Curse

Ikarii · Jun 09, 2005, 11:03 PM // 23:03

I was wondering if you guys could suggest to me which should be updated first, in terms of better performance for playing Guild Wars.

Current Ram: 256 megabites

Video Card: ATI Radeon 7200 (Not sure how much Ram, but I would assume 64 mBs)

I do not work, nor am I old enough to find a job, therefore I am on a small budget and cannot afford to update both of them at the moment. If you think I should update the RAM first, how much do you suggest would be good for making the game run SMOOTH? For me, the game runs pretty laggy with my current specs. The games runs OK when I have everything set on low, but still takes awhile to load and even then it operates slowly.

I do not know which to concentrate my money for upgrading on first. Thank you very much for any help!

Golgotha · Jun 09, 2005, 11:07 PM // 23:07

Can I get a rough estimate on the amount of funds available for your upgrade? It'd help to figure what would garner the most bang for the buck.

Jahara Zeppelin · Jun 09, 2005, 11:16 PM // 23:16

Well both I'd say, if you ONLY get RAM, your graphics will be screwed and you won't be able to see stuff properly or move, if you ONLY get a Graphics Card, it'll lag a **** load and it'll jump like mad.

Old Dood · Jun 10, 2005, 01:07 AM // 01:07

Yup...I second getting more Ram!! 256megs only can handle Windows XP. XP is a HOG. So get at LEAST a total of 512megs. 1GB is perfect!

Vertical_Zer0 · Jun 10, 2005, 02:14 AM // 02:14

You can get a 512MB stick of RAM from newegg.com for around $30 these days (if you're looking for DDR that is). RAM would help you load faster, but a video card would stop the game's chugginess. You can get a suitable video card if you're really on a budget for about $60 - check out an nVidia FX5200.

MetalX · Jun 10, 2005, 02:50 AM // 02:50

The card dude the card. 256mb is ok for now, that 7200 probably shits bricks when you try to run the game. Get a used GeForce 4 or Radeon 8500 off eBay or some other used hardware source for $35-45 and avoid the mentioned 5200 like the plague, it's just a glorified GeForce 2.

Lunarbunny · Jun 10, 2005, 03:57 AM // 03:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by MetalX

The card dude the card. 256mb is ok for now, that 7200 probably shits bricks when you try to run the game. Get a used GeForce 4 or Radeon 8500 off eBay or some other used hardware source for $35-45 and avoid the mentioned 5200 like the plague, it's just a glorified GeForce 2.

Please come back when you know a little more and don't jump to conclusions.

More RAM is definitely a good idea. Helps with loading times and stuff like stuttering (if it has to load effects into virtual memory, then it's definitely going to be slow). More RAM will smooth out the framerate. A new card will up your framerate, although if you only buy the new card, you will have bigger framerate drops if you only up the card.

I'd suggest that you grab a 512MB stick (although I should ask how old your computer is so that we don't get too high density...how old is it?) I can't really recommend anything, especially the video card, unless you can give me a more set budget (i.e. $150 is the most or whatever it really is).

Dirkiess · Jun 10, 2005, 11:17 AM // 11:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by MetalX

The card dude the card. 256mb is ok for now, that 7200 probably shits bricks when you try to run the game. Get a used GeForce 4 or Radeon 8500 off eBay or some other used hardware source for $35-45 and avoid the mentioned 5200 like the plague, it's just a glorified GeForce 2.

Wow. Those 2nd hand cards are expensive on Ebay when you can buy Brand New for not much more.

To be honest, I wouldn't touch a lot of stuff on EBay that is PC related when it comes to processors, memory etc, as buying new you can send it back if it breaks. Buying on EBay, you have no recourse if it breaks after a few weeks.

MetalX · Jun 10, 2005, 12:25 PM // 12:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lunarbunny

Please come back when you know a little more and don't jump to conclusions.

I'm gonna ignore that, been building computers for ten years btw. He asked our opinion so I gave mine, be a sport and don't attack me. K Thanks.

Search eBay for GeForce 4s. They're $35-45 like I said. Upgrading his card will yield higher framerates than just the RAM. This game is perfectly playable with 256MB but running a DX7 card is gonna cause a bottleneck.

A GF4 will blow away any new card in the $50 price range.

Dirkiess · Jun 10, 2005, 12:35 PM // 12:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by MetalX

I'm gonna ignore that, been building computers for ten years btw. He asked our opinion so I gave mine, be a sport and don't attack me. K Thanks.

Search eBay for GeForce 4s. They're $35-45 like I said. Upgrading his card will yield higher framerates than just the RAM. This game is perfectly playable with 256MB but running a DX7 card is gonna cause a bottleneck.

A GF4 will blow away any new card in the $50 price range.

Personally I wouldn't buy from Ebay if you want to upgrade. You can get brand new for not much more and have a warranty and the ability to return if it breaks.
Ebay does have an ability to return faulty products, but only if the seller is friendly and not just selling junk and then doing a runner.

Night · Jun 10, 2005, 02:02 PM // 14:02

Well, its my job or rather my weekend job (meaning not only I have beening building machines and working on them personnally some crazy person pays me to fix others :-). Luckily, my main job is development but thats another topic) so I can give the professional reponse or would you rather I give the personnal response? Forget it, I'll give both.

Professionally, I'd go with more RAM and get to a min. 512 MB with 1 GB being suggested. This is because at 256 MB and XP you are able to open 1 maybe 2 apps before the machine starts running like it is pushing through cottage cheese. So over all the increase in RAM will not only improve the game play but will improve overall performance of the machine.

