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Author Topic: Video Card recommendations for WoW?  (Read 11814 times)

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BlueCross

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Video Card recommendations for WoW?
« on: November 12, 2007, 06:14:40 PM »
My video card (Radeon X1300) is almost certainly overheating.  Can't tell for sure as this is one of them that doesn't have a temperature monitor.  But the symptoms are classic.  Random types of errors at random times, occurring more frequently over time.  Only in WoW (the only graphics intensive game I am playing right now), and if I turn my PC off for about an hour, it extends the time I can play before crashing again.  (and yes, latest drivers, latest Directx, tried numerous graphic settings, etc etc etc)

Anyway, what card(s) are you guys using, and do  you like it?  And what would you recommend?  Has to be AGP as I don't yet want to spend the bucks for a m/b with PCI Express (although that does seem to be the future, and the future is damn near now).
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"for the record, I'm not some kind of psychotic provincialist." - Than (ed: Cit. required)
"I lost my game of NT: Garry's fault. Global warming: Garry's fault. End-of-the-Universe: Garry's fault. See it always fits. Anyway, what is Garry up to? No good I bet." - Laszlo
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Brugdor

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Re: Video Card recommendations for WoW?
« Reply #1 on: November 12, 2007, 06:56:02 PM »
Quote from: BlueCross on November 12, 2007, 06:14:40 PM
My video card (Radeon X1300) is almost certainly overheating.  Can't tell for sure as this is one of them that doesn't have a temperature monitor.  But the symptoms are classic.  Random types of errors at random times, occurring more frequently over time.  Only in WoW (the only graphics intensive game I am playing right now), and if I turn my PC off for about an hour, it extends the time I can play before crashing again.  (and yes, latest drivers, latest Directx, tried numerous graphic settings, etc etc etc)

Anyway, what card(s) are you guys using, and do  you like it?  And what would you recommend?  Has to be AGP as I don't yet want to spend the bucks for a m/b with PCI Express (although that does seem to be the future, and the future is damn near now).

When I was playing WoW I was using a 6600gt AGP card from Nvidia and it ran it fine. They probably have even better AGP cards like a 6800gt or such that probably would be dirt cheap now.

*points* http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010380048+1069609639&name=AGP+4X%2f8X
« Last Edit: November 12, 2007, 06:58:04 PM by Brugdor »
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TK

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Re: Video Card recommendations for WoW?
« Reply #2 on: November 12, 2007, 09:42:12 PM »
You could get hold of something like a 7600gt from Nvidia or you could go for something like an ATI x1950 pro.  Ati also have thier mid to low end cards from this generation available as AGP parts so if you want DX10 you could go for a 2600 xt.  Any of those cards should handle WOW perfectly well.

Before you upgrade though you should probably make sure your cooling solution is up to it, be sure that you have at least one fan at the back and one at the front.  If you more air being forced out of the back than you pull in (which is probably the norm) you'll get more effective cooling but you'll draw in more dust too so you'll need to clean your case out more often to keep the efficiency.  I'd say my case probably leans towards being a negative pressure system so it's clean inside but relatively inefficient, I have a contained water cooling system for my CPU though so my cooling requirements aren't quite as high as it would be with air cooling.  You really should make sure that you are pushing more air than you're pulling or vice versa because you get dead air which raises the temperature.

   
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Dragonetti

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Re: Video Card recommendations for WoW?
« Reply #3 on: November 12, 2007, 10:14:49 PM »
All I'm going to say is nVidia. I'm a victim of marketing (and frankly good merchandise actually). My nVidia (I forget what it is now-it's old though --its also in my computer which is the other side of England before you think that's a weird thin to say) is pounded by steam frequently and responds beautifully. Nobody I know has been one hundred percent happy with a Radeon now that I think about it. 
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Petrarch

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Re: Video Card recommendations for WoW?
« Reply #4 on: November 12, 2007, 10:38:05 PM »
Quote from: Dragonetti on November 12, 2007, 10:14:49 PM
Nobody I know has been one hundred percent happy with a Radeon now that I think about it. 

