Graphics vs World of Warcraft

Crash Override

I'm looking to buy a good laptop for all round use but one use in particular is to play WoW on it. I found this - http://www.ebuyer.com/product/241610 all the specs are excatly what I'm looking for but I have a bad feeling about the UMA - integrated graphics because I know it uses system RAM and not its own dedicated RAM and also I know that the graphics would not be as good as say - Intel GMA 4500M.

So just wondering, would WoW (including up to the Cataclysm expansion) play on the laptop above or should I get one with GMA graphics?

Cuddlesworth

Crash Override wrote: »

I'm looking to buy a good laptop for all round use but one use in particular is to play WoW on it. I found this - http://www.ebuyer.com/product/241610 all the specs are excatly what I'm looking for but I have a bad feeling about the UMA - integrated graphics because I know it uses system RAM and not its own dedicated RAM and also I know that the graphics would not be as good as say - Intel GMA 4500M.

So just wondering, would WoW (including up to the Cataclysm expansion) play on the laptop above or should I get one with GMA graphics?

You have set the bar high. No doubt about that.

That laptop comes with a Intel 4500MHD integrated gfx chip.

So slightly better then the 4500M.

Which is great for you, because in a choice between a absolute piece of **** gfx chip and a absolute piece of **** gfx chip you can make the right choice.

Oh, I'm pretty sure neither will play Cata well. If your in a populated place like Dalarin(or Stormwind etc) you will be lucky to get 3-5 fps.

Crash Override

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

You have set the bar high. No doubt about that.

That laptop comes with a Intel 4500MHD integrated gfx chip.

So slightly better then the 4500M.

Which is great for you, because in a choice between a absolute piece of **** gfx chip and a absolute piece of **** gfx chip you can make the right choice.

Oh, I'm pretty sure neither will play Cata well. If your in a populated place like Dalarin(or Stormwind etc) you will be lucky to get 3-5 fps.

So you're saying that both Graphics chips are crap but will play WoW accept prob not Cataclysm expansion?

If so can you recommend one that IS good and that will play Cataclysm (keeping in mind it will be for a laptop)

Cuddlesworth

I wouldn't be happy with it and you would need to drop settings but it would be usable. Or anything in around that class of card. In terms of game performance the Intel onboard graphics are the bottom of the barrel.

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/199191

Crash Override

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

I wouldn't be happy with it and you would need to drop settings but it would be usable. Or anything in around that class of card. In terms of game performance the Intel onboard graphics are the bottom of the barrel.

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/199191

Wow that one looks way better than my previous choice (besides 1GB less RAM which I don't really need and can upgrade to if I wish), nice find!

So you reckon this would play WoW including CaT relatively smoothly? Like as long as it plays and it looks decent while playing then I'm happy.

Cuddlesworth

Crash Override wrote: »

Wow that one looks way better than my previous choice (besides 1GB less RAM which I don't really need and can upgrade to if I wish), nice find!

So you reckon this would play WoW including CaT relatively smoothly? Like as long as it plays and it looks decent while playing then I'm happy.

I honestly have no idea if it will play Wow to your standards as I don't know what they are. But I do know its a way better machine for Gaming then the other one you listed.

Crash Override

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

I honestly have no idea if it will play Wow to your standards as I don't know what they are. But I do know its a way better machine for Gaming then the other one you listed.

To be honest I've never played the game before but all I'm looking for is that the laptop can physically play the game without problems then I'm happy. I understand Lag and other such problems can always occur no matter what you have but, as long as it can play on what normal standards are considered to be, then I'm happy so if that laptop can do that then that's all I need.

Overheal

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

You have set the bar high. No doubt about that.

That laptop comes with a Intel 4500MHD integrated gfx chip.

So slightly better then the 4500M.

Which is great for you, because in a choice between a absolute piece of **** gfx chip and a absolute piece of **** gfx chip you can make the right choice.

Oh, I'm pretty sure neither will play Cata well. If your in a populated place like Dalarin(or Stormwind etc) you will be lucky to get 3-5 fps.

I lol'd. But I do find it playable on an 8400M GS and that would be a peg or two down from the 4500MHD. Not saying I wouldn't go for something with more juice howvever.

Cuddlesworth

Overheal wrote: »

I lol'd. But I do find it playable on an 8400M GS and that would be a peg or two down from the 4500MHD. Not saying I wouldn't go for something with more juice howvever.

Peg or two up actually. Even though the 4500MHD is a "new" chip, its as **** as Intel can get away with.

ED E

Crash Override wrote: »

To be honest I've never played the game before but all I'm looking for is that the laptop can physically play the game without problems then I'm happy. I understand Lag and other such problems can always occur no matter what you have but, as long as it can play on what normal standards are considered to be, then I'm happy so if that laptop can do that then that's all I need.

Why in the name of [insert deity] are you buying a laptop to its spec then? Thats like buying a boat because you might like sailing.

That is of course excluding the fact that you could be buying for somebody else and just haven't mentioned it.


In any case, here's what blizzard recommend.

