Processor question.

[aoba]

I'm currently renting to own a computer with a 1.6 Processor and was thinking of paying a little more for a 2.2 processor for Cata. Is this going to majorly affect the game? Or am I going to be fine in 25m modes with 1.6 with Spell Detail really high?

[Erik765]

Not really a lot of info there do go off of... is it Intel or AMD? Find out which processor it is and we can better help you...

More Mhz will ALWAYS help in WoW. If you can afford it go for the better, but if it's a lame processor it prob won't make much of a difference.

[aoba]

Right now currently. AMD Athlon II.

[Erik765]

Imo, that will run Cata (the 2.2 that is), but you shouldn't expect to have all your video settings any higher than low in a 25 man raid.

[aoba]

Ah. So I should get the 2.2 processor. I thought the 1.6 might be alright, but thanks.

[Deleted]

A 1.6 dual core is really bad. And even a 2200mhz dual core with NO l3 CACHE is also bad!

[Diaxx]

A 1.6 dual core is really bad. And even a 2200mhz dual core with NO l3 CACHE is also bad!

This. My processor now is better than that and it goes around 80 percent load just playing wow and internet...

[zenkai]

This. My processor now is better than that and it goes around 80 percent load just playing wow and internet...

Then you should probably uninstall some stuff, I have an old P4 computer that runs WOW just fine. Go to your run command (or search bar if vista/w7) type msconfig, go to your startup tab and disable anything you dont need (which is pretty much almost everything but your antivirus. Reboot and you're golden.

[Deleted]

I have an old P4 computer that runs WOW just fine

Well my P4 2.93ghz which im using at this moment also runs fine while questing or BG with all settings on low. In 25 man raids im at max 14 fps during fights. So good luck with getting that claim through.

[Moobious]

This. My processor now is better than that and it goes around 80 percent load just playing wow and internet...

Processors aren't Ram. Just because your processor isn't seeing 100% load doesn't mean that it isn't bottlenecking you.

To run wow at playable frame rates on a somewhat modern monitor you need to have a minimum of phenom 2, i5 or i7 CPU with 3 or more cores. Playing at low resolution can garner acceptable frame rates but you run the risk of on screen text blocking stuff that you need to see.

With how technology is shaping up buying anything less that a quad core will have your machine struggling to run current software in less than 2 years (Games that is facebook, porn and word work just fine on a single core ARM chip).

[Cilraaz]

This. My processor now is better than that and it goes around 80 percent load just playing wow and internet...

Then you should probably uninstall some stuff, I have an old P4 computer that runs WOW just fine. Go to your run command (or search bar if vista/w7) type msconfig, go to your startup tab and disable anything you dont need (which is pretty much almost everything but your antivirus. Reboot and you're golden.

I would suggest some research regarding CPU speed vs CPU utilization. You'll learn that utilization has very little to do with performance in an application like WoW.

[zenkai]

I would suggest some research regarding CPU speed vs CPU utilization. You'll learn that utilization has very little to do with performance in an application like WoW.

That's exactly the point i was trying to make, sorry it flew over your head

---------- Post added 2010-10-28 at 12:04 PM ----------

Well my P4 2.93ghz which im using at this moment also runs fine while questing or BG with all settings on low. In 25 man raids im at max 14 fps during fights. So good luck with getting that claim through.

Thats your video card, not your CPU speed.

[Cilraaz]

That's exactly the point i was trying to make, sorry it flew over your head

So, telling someone to disable items in msconfig is somehow relevant to CPU utilization? I'm sorry that you don't understand how computers work.

Thats your video card, not your CPU speed.

CPU speed has everything to do with 25-man raid framerate. GPU actually has relatively little to do with it.

[zenkai]

So, telling someone to disable items in msconfig is somehow relevant to CPU utilization? I'm sorry that you don't understand how computers work.



CPU speed has everything to do with 25-man raid framerate. GPU actually has relatively little to do with it.

Wha wha wha wha what? LMAO, the only time my FPS ever dropped on lower end computers was when I had little ram and my computer would have to hit my Hard Drive to load additional graphics in high peopulated areas. So if CPU has so little to do with it, how is it I would upgrade my graphic cards and I would get better FPS? I have 3 computers iwth wow installed, a P.4, a Duo Core, and a i7Quad core and with the first two I they lasted me for years because I would slowly upgrade the ram and graphics cards.

