What would I need to run Wow smoothly at maximum settings?

[Netherspark]

I'm considering building/buying a new PC to replace my old pile of crap and I want to know how powerful (expensive) components would I need to have Wow running smoothly with every in-game setting at maximum. I just don't know that much about computers anymore.

How powerful a processor?
How powerful a graphics card?
How much RAM?

Could someone recommend any specific chips etc?

Preferably I want the minimum requirements to achieve this, I don't want to end up overspending on things I may not really need.

What I've been looking at is this self-built system:

Intel Core i5 2400 (3Gz quad core)
NVidia GeForce GTX 550 Ti 900MHz 1GB
RAM: 4GB DDR3 1333Mhz

Is this too much/little/about right?

[Wrestler10307]

That'll run it fine, but I'd really recommend spending another $30 and getting a 2500 or 2500k i5, especially if you have plans to overclock

[dogtastic]

i just had to upgrade my graphics card and the stats were about the same......i personally think if your pocket can afford it go a lil more beefed up

[Mad_Murdock]

Hmm, do you raid ? With a I7, 8GB and a 580GTX I still get little slowdowns on 25 man fights like Ultraxion. Though the beta probably needs more tweaks, with everything at Ultra, I can hit down to 25 fps in the cities when crowded. Some of the quest areas caused some noticable dips. Though most all those problems are fixed by just turning shadows off, so I dunno how important it is to have shadows at max.

I think the CPU is fine, I'd suggest considering 8GB of ram and something along the lines of a 570GTX

[Xyanide]

Hmm, do you raid ? With a I7, 8GB and a 580GTX I still get little slowdowns on 25 man fights like Ultraxion. Though the beta probably needs more tweaks, with everything at Ultra, I can hit down to 25 fps in the cities when crowded. Some of the quest areas caused some noticable dips. Though most all those problems are fixed by just turning shadows off, so I dunno how important it is to have shadows at max.

I think the CPU is fine, I'd suggest considering 8GB of ram and something along the lines of a 570GTX

A 570GTX just to play wow, are you kidding lol? If your frames are dropping THAT much with a build like that, try turning down the shadows when you're raiding, that's a HUGE frame raper

[Netherspark]

No plans to overclock.

The thing is I don't have that much money atm so I kinda want the best 'cheap' system I can get.

[Mad_Murdock]

A 570GTX just to play wow, are you kidding lol? If your frames are dropping THAT much with a build like that, try turning down the shadows when you're raiding, that's a HUGE frame raper

That's what I did suggest, but he said he wanted to run on MAX. Who am I to deny him MAX shadows in raid ?

[Dandello19]

Check out the "Build of the Month - by Chaud", mmo-champion puts it on the front page every month, he makes multiple builds and has prices for every component.

[Zamfix]

No plans to overclock.

The thing is I don't have that much money atm so I kinda want the best 'cheap' system I can get.

You should be able to build a decent rig that will run WoW smoothly on high, maybe ultra, setting for ~$700. Anything less and you're going to start having to make compromises most likely.

[Netherspark]

Ok thanks for the help.

I have anoter little dilema though. I'm looking at graphics cards, the Nvidia GTX 550 but there's like a dozen different versions all from different manufactorers.

ASUS, MSI, EVGA, GIGABYTE, PNY, ZOTAC, GAINWARD and NOVATECH... what exactly is the difference between these cards? They seem pretty much identical to me, except for the fans/faceplate.

[Lightwysh]

Ok thanks for the help.

I have anoter little dilema though. I'm looking at graphics cards, the Nvidia GTX 550 but there's 4 different versions all from different manufactorers.

ASUS, MSI, EVGA and Novatech... what exactly is the difference between these cards? They seem pretty much identical to me, except for the fans/faceplate.

I have the EVGA 550ti 2gig. "superclocked" it says on the box, I have everything cranked up with 9gig ddr3 and 2.6ghz i7. i have shadows on lowest setting and everything else on max. only time i get frame drops are ultrax 25 and then it drops to 45ish.

[Sicktired]

Ok thanks for the help.

