. I saw several combo deals on from $65 - $100 on the Egg with 400+W PSUs from Thermaltake, Cooler Master and Rosewill.

I have used each in the past without any issues and would feel comfortable recommending any of them, based on the usage (ie. no overclocking).
 
Biggrich76 said:
Well, everyone's definition of "decent" is a little different. I saw several combo deals on from $65 - $100 on the Egg with 400+W PSUs from Thermaltake, Cooler Master and Rosewill.

I have used each in the past without any issues and would feel comfortable recommending any of them, based on the usage (ie. no overclocking).
Click to expand...

And those are three brands I specifically avoid, and recommend others to avoid. They're too much of a crap-shoot. Thermaltake is the most decent of the three, but it strictly depends on the model that you're getting.
 
BTW: OP - This review: http://www.trustedreviews.com/pcs/review/2007/09/11/Dell-Inspiron-530/p2 - mettions a discrete 8600 GT which I suppose is optional. So at least that should work with your PSU without a problem and it's a decent card for WoW.
Replacing a PSU in a Dell is a PITA...do you know if the board complies to some form of a micro-atx or itx standard? I moved my wife's slimline into a Thermaltake Lanbox which gave the benefit of using any PSU we wanted and full-height cards.
 
OldScotch said:
BTW: OP - This review: http://www.trustedreviews.com/pcs/review/2007/09/11/Dell-Inspiron-530/p2 - mettions a discrete 8600 GT which I suppose is optional. So at least that should work with your PSU without a problem and it's a decent card for WoW.
Replacing a PSU in a Dell is a PITA...do you know if the board complies to some form of a micro-atx or itx standard? I moved my wife's slimline into a Thermaltake Lanbox which gave the benefit of using any PSU we wanted and full-height cards.
Click to expand...

That review is for a 530 ... not a 530s. I think the "s" indicates the slim form-factor. From what I understand, the current power supply is a TFX form-factor. Not sure if an ATX power supply will connect properly to the motherboard.

I might have to pull it all apart and take a look at it before ordering any parts.

ryan_975 said:
And those are three brands I specifically avoid, and recommend others to avoid. They're too much of a crap-shoot. Thermaltake is the most decent of the three, but it strictly depends on the model that you're getting.
Click to expand...

This combo is $68 after rebate, and the PSU has some good reviews. I would definitely feel comfortable recommending it.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.215742

Keep in mind, this is a very budget-conscious build that will not be overclocked or planning on surpassing any performance benchmarks. Couple this combo with a standard sized 9800 GT, and he will be in very good shape for only about $150-$160 more. Not bad for a $300 total system. Oh, and I forgot to mention that the original $150 cost of the system included the 22" LCD.
 
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rcf1987 said:
a 9600gt will max wow out for the most part oh ya and nobody gets good frames in dalaran
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I agree with this. I've got my roomie running a 9500gt and he maxes it out. Still gets lag in Dalaran though. When I last played WoW I had lag in Dalaran with my quad core and dual 4870x2 build.

15 meg internet too. Dalran sucks.
 
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OldScotch said:
The Antec Sonta III with a 500w earthwatts PSU is on sale often at newegg for $110.
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$110 is not < $100.



Biggrich76 said:
That review is for a 530 ... not a 530s. I think the "s" indicates the slim form-factor. From what I understand, the current power supply is a TFX form-factor. Not sure if an ATX power supply will connect properly to the motherboard.

I might have to pull it all apart and take a look at it before ordering any parts.
Click to expand...

Yes, the "s" denotes slim form factor. Also, TFX is compatible with ATX connections. In fact the 530 and the 530s use the exact same motherboard.

This combo is $68 after rebate, and the PSU has some good reviews. I would definitely feel comfortable recommending it.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.215742

Keep in mind, this is a very budget-conscious build that will not be overclocked or planning on surpassing any performance benchmarks. Couple this combo with a standard sized 9800 GT, and he will be in very good shape for only about $150-$160 more. Not bad for a $300 total system. Oh, and I forgot to mention that the original $150 cost of the system included the 22" LCD.
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One thing to keep in mind, if you want to be technical and remain fully license compliant, the COA affixed to the Dell case is what's make the Windows install legit, assuming you're using it at all. Moving to another case will require moving the COA as well. I don't know if moving a branded COA is against the license though. Just FYI, you or the owner may not give two shits about it.
 
Biggrich76 said:
That review is for a 530 ... not a 530s. I think the "s" indicates the slim form-factor. From what I understand, the current power supply is a TFX form-factor. Not sure if an ATX power supply will connect properly to the motherboard.

I might have to pull it all apart and take a look at it before ordering any parts.



This combo is $68 after rebate, and the PSU has some good reviews. I would definitely feel comfortable recommending it.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.215742

Keep in mind, this is a very budget-conscious build that will not be overclocked or planning on surpassing any performance benchmarks. Couple this combo with a standard sized 9800 GT, and he will be in very good shape for only about $150-$160 more. Not bad for a $300 total system. Oh, and I forgot to mention that the original $150 cost of the system included the 22" LCD.
Click to expand...

Yup 9800GT + decent 500W psu and case should do him quite fine if the priority is budget.
 
At 1680x1050 a 4850 512 is not enough to maintain 60fps on max settings. If you turn down shadows and AA it works fine though.
 
If i were him i would get this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131151

or

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814187060

or if he wants to test his luck with rigging up a pcie power connector:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814187061

put it in, forget about a new PSU/CASE/ETC......Get a low/midrange video card that is half height. The PSU will handle anyhting in that range. A 400 or 500 watt psu is not required or necessary, i have a system with a 520 watt that runs an 8800 gtx, intel 6750, water pump, fans, 2 hard drives, dvdr, etc, so a low end POS computer like that does not need 400 to 500 watts just to push a crappy GPU (in addition not everyone really needs to run everything at full AA/FF and the best res).

Just get the best low profile GPU he can afford put it in a forget about it. It will be a HUGE difference over what he has.

I also just upgrade a nephew about 6 months ago from an AMD sempron compaq system running integrated graphics. All i did was put my OLD 9700 Pro in it and he saw huge differences from integrated graphics on Sims 2 etc. And that was an old 9700 Pro.
 
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If he gets and nVidia card, make sure he doesnt use the 190 drivers. Going from 186 to 190, my FPS in WoW dropped by half. Rolling back to 186 fixed it. Not sure why, all settings were the same.
 
cooter said:
If i were him i would get this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131151

or

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814187060

or if he wants to test his luck with rigging up a pcie power connector:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814187061

put it in, forget about a new PSU/CASE/ETC......Get a low/midrange video card that is half height. The PSU will handle anyhting in that range. A 400 or 500 watt psu is not required or necessary, i have a system with a 520 watt that runs an 8800 gtx, intel 6750, water pump, fans, 2 hard drives, dvdr, etc, so a low end POS computer like that does not need 400 to 500 watts just to push a crappy GPU (in addition not everyone really needs to run everything at full AA/FF and the best res).

Just get the best low profile GPU he can afford put it in a forget about it. It will be a HUGE difference over what he has.

I also just upgrade a nephew about 6 months ago from an AMD sempron compaq system running integrated graphics. All i did was put my OLD 9700 Pro in it and he saw huge differences from integrated graphics on Sims 2 etc. And that was an old 9700 Pro.
Click to expand...

520watts is a far cry from 250.
 
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