how do I choose the best realm?

[Dayle]

I'm running out of character slots in my Realm, and I don't wanna go to a Low population server. I want a server that's not on the other side of the country either (im east).

edit: Alright I'm choosing between Exodar, Dalaran, Grizzly Hills, and Uldaman. I prefer EST time but those ones are nearby and have a good alliance population.

[Deleted]

Aren't they all hosted in the same place?

[Splenda]

http://www.warcraftrealms.com/

[Odexy]

Close your eyes and pick at random imo.

[Dayle]

no they're in 4 different locations I think, and the time zone the game has isn't always where it's at. Mine's EST time and it's certainly not in the East.

And I can't find any info on realm location from that site.

[Throll]

You didn't use google did you? It certainly took you longer to get my reply than the 30 seconds I spent to find this:

http://www.wowwiki.com/US_realm_list_by_datacenter

Anyway, I recently rerolled on Mannoroth which is an EST PvP realm on the Chicago datacenter(it doesn't really matter to me since I'm in a whole other country), it is a high population realm with pretty even alliance:horde ratio(according to wow census), and it's been a nice realm so far.

[Maleficious]

There are sites for that but still I've always been thinking that the best realm is where your friends are.

[Dayle]

Oh btw, I'm alliance. All PvP servers are usually 99% horde so I'd like to avoid that too, obviously avoiding Malgannis server. I wish there was a thing you could just type in your state or zip code to tell you your best servers.

Wait wtf they used to be in Boston? Oh come on I thought they've always been in New York!! Just when I got my new awesome internet connection the servers move away from me...

[Dayle]

Alright I'm choosing between Exodar, Dalaran, Grizzly Hills, and Uldaman. I prefer EST time but those ones are nearby and have a good alliance population.

[Galbrei]

Wowwiki has a page talking a little bit about the background of each realm, like interesting events or top guilds. You should check the ones you're considering joining.

[Dayle]

It's hard to choose because my server is Chicago (I'll say I'm in Boston) and the server is 70% horde medium pop, and this other server is nearby in New York but 70% alliance I'll get the same ping.