I have anoter little dilema though. I'm looking at graphics cards, the Nvidia GTX 550 but there's like a dozen different versions all from different manufactorers.

ASUS, MSI, EVGA, GIGABYTE, PNY, ZOTAC, GAINWARD and NOVATECH... what exactly is the difference between these cards? They seem pretty much identical to me, except for the fans/faceplate.

They are about the same, you can overclock them all about the same and you can play wow with the shadows turned down. The order that you have them in is pretty much the order that i trust the brands. I know that msi and evga have a nice overclocking utility and oc very well.

[ShaanuJaanu]

That build is fine. WoW doesn't take much to run smoothly.

oh how wrong you are.


even a GTX 580 on SLI and i7 2600k OCed to 4.5ghz with 8MBs of DDR 3 RAM...and a PC with all the bells and whistles lags(sub 30 FPS) when I raid 25m with MAX settings (with everything turned on)

[vesseblah]

That build is fine. WoW doesn't take much to run smoothly.

Fine for 1280x1024 monitor from last century.

If you want maxed (OP asked for it in the title) settings in 25-man raids with modern 1920x1080 monitor you need to up the budget pretty significantly.

[Dudejoss]

oh how wrong you are.


even a GTX 580 on SLI and i7 2600k OCed to 4.5ghz with 8MBs of DDR 3 RAM...and a PC with all the bells and whistles lags(sub 30 FPS) when I raid 25m with MAX settings (with everything turned on)

i am hoping that is not true i just got basicly the same build hoping to not have any issue (only difference is i run 3 monitors with 2 gtx680's and 16gb of ram)

[ShaanuJaanu]

WoW isn't a high end graphics game. Now, if he wanted to play a game like Skyrim or Call of Duty, then I would suggest an upgrade. WoW was designed for players to play on moderate setup computers. If you think you need to play WoW (and only WoW) on a GTX 680 to have your settings on Ultra, then you don't know what you are doing. If you only play WoW, than worry more about a GOOD CPU, than a high end graphics card.

I play WoW with a GTX 570 superclocked, and I get about 70-80 fps in Raids with no lags (I have an awesome CPU though)....I didn't get that card just for WoW though.

While I agree that CPU has greater impact on WoW, when you turn on all graphics settings like AA/Shadows..its the graphic's card that handles most of the advanced graphics settings.

and even the 3960X (which I doubt you have given that you only run a 570) is only like 10% better than my 2600k..especially OCed to 4.5ghz.

so save your bullshit, and try raiding some 25m and tell me you still get 70 FPS on fights like Ultraxion on 1920*1080 with max settings(unless you are looking at the ground)

[mikeo007]

Core i5 would be overkill to play wow. You could get away with an i3 or even some cheapo AMD chip.
One of my rigs is running an i3 2100 and frame rates are identical to a machine with an i7 (if I swap the GPUs of course)

[Deleted]

"My bullshit" was 70-80 fps (steady and on Ultraxion aswell) in 25 mans with a GTX 570 superclocked and settings on Ultra o_O, true story....

Oh, and I have the 1920*1080 HD too.....in case you wanted to add a comment to that aswell.

I'm sorry but this really IS BS...

Might sound cliché but SS or didn't happen.

Even with shadows only on high and 4x AA I get ~40-50 fps during the intensive parts of ultraxion with a 560ti OC'd and a 4.4ghz i5, no way you're on true ultra (max shadows, max AA) and getting a steady 70-80fps during the actual AOE parts of it with a 570.

[Deleted]

Yep, I am. No BS. I have my vsync disabled. If it is enabled i get about what youre getting.

I have v-synch disabled and max fps capped to ~60 instead.

[Deleted]

I also have the vsync disabled on my cards global 3d options

You do know the default is Use Application settings...

Rather than trying to blame v-synch (which unless you encounter screen-tearing is unneeded) it would probably be easier to LFR ultraxion and SS the fps with graphics settings open sub-20% or so with all the hasted aoe healing going off, or on madness with aoe dps AND aoe healing going on...