I'm one. Conversely until now I've not spoken with anyone 100% happy with an nVidia. After the disaster that was the FX range I swore I'd never use an nVidia card again. Though both sides still have problems with Vista drivers, which is why I'm waiting a few more months before considering an upgrade, I'll be sticking with ATI.
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BlueCross

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Re: Video Card recommendations for WoW?
« Reply #5 on: November 12, 2007, 11:17:14 PM »
One really sad thing is that about two years ago I swore I was never going to buy a video card again from 'XXX'.

But problem?  I forgot who 'XXX' is!  :'(
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"for the record, I'm not some kind of psychotic provincialist." - Than (ed: Cit. required)
"I lost my game of NT: Garry's fault. Global warming: Garry's fault. End-of-the-Universe: Garry's fault. See it always fits. Anyway, what is Garry up to? No good I bet." - Laszlo
"As for your French, it's probably better than the average English-speaking Frenchman's Finnish! (Or something.)" - wa
"I'm back at Thunderfalls now and every minute thinking of poking a bandit in the eye with a fishhook." - Preyveil
"and yet still nothing has made it to BC's signature!"-KMD

Brugdor

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Re: Video Card recommendations for WoW?
« Reply #6 on: November 12, 2007, 11:31:09 PM »
Quote from: BlueCross on November 12, 2007, 11:17:14 PM
One really sad thing is that about two years ago I swore I was never going to buy a video card again from 'XXX'.

But problem?  I forgot who 'XXX' is!  :'(

Maybe you should google "XXX" to try and remember.   ;)
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"When planning a new picture we don't think of grown ups and we don't think of children but just of that fine, clean, unspoiled spot down deep in every one of us that maybe the world has made us forget and that maybe our pictures can help recall." - Walt Disney

BlueCross

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Re: Video Card recommendations for WoW?
« Reply #7 on: November 12, 2007, 11:33:05 PM »
Quote from: Brugdor on November 12, 2007, 11:31:09 PM
Quote from: BlueCross on November 12, 2007, 11:17:14 PM
One really sad thing is that about two years ago I swore I was never going to buy a video card again from 'XXX'.

But problem?  I forgot who 'XXX' is!  :'(

Maybe you should google "XXX" to try and remember.   ;)

Odd you should mention that...
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"for the record, I'm not some kind of psychotic provincialist." - Than (ed: Cit. required)
"I lost my game of NT: Garry's fault. Global warming: Garry's fault. End-of-the-Universe: Garry's fault. See it always fits. Anyway, what is Garry up to? No good I bet." - Laszlo
"As for your French, it's probably better than the average English-speaking Frenchman's Finnish! (Or something.)" - wa
"I'm back at Thunderfalls now and every minute thinking of poking a bandit in the eye with a fishhook." - Preyveil
"and yet still nothing has made it to BC's signature!"-KMD

Brugdor

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Re: Video Card recommendations for WoW?
« Reply #8 on: November 12, 2007, 11:45:53 PM »
Quote from: BlueCross on November 12, 2007, 11:33:05 PM
Quote from: Brugdor on November 12, 2007, 11:31:09 PM
Quote from: BlueCross on November 12, 2007, 11:17:14 PM
One really sad thing is that about two years ago I swore I was never going to buy a video card again from 'XXX'.

But problem?  I forgot who 'XXX' is!  :'(

Maybe you should google "XXX" to try and remember.   ;)

Odd you should mention that...

*innocent look*

*straightens halo*
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"When planning a new picture we don't think of grown ups and we don't think of children but just of that fine, clean, unspoiled spot down deep in every one of us that maybe the world has made us forget and that maybe our pictures can help recall." - Walt Disney

The SysMan

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Re: Video Card recommendations for WoW?
« Reply #9 on: November 13, 2007, 03:44:27 AM »
You're doing it wrong. The horns help keep the halo up
<.<
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BlueCross

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Re: Video Card recommendations for WoW?
« Reply #10 on: November 13, 2007, 06:17:27 PM »
So I started shopping around for a new video card... price, performance, etc.  Tom's Hardware has some good articles.