Intel Processor - Core 2 Duo E4300 1.8GHz
AMD Processor - Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 4200+
Nvidia Graphics Card - GeForce GT 230
ATI Graphics Card - Radeon HD 4650
RAM Memory - 2 GB

On this list:
The 230M is at #77.
The HD 4650 at #63.
The Intel HD Graphics 200 is at #119.
The Intel GMA HD is at #181
...Graphics 100 at #182
...GMA 4700MHD at #197
...GMA 4500MHD at #198
...GMA 4500M at #199.

Intel GPU = No games.

Solitaire

To be fair the higher-clocked versions of the GPU integrated in Core-i CPUs can just about push a game along okay - so long as said game doesn't puke on the drivers. That is the age-old problem with Intel and Chrome GPUs, and the final nail in the coffin for the weaker Intel ones.

Overheal

Lethal_Bullet wrote: »

Why in the name of [insert deity] are you buying a laptop to its spec then? Thats like buying a boat because you might like sailing.

That is of course excluding the fact that you could be buying for somebody else and just haven't mentioned it.


In any case, here's what blizzard recommend.


On this list:
The 230M is at #77.
The HD 4650 at #63.
The Intel HD Graphics 200 is at #119.
The Intel GMA HD is at #181
...Graphics 100 at #182
...GMA 4700MHD at #197
...GMA 4500MHD at #198
...GMA 4500M at #199.

Intel GPU = No games.

gosh the 8400M GS is 188 - even higher than the newer intel chips; its a 3 year old laptop! Damnit cuddles you were right.

Crash Override

Lethal_Bullet wrote: »

Why in the name of [insert deity] are you buying a laptop to its spec then? Thats like buying a boat because you might like sailing.

That is of course excluding the fact that you could be buying for somebody else and just haven't mentioned it.


In any case, here's what blizzard recommend.


On this list:
The 230M is at #77.
The HD 4650 at #63.
The Intel HD Graphics 200 is at #119.
The Intel GMA HD is at #181
...Graphics 100 at #182
...GMA 4700MHD at #197
...GMA 4500MHD at #198
...GMA 4500M at #199.

Intel GPU = No games.

I'm buying the laptop for all round use as I said in my first post but yes, there is a chance I may not like the game but either way I wanted a high (ish) spec laptop and even if I don't like that game I might still get a different game I do like.

runawaybishop

Crash Override wrote: »

I'm buying the laptop for all round use as I said in my first post but yes, there is a chance I may not like the game but either way I wanted a high (ish) spec laptop and even if I don't like that game I might still get a different game I do like.

You know you're gonna have to buy the main game plus the other 2 expansions as well as Cata right?

Crash Override

runawaybishop wrote: »

You know you're gonna have to buy the main game plus the other 2 expansions as well as Cata right?

I do.

Nehaxak

World of warcraft is a game, if you end up really liking it, that you will become engrossed in and crappy graphics will only end up annoying the hell out of you. One way or the other you'll either end up raiding or doing pvp and although you can lash down all the graphical settings to get it to play even on an EEEPC or a netbook (I have tried, it does work) - it's almost unplayable due to the FPS being so low for anything other than basic questing/levelling.

Spare yourself the future frustration and try get a bit more cash together for at least semi decent mobile graphics, decent (not an atom or centrino crap) mobile CPU and 2GB of RAM. Try to stay away from the 5200 speed HD's if you can also, they're alright but just the loading times are a drag on games like wow but if you do get one at that speed, at least keep it de-fragmented with something like perfectdisk defrag.

I couldn't actually recommend a laptop for you but just bare in mind anyway that although wow is an oldish game and the graphics not too amazingly fantastic when compared to other games these days - it's still a fairly resource hungry game and you'll get the most from it by being able to play the game with as best graphics as you can manage on your system - especially so if raiding or even doing a bit of pvp.

wampyrus77

Windows XP 32bit (SP3), Windows XP 64bit (SP2), Windows Vista 32bit (SP1), Windows Vista 64bit (SP1) Windows 7:

• Dual-core processor, such as the Intel Pentium D or AMD Athlon 64 X2
• 2 GB RAM (2 GB for Vista users)
• 3D graphics processor with Vertex and Pixel Shader capability with 256 MB NVIDIA® GeForce® 8600 or ATI Radeon™
• 2600 or better DirectX-compatible sound card or motherboard sound capability
• Broadband Internet connection
• Multi-button mouse with scroll wheel recommended

Mac® OS X 10.6.4 or newer:

• Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processor
• NVIDIA® GeForce® 9600M GT or ATI Radeon™ HD 4670 or better
• 4 GB RAM
• 3D graphics processor with Vertex and Pixel Shader capability with 128 MB VRAM such as an ATI Radeon X1600 or NVIDIA 7600 class card or better
• Multi-button mouse with scroll wheel recommended

ShadowHearth

Hmmm I used to play wow on this babe:

P4 3ghz
1gb ram
Geforce 6200

It worked fine, not great, but fine.

I presume even cata can be lowered down to low settings as 5 years ago.

Thought I would recommend spending atleast 100eu extra on laptop and get any sort of gpu on it.

As laptop without gpu is an expensive windows iPod...

wampyrus77

I just copied and paste specs from their website