Comp Spec Question..

[Axzion]

Im thinking about buying WoW and i was wondering if my specs could run it smoothly...
and will it run ok with just a gig ram? cause i got xp...




Processor (CPU):Intel® Pentium® DualCore E2180 (2 X 2.00GHz)800MHz FSB/1MB Cache

RAM:1GB CORSAIR DDR2 667MHz

Motherboard:ASUS® P5VD2-VM: DDR2, S-ATA II, 1 x PCI-E x16, 2 PCI, etc

Operating System: WINDOWS® XP Home

Memory:250GB SERIAL ATA II HARD DRIVE WITH 8MB CACHE (7200rpm)

Dvd Drive:20x Dual Layer LightScribe DVD Writer ±R/±RW/RAM

Graphics Card:1024MB GEFORCE 8600GT PCI Express

please answer back asap so i know whether or not to upgrade my comp, thank you very much for your time.

[DrScience]

Yeah everything looks fine there - you will most likely be able to play WoW on high(er) graphics settings. And you shouldn't need more than a gig of memory if you're running in XP... but having an extra gig would certainly help out. I would say that the amount of RAM and the video card you chose would slow you down a bit, but overall... not too bad.

[Khab]

Can you get another gig of RAM and get a slightly cheaper video card? DDR2 is so cheap now you can get 2GB for like $30-40 after rebate (or cheaper).

I'm not sure how much difference in price there is between a 1GB 8600 and a 512 8600.

[Kalos]

Can you get another gig of RAM and get a slightly cheaper video card? DDR2 is so cheap now you can get 2GB for like $30-40 after rebate (or cheaper).

I'm not sure how much difference in price there is between a 1GB 8600 and a 512 8600.
I agree completely. That's a bad video card choice. It doesn't have the bus ability to address it's own memory properly, due to more ram being slapped onto it that it was designed for. It may look impressive, but overstuffing hurts performance, not improving it at all. Get one of the regular 512 MB versions, the 1024 MB customisation is a gimmick designed to pull people in on the amount of memory without having any idea as to the consiquences or performance it actually yeilds. You'd be saving money, getting more performance if you choose to get the extra gig of ram, and have a longer lasting machine. These days, one gig is the default base for most computers in the shops. It cuts it now, four years ago it was great, but it won't for much longer. For $20-25 a gig, get two, literally won't see prices like this for a long time once DDR3 replaces DDR2.

If you already have this machine, I'd save up for a week (four or five hours on minimum wage should be more than enough money) and buy the extra gig to make it fly in the cities and big raids.

[Axzion]

Okay well thanks for your help guys, But i need a little bit more...
Erm....with ram, does it work like i can stick in another 1gig in and it'll=2gb...
Or do i have to stick in a completely new 2gig piece of ram...

Thanks with your help if you answer this, and can you link me to a site where i can buy a suitable piece of 2gig ram that will work well for my system.

[Kalos]

The Recommend Hardware sticky thread that is at the top of this forum has several good shops and items listed. http://wow.incgamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=391708

As to weither you can simply add new ram around the old stuff, or if you'll need to take out the old and replace it completely, that's down to your current setup. Now here's how to find out what your current setup is.

Visit this website (which is also listed in the sticky, amongst other great programs for scanning and identifying ect) http://www.crucial.com/systemscanner/ and use the automated scanner to find out your setup, and take a picture of the important information and upload it to one of those photo sites. Link the URL and we'll be able to see it and tell you what is the right product to get to suit your current ram setup.

[Khab]

You can also use a program like CPU-Z which will tell you about the motherboard, memory, etc.

[Kalos]

Indeed, CPU-Z could do this function well. Requires a few different instructions though in order to aquire the necessary results, I recommend the Crucial scanner metohd because it's all automated and on one page, which is something I can appritiate, as well as being easier for a newcomer to capture and put up online for analysis. The CPU-Z used to be my method of choice however, and still is on things like expansion slots, detailed memory analysis, and the obvious CPU/motherboard IDing.