But...

I DIDN'T REALIZE YOU HAD TO HAVE A FUCKING EE DEGREE TO BUY A VIDEO CARD!
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"for the record, I'm not some kind of psychotic provincialist." - Than (ed: Cit. required)
"I lost my game of NT: Garry's fault. Global warming: Garry's fault. End-of-the-Universe: Garry's fault. See it always fits. Anyway, what is Garry up to? No good I bet." - Laszlo
"As for your French, it's probably better than the average English-speaking Frenchman's Finnish! (Or something.)" - wa
"I'm back at Thunderfalls now and every minute thinking of poking a bandit in the eye with a fishhook." - Preyveil
"and yet still nothing has made it to BC's signature!"-KMD

TK

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Re: Video Card recommendations for WoW?
« Reply #11 on: November 13, 2007, 07:19:25 PM »
Get yourself an x1950pro or  2600xt from ATI, the x1950 pro is around twice the price but it's a faster card. 

If you go for an nVidia card you'll find that it'll be a little slower than the comparative ATI card in its price range and that you'll have major trouble with the drivers unless you remeove the ATI ones with something like driver cleaner.
« Last Edit: November 14, 2007, 09:02:59 AM by TK »
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Brugdor

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Re: Video Card recommendations for WoW?
« Reply #12 on: November 13, 2007, 09:44:01 PM »
Quote from: BlueCross on November 13, 2007, 06:17:27 PM
I DIDN'T REALIZE YOU HAD TO HAVE A FUCKING EE DEGREE TO BUY A VIDEO CARD!

Hehe, it's certainly getting that way. You have to be careful because companies will sell crappy versions of some cards for cheap. Watch out for anything that seems a little too low compared to other cards of the same type. They'll stick ram on them that isn't as good or underclock the board. Always look up reviews of the specific card you are getting to see what they say.
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"When planning a new picture we don't think of grown ups and we don't think of children but just of that fine, clean, unspoiled spot down deep in every one of us that maybe the world has made us forget and that maybe our pictures can help recall." - Walt Disney

Petrarch

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Re: Video Card recommendations for WoW?
« Reply #13 on: November 14, 2007, 12:49:10 AM »
Watch the clock speeds on the memory and check who the brand is. If it seems unusually cheap compared to the same models, odds are somethings not up to par and it's been cut down somewhere. Sapphire Technology and Asus tend to make a good bit of kit in that department, though I'd avoid any un-branded cards, as there usually tends to be a catch in there somewhere.
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BlueCross

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Re: Video Card recommendations for WoW?
« Reply #14 on: November 14, 2007, 01:11:40 AM »
I just made a 'short list' of cards for when I go shopping tonight but it's in the truck so I can't post it here. :)

Some I remember (from Tom's Hardware, probably can't do better than their recommendations):
GeForce 7600 GS  $100
Radeon HD 2600XT $115
Radeon X1950 GT  $130
Radeon ?Pro      $160 (forot the model number)
something else

It kind of depends what's in stock.  I have AGP because I'm not ready to spring for a new PCI-Express m/b and all associated hardware (maybe next year), so I'm not going to go too crazy until then.

Also, AGP is getting harder and harder to get (a dying technology) but at least it means they'll be a bit cheaper.

Turns out my current card (Radeon 1300) was on the list of "this will barely run WoW".
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"for the record, I'm not some kind of psychotic provincialist." - Than (ed: Cit. required)
"I lost my game of NT: Garry's fault. Global warming: Garry's fault. End-of-the-Universe: Garry's fault. See it always fits. Anyway, what is Garry up to? No good I bet." - Laszlo
"As for your French, it's probably better than the average English-speaking Frenchman's Finnish! (Or something.)" - wa
"I'm back at Thunderfalls now and every minute thinking of poking a bandit in the eye with a fishhook." - Preyveil
"and yet still nothing has made it to BC's signature!"-KMD
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