Personnally, I'd go with RAM...again. I'd hit 512 MB as that's the minimum I need to run GW. Here's why. 1) 64 mb video card, although not the best and you will still lag (now I haven't looked at the specs of your card so it may actually do better) when you get thrown high level renderings, can handle it. Low RAM, no matter how big of a Video card you use, will still result in slow performance.

Old Dood · Jun 10, 2005, 02:02 PM // 14:02

Yes....listen to WISDOM. Get more Ram first if that is all you can afford. The game will run smoother. You can dumb down the graphics in the game until you can get a better video card. I do this on my second computer P3 800Mhz w/512 ram(max) and a GeForce4 Ti4200 128meg card. The "card" can handle more. The P3 800 can not. In fact the Geforce4 Ti4200 is a far better card then the FX5200. But it is only DX8. I would stay away from the Nvidia FX series all together.

EDIT: Night makes a good point. 512 megs of ram is the minimum for XP. In fact it was not good enough for my system. I run with 1.5Gbs. I like to run allot of open applications and more ram is the key to that. So if you decide to get more ram, make sure you can upgrade the ram later as well to 1 GB. In other words don't fill up your slots with lower meg ram so you short yourself later when you need the space for more sticks. You have 2 slots. Get a 512 meg stick now so you can add another 512 meg later and have 1 GB.

CtrlAltDel · Jun 10, 2005, 02:09 PM // 14:09

always upgrade RAM before video/processor, always

Algren Cole · Jun 10, 2005, 02:38 PM // 14:38

uhm....RAM

most important part of your computer is the Memory....do the video card after

Diplo · Jun 10, 2005, 02:45 PM // 14:45

Monitor your RAM and PageFile usage when playing GW. If you are constantly swapping to disk then more RAM will be of use. However, if you are rarely swapping then the video card should be upgraded.

You don't mention what CPU you have. If your problem is "everything running slow" then it's possible this may be the cause, depending on what you have. I suspect, however, that it's probably all three. Changing one won't reduce the other bottlenecks, so more maximum benefit you really need to do all of them together. On a budget, though, more RAM will be cheapest option.

Lunarbunny · Jun 10, 2005, 04:49 PM // 16:49

Can you tell us what OS you're using and the make and speed of your processor?

P.S. http://www.ctrlaltdel-online.com/?t=...ate=2003-10-10

Ikarii · Jun 10, 2005, 08:25 PM // 20:25

I'm using Windows XP, and my processor speed is around 1.1 GHz.

I'm not really good with understanding computer parts, but from what you guys have suggested I take it that updating my RAM to 512 MBs or 1 GB will make the game run less choppy? If I update that first, do you think I could run the game with all the high settings and still have it run smoothly, even with my current video card? Or am I to keep in on low until I can update the video card? BTW Thank you guys for all your replies so far. ^-^

Dirkiess · Jun 10, 2005, 09:05 PM // 21:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ikarii

I'm using Windows XP, and my processor speed is around 1.1 GHz.

I'm not really good with understanding computer parts, but from what you guys have suggested I take it that updating my RAM to 512 MBs or 1 GB will make the game run less choppy? If I update that first, do you think I could run the game with all the high settings and still have it run smoothly, even with my current video card? Or am I to keep in on low until I can update the video card? BTW Thank you guys for all your replies so far. ^-^

Upgrading the Ram will help with the sluggishness of accessing data. Instead of trying to thrash it out between the hard drive and the ram, the data can be read more quickly when located in ram, with less chugging, as there is more ram to handle the data better.

With regards to the high detail, you will have to stick with low settings for now. The card just doesn't have what it takes to run in high detail if you want to be able to play the game. The easiest thing to do, when you get the memory, start in low settings and increase various optons gradually until you get a comfortable level that is both playable and good to look at.

Too high and it will jump around like everything is in slow motion. One minute the mob is far, next it's on top of you without the motion in between if you get my meaning.

Old Dood · Jun 10, 2005, 11:18 PM // 23:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ikarii

I'm using Windows XP, and my processor speed is around 1.1 GHz.

I'm not really good with understanding computer parts, but from what you guys have suggested I take it that updating my RAM to 512 MBs or 1 GB will make the game run less choppy? If I update that first, do you think I could run the game with all the high settings and still have it run smoothly, even with my current video card? Or am I to keep in on low until I can update the video card? BTW Thank you guys for all your replies so far. ^-^

From what you are saying you have a Pentium 3? 1.1Ghz is a P3 I believe.
If that is the case I do not think you can go higher then 512 ram then. Also a Good GeForce4 card is all that system can handle. Anything more would be a waste of cash. The P3 could not keep up with it. I have a P3 800 and my GeForce 4 Ti 4200 vid card is a bit more then the system can keep up with. But better then the GeForce 2 card that came with it.

Loviatar · Jun 11, 2005, 12:42 AM // 00:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by MetalX

The card dude the card. 256mb is ok for now, that 7200 probably shits bricks when you try to run the game. Get a used GeForce 4 or Radeon 8500 off eBay or some other used hardware source for $35-45 and avoid the mentioned 5200 like the plague, it's just a glorified GeForce 2.

wrong on all counts

5200 is a direct x 9 card the GF2 are direct x 7 cards

buying used on ebay is the fastest way to lose your money