[Axzion]

Okay I'll post the results up in a few days which is when i should get my setup....But if i don't buy new ram couldn't i just simply run WoW in low detail? wouldn't that make me able to visit towns/cities smoothly without the 2gig....or is ram still needed?

[Khab]

It'll work fine with 1GB of ram. Just start on the lower resolutions and check your frame rate.

[elsegundo]

i know its probably already said in so many ways, but i just wanna chime in!!

always get speed over capacity. if i had a choice between 800 mhz ram and 667 mhz ram, i'd choose the 800. and since you have 667mhz already, you cannot mix them and have different speeds. your computer will downgrade to the slowest speed ram no matter what. today's prices for DDR2 isnt that different for the different speeds, but if you're happy with the 667mhz, and want to add another stick of ram, get the same speed. dont get an extra stick of faster speed ram thinking that it will make you go faster. it wont. you'll still go at the lower speed of the two ram you got.
hope that's clear.

i agree with both repliers on the ram in your videocard. make sure the bit rate is high (128 bit), the ram type is GDDR3, and the memory clock speed at least 1400mhz. i also think core clock speed is important as well, at 500mhz or more. 256mb or 512mb is all you really need. having a gig of video ram might look great, but it really isnt.

manufacturers like to slow down your card by adding slower ram (slower bit rate, slower clock speed, type DDR2 ram). a lot of people think that more ram = better card, but thats almost never the case. i would opt for less, but faster ram.

[Axzion]

Okay...but once again...
Will WoW run SMOOTHLY if i just run it on low quality with these specs?
Please don't mention stuff about more ram unless its really needed.

..and when i meen smoothly i meen no lagging or jolting within major cities or towns.

[elsegundo]

oh hell yea. you should be fine. besides, your ram isnt the major factor here. 1 gig is enough. its your videoram, and it should be ok too. you dont have a bad system, if that's what you're asking. dont waste any more money. just get the game and enjoy.

[Axzion]

thank lord someone gave me an answer i was looking for!
1000 internets to you my man.

[elsegundo]

dude.... here are my system specs:
Pentium D, 2.4.ghz
Intel mobo
2 gigs 800mhz ram
500 gig sata hdd
some dvd r drive
and get this... a geforce 6200 with 128 megs of vram.

i play at 1024x768, AA and AF off, spell details at 0, terrain detail at 0, but viewing distance at max. i get 15-20 fps.

i play it just fine, and i think i can play it like this for longer. i've just ordered a geforce8600gt with 256 megs DDR3 ram. im expecting to add more details, but keep the same resolution. it should kick my fps up to about 30-40 also.

if my system runs wow just fine, yours should do so too.

[elsegundo]

just a little update. i just got my 8600gt last night and maxed everything at 1024x768 resolution.
my processor is actually a 2.8ghz pentium d.
2 gigs of 800mhz ram
and the 8600gt has 256 DDR3 Ram, 128bit, yadayada can be found here. (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150258)

doing 50-60 fps, drops to 40 in busy areas. details are exceptional, amazing.
installed like a breeze. first time running WoW on it, wow couldnt find a suitable display. restarted WoW and it worked with default settings.

if i can run this on my system. yours should be fine.

[Erinion]

I was shocked when I bought a new 24" monitor and found my x1950 pro ran it at 40-55 fps at 1920x1200 maxed out.

Your 8600 gt will be fine.

[Kalos]

I was shocked when I bought a new 24" monitor and found my x1950 pro ran it at 40-55 fps at 1920x1200 maxed out.

Your 8600 gt will be fine.
The x1950 far outstrips the 8600 GT. It will be fine indeed, but the two are quite seperate in the benchmarks, the 8600 GT is barely better than the 7600 GT that used to be quite common.

I think this machine will run the game fine. The ran is probably the main weakness, but even a brilliant machine has soft spots. It's better than many rigs I've seen come through here on this question.

[Erinion]

My point (which I now realise I didnt make very clearly) is that the 8600 gt should run WoW fine at 1024x768 and even 1280x1024.

Compared to most new games WoW is not that taxing on a GPU - it is a few years old now after all.