[Cilraaz]

Wha wha wha wha what? LMAO, the only time my FPS ever dropped on lower end computers was when I had little ram and my computer would have to hit my Hard Drive to load additional graphics in high peopulated areas. So if CPU has so little to do with it, how is it I would upgrade my graphic cards and I would get better FPS? I have 3 computers iwth wow installed, a P.4, a Duo Core, and a i7Quad core and with the first two I they lasted me for years because I would slowly upgrade the ram and graphics cards.

Congratulations on your magical computers that react differently to WoW than everyone else's computers.

[Deleted]

*Imagines Cilraaz being a really cute big cuddely bear giving free hugs*

[Cilraaz]

*Imagines Cilraaz being a really cute big cuddely bear giving free hugs*

*Points to the avatar*

I'm a squirrel!

[zenkai]

Congratulations on your magical computers that react differently to WoW than everyone else's computers.

I am confused here... are you sayin that my GFs computer that was running Dalaran with an average of 5fps and when I threw in a cheap old Nvidia 7600 512 video card and it shot up to 14fps on average that it had nothing to do with the video card it's all her Processor speed ? (btw she runs a 3ghz p4)

[Zookii]

CPU speed has everything to do with 25-man raid framerate. GPU actually has relatively little to do with it.

WoW is very processor intensive but if you have a i7 920 but a GT 9600 and getting 14 FPS are you saying it has nothing to do with the video card? GPU does have a lot to do with it. You're bottle necking the system with a low end GPU. However having a GTX 480 and a Core2 6400 and getting 14 FPS then blame the CPU not GPU.

Plus not every persons computer is going to behave the same. Two identical machines with two complete different users will react differently. Anyone in the IT field knows that. Users put more demand on the system and install various things. A user who only plays WoW with a computer and nothing more probably will have better results than someone who plays WoW and surfs the internet heavily getting all types of spyware/malware or even installs a bunch of useless applications that run in the sys tray. His claim could be very valid in that his computer usage may be very limited to only WoW.

---------- Post added 2010-10-28 at 02:53 PM ----------

I'm currently renting to own a computer with a 1.6 Processor and was thinking of paying a little more for a 2.2 processor for Cata. Is this going to majorly affect the game? Or am I going to be fine in 25m modes with 1.6 with Spell Detail really high?

Just upgrading the CPU speed may not greatly improve the game performance. Depending on how much RAM you have might affect things as well. If you're running with little to no add-ons then RAM probably wouldn't be a important. A lot of factors will come into play with being able to crank up the spell detail. Which processor you have versus which you can upgrade to and how old the system is all come into play. While going from a 1.6Ghz to a 2.2Ghz you may see a increase in performance just keep in mind the rest of the system will definitely factor into things. If upgrading the CPU doesn't help then you'll need to find out what is bottlenecking the system. Older video cards, limited RAM, or lack of HDD space for virtual memory all could keep the system down. Another is what all is running in the background that could cause things to "bog" the system down.

[Cilraaz]

WoW is very processor intensive but if you have a i7 920 but a GT 9600 and getting 14 FPS are you saying it has nothing to do with the video card? GPU does have a lot to do with it. You're bottle necking the system with a low end GPU. However having a GTX 480 and a Core2 6400 and getting 14 FPS then blame the CPU not GPU.

Obviously if the GPU is lacking, it can hold back performance. In general, in WoW, CPU supports minimum framerate, while GPU supports maximum framerate. It's been discussed to death in this forum and has been accepted as generally true. An i7 920 with a GT 9600 will likely have nearly the same minimum framerate as an i7 920 with a GTX 460. The GTX 460, however, will most likely have a higher maximum, and therefore average, framerate. Minimum framerate is what determines playability. If you average 100fps, but dip to 5fps every time defile is cast (yes, not a valid "real world" scenario), the LK event would not be very playable for you.

I am confused hear... are you sayin that my GFs computer that was running Dalaran with an average of 5fps and when I threw in a cheap old Nvidia 7600 512 video card and it shot up to 14fps on average that it had nothing to do with the video card it's all her Processor speed ? (btw she runs a 3ghz p4)

You used that magical word: average. Obviously replacing the GPU would increase average framerate, as it likely increased maximum framerate. It likely did not, however, increase minimum framerate.