I guess one of the all in ones would do me for what I need. Maybe I could get away with something with a video card and driver supported by WoW, and a fast enough processor and enough RAM for it as well. As long as it will still handle the other things I do, I'd be good. Like surfing, website work, graphics, watching videos, listening to music, etc., and my offline stuff. Wouldn't I?

This one so far has done everything I needed it to do, but now it seems somewhere along the line it's not going to be up to snuff for WoW. The message I saw is why I started looking into video card upgrade or a newer computer.

For this one I had to order more RAM from MemoryStock.com for it to be able to play and my brother put in for me. It had one gigabyte. Now it has two, and there are two more slots for two more gigabytes. I was going get the two more gigabytes, but if I need to get other things or a newer computer, there isn't much point in it anymore.

Do you think this would work for me?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883250138

It looks to have a faster processor, more RAM, and space, then what I have now. It also has W7 Pro. I have W7 Pro 64bit now.

Thank you for all your help. I do appreciate it.
When it comes to the hardware, I'm about as green as green can get. I really appreciate your time and patience with me on this issue.

Deanna

You seem to have switched parameters for a computer. The one you selected at Newegg is not designed for gaming, it is designed for business use (see specifications). If that is all you wanted to use it for, you could get away with using what you have - but with the understanding that gaming may be limited on WoW for you soon.

You aren't going to be able to spend less than $500.00 for a gaming computer as I see it and that would be a low end unit with a short service life (for gaming due to video limitations) I suspect. Plan on spending $800.00 or more for something to handle gaming that has a separate graphics (video) card. I don't think I'd be wanting a refurbished unit for this.

I think you need to look around at Newegg a bit, especially at the video card section so you can see what the prices are for those cards alone. Bear in mind that you can't just throw any video card into a slot and have it work. A lot of GPUs these days require extra power that has to come from the power supply.

Sorry I can't be more help on the issue. I think you are going to have to get some basic information under your belt before you can decide on what you are going to buy.

See, you're going on about a gaming rig, where as cybertron wants a computer that can do boring office stuff (so any old computer, really) and run WoW. That certