Video Card for WoW (help please)

[VoltaireWrites]

I sincerely apologize if this is the incorrect section.

I experience around 12 FPS or less in 25 man raids with all my settings down(besides projected textures). I was wondering if a new Video Card would help me out. I must play on a laptop because of my current situation.

OPERATING SYSTEM:
Windows 2.6.1.7600

CPU TYPE:
Intel® Core™2 Duo CPU T6600 @ 2.20GHz

CPU SPEED (GHZ):
2.22

SYSTEM MEMORY (GB):
3.93
VIDEO CARD MODEL:
Mobile Intel(R) 4 Series Express Chipset Family

VIDEO CARD DRIVER:
igdumdx32.dll

DESKTOP RESOLUTION:
1600x900

HARD DISK SIZE (GB):
453.66

HARD DISK FREE SPACE (GB):
375.25

There are my system specs. I would love any feedback on how to improve my FPS. Ideally I would love to run at ~25 FPS with all settings on high.

Thank you all in advance.

[Deleted]

I dont think your lappy can get a new graphics card, my old one couldn't...

[Draklar]

According to the model of your video card, I think it's a built-in card and it can not be easily replaced.

My advice is either get a new laptop or contact the seller technical department and ask them if they can upgrade the video (which I doubt though).

[LeBoucher]

Well, if you had a desktop I would suggest a Geforce card. Anything 8800 and above.
I recommend getting a 9600, for they don't cost as much as they used to, and they're twice as good as an 8800.

[hmmlol]

Hello, this could be of interest to you http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/02/a...processing-to/

[Shian]

I heard that if you want to switch a built-in video card on a laptop you have to switch the whole motherboard

[Moshpit]

is this a laptop?

[loki504]

you could look for a external video card.

google up asus xg station.

the card inside it isn't to great. but would be a lot better then you have now.
and its hard to find. didn't find it yet

[sandollor]

Nope you'll have to either replace the laptop or get a desktop. Sorry.

[SuperflyForever]

Well, if you had a desktop I would suggest a Geforce card. Anything 8800 and above.
I recommend getting a 9600, for they don't cost as much as they used to, and they're twice as good as an 8800.

Or just completely skip Nvidia and go ATI instead. Better quality for a little bit extra money.

[zenkai]

Unless you spend thousands of dollars laptop will never stack up to a gaming pc. I built a new PC with 2 SLI video cards for a total of 3.4 gig of video memory, combined with a solid state drive, my FPS is great. I run through Dalaran with max settings with 0 choppiness.

[Richmond]

Your problem is that you do not have a dedicated graphics card, i had the same problem with my previous laptop. When your buying you need to specify that you need a dedicated rather than an integrated graphics card.

Tbh, you could possibly get slightly higher FPS if you shut down a couple of the things that run in the background (perhaps an antivirus or whatever window you have open in the background) but you'll be lucky to break 20 FPS in a 25 man, even on low settings.

It'd been too much trouble to upgrade your graphics card on a laptop, i'd recommend buying a newer one (£600 will get you a decent one that will/should play Cata) or just stick with the one you have until you get the funds. I would highly advise you not to upgrade your current laptops graphics card

[Eatfreshsub]

Well, if you had a desktop I would suggest a Geforce card. Anything 8800 and above.
I recommend getting a 9600, for they don't cost as much as they used to, and they're twice as good as an 8800.

Those cards are essentially the same, the 9600 is barely an upgrade over a 8800gt.

[Deleted]

Or just completely skip Nvidia and go ATI instead. Better quality for a little bit extra money.

Actually nvidia gf 460 is pretty much the best bang for the buck atm. And no I don't have it, I got 2x Radeon 4890 CF. But I'd go with gf 460 right now if I was to get a new card.

[Deleted]

Well, if you had a desktop I would suggest a Geforce card. Anything 8800 and above.
I recommend getting a 9600, for they don't cost as much as they used to, and they're twice as good as an 8800.

Just to cut in here, the Geforce 8-9 series are PLAGUED with DEATH. There are shitloads of issues arising once the card reaches 2y+, namely artifacts and thus rendering the card useless if you aren't a tweaker, due to cheap materials used by nvidia. I just had my 8800GTX do this to me after 2.8 years, and I had to completely disassemble and repair it (bake it, google it if you don't believe me) for it to work again (no idea how long it will last). Ati is the better choice if you want budgetcards (which the 8-9 series are now).

As for laptop GPU upgrading, just don't, it's not worth it. Either get a proper laptop if you can't have a desktop (>850$), but laptop GPU's are innately crap and will have problems rendering fire/smoke. My laptop has a HD4670 mobile and it still has rather low FPS in 25m raids on the same settings you use, but on 1680x1050.

[Xeraluin]

similllar specs to my laptop, hm, you sould be able to have everything on max except shadows and partical...blahblahblah at ~30 fps

[Deleted]

Those cards are essentially the same, the 9600 is barely an upgrade over a 8800gt.

8800 GT outperforms 9600 GT in plenty of benchmarks though.

[brirrspliff]

do not play on laptops! as far as wow goes, any gfx card that has been decent in last 5 years will do. just make sure you have 4gb ram and a 64bit system. :-)

Or just completely skip Nvidia and go ATI instead. Better quality for a little bit extra money.

lol. nvidia beats wecantdodriversati any day...

[Deleted]

2gb ram is more than enough really unless you like to alt tab a lot and stuff :O

Good point about laptops though, unless you want to invest 1000+ € on it.

[Vaporizer]

Lowering your resolution can help a lot too.

instead of 1600x900 go down to 1280x800 or even lower if you can/need to.