What is a good Video Card to Play WOW

[loanvixen]

I just traded my laptop for a computer
4 gb ram
intel core 2 quad core 2.66 ghz
nvidia geforce 7100 is the video card
ASUS 25.5" LCD

The Video card won't run World of Warcraft good at all 2 fps I believe, and COD Modern Warfare looks really bad. I had a HP DV5 with 2g running a geforce 9800 and it ran great. What card can I buy that will run the game good, and not break the bank? I have a GT 220 on the way, but don't know if that will handle it.

 

[jerreece]

Your Asus 25.5" is pretty big! What resolution is it? I'm going to guess that it's 1080p (1920x1080 or 1920x1200). At that point, you'll want a decent video card for most games.

For WoW Cataclysm in particular refer to this:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/world-of-warcraft-cataclysm-directx-11-performance,2793.html

At 1920x1080, with "Good Quality" settings in WoW, you would do very well with an ATI 5770 or GTX 260. However, for other more modern game titles, those two would require Medium graphic settings to play really smooth.

The ATI 6850 or GTX 460 would be good bets for most stuff, and would do even better with WoW than the 5770 & GTX 260.

If you can use DX11 (Windows 7) the GTS 450 would do perfectly fine @ 1920x1080 according to Tom's review of WoW Cataclysm.

Ultimately, refer to the link I provided above and see what things look like at the resolution and graphic settings you prefer!

 

[jerreece]

I have a GT 220 on the way, but don't know if that will handle it.

I'd cancel that to be honest, if you can. The GT220 isn't really a gaming level graphics card. Even for WoW Cataclysm. It would work if you reduced the graphic settings quite a bit. I say this primarily assuming your 25" monitor is actually of high resolution (1080p or higher).

Here's a review of the GT 220. The link I'm using in particular shows benchmark results with Call of Duty World at War, which is similar to Modern Warfare. It doesn't fare so well.

http://www.guru3d.com/article/geforce-gt-220-review-test/6

Call of Duty World at War uses the exact same 3D engine as Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.

 

[loanvixen]

Your Asus 25.5" is pretty big! What resolution is it? I'm going to guess that it's 1080p (1920x1080 or 1920x1200). At that point, you'll want a decent video card for most games.

For WoW Cataclysm in particular refer to this:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/world-of-warcraft-cataclysm-directx-11-performance,2793.html

At 1920x1080, with "Good Quality" settings in WoW, you would do very well with an ATI 5770 or GTX 260. However, for other more modern game titles, those two would require Medium graphic settings to play really smooth.

The ATI 6850 or GTX 460 would be good bets for most stuff, and would do even better with WoW than the 5770 & GTX 260.

If you can use DX11 (Windows 7) the GTS 450 would do perfectly fine @ 1920x1080 according to Tom's review of WoW Cataclysm.

Ultimately, refer to the link I provided above and see what things look like at the resolution and graphic settings you prefer!

Sorry I should have put that in there, you are correct, it's a 1080p 1920x1200. Everything else looks fine, but the gaming on it with the current card is impossible.

 

[jerreece]

Here's a benchmark of your old Laptop GPU (9800M GT) with Modern Warfare:

With the resolution your laptop had (much lesser than 1080p) that video card probably did a much better job than the GT 220 will do on your desktop. So in a sense, the GT 220 is actually a step backward from what you had. Especially since you'll be playing @ 1920x1200!

If you can get a better graphics card however, the desktop will ultimately be better than the laptop used to be.

Can you provide any details on your Power Supply? Brand & Model would be most important. This way we can help you get the right video card without pushing the PSU too hard.

 

[g00fysmiley]

i run WoW in ultra on a gts 450 on a 37" 1080p tv, i now have 2 in sli, but it ran at 60 fps just fine on a single gts 450

on a 220 performance will beat 2 fps... but not by alot, still a very weak card, if you lower the resolution and lower setting you shoudl be playable with a 220 ... but that no aa... bilniear filtering, and sliders to low/fair and maybe 1280x768 res... max... probably less

 

[loanvixen]

Here's a benchmark of your old Laptop GPU (9800M GT) with Modern Warfare:
http://www.notebookcheck.net/typo3temp/pics/33ce29262f.gif

With the resolution your laptop had (much lesser than 1080p) that video card probably did a much better job than the GT 220 will do on your desktop. So in a sense, the GT 220 is actually a step backward from what you had. Especially since you'll be playing @ 1920x1200!

If you can get a better graphics card however, the desktop will ultimately be better than the laptop used to be.

Can you provide any details on your Power Supply? Brand & Model would be most important. This way we can help you get the right video card without pushing the PSU too hard.

Thank you for the info, I will have a look at the powersupply as soon as I return home from work, and let you know, again, thanks for your help.

 

[purple stain]

I would reccomend the 5770 or the 5670 on the cheaper end.If your a light gamer and WoW and COD is all you paly the 5670 will surfice.I would reccomend a 460 or 6850 but i think anything over a 5770 might start getting bottlenecked by your CPU speed.I think even a 5770 would be pushing it and 2.6ghz.

What is your budget for the new GPU?

 

[jerreece]

i run WoW in ultra on a gts 450 on a 37" 1080p tv, i now have 2 in sli, but it ran at 60 fps just fine on a single gts 450

on a 220 performance will beat 2 fps... but not by alot, still a very weak card, if you lower the resolution and lower setting you shoudl be playable with a 220 ... but that no aa... bilniear filtering, and sliders to low/fair and maybe 1280x768 res... max... probably less

The GTS 450 would be decent for WoW & CODMW. WoW in particular if loanvixen can use DX11, as the 450 can use some of the performance enhancements in DX11. So I agree there.

Ultimately though, @ 1080p I'd want a better card if they want to play other more demanding game titles than WoW or CODMW.

All comes down to budget though. And the power supply on hand.

 

[g00fysmiley]

^ obviously there are better than a gts450 i just figured if he's looking at getting a 220 then a 450 might be too expensive still, but hopefully not and hopefulyl he has a good psu that cna run one.. a gtx460 woud rock fo rhim... but its much mroe money round 100ish for 450 vs round 150-200 dependding on the gtx 460

 

[loanvixen]

The GTS 450 would be decent for WoW & CODMW. WoW in particular if loanvixen can use DX11, as the 450 can use some of the performance enhancements in DX11. So I agree there.

Ultimately though, @ 1080p I'd want a better card if they want to play other more demanding game titles than WoW or CODMW.

All comes down to budget though. And the power supply on hand.

sorry for the late reply, pesky water pipes froze up. the Power supply is a Okai 450W.

Thank you for all your help.

 

[purple stain]

30 amps on the 12/v
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817162021&cm_re=Okai_450W-_-17-162-021-_-Product

think thats it.

You should be able to run a GTS450 or a 5770 fine.But anything like a gtx460 or a 6850 i would reccomend getting a new PSU.

 

[yesitsmario]

HD 5770 for $100 after rebate is a good deal http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161338&cm_re=hd_5770-_-14-161-338-_-Product

 

[cthunder067]

checkout this card by Asus the GTS 450. This is card I went with and I also play WoW

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121394

Also checkout this link on the GTS 450
http://www.pureoverclock.com/review.php?id=1068&page=1

 

[purple stain]

On second thought,i wouldn't push it with a GTS450,maybe just a 5770 instead.And even that is still pushing it.Best thing to do would be to ge a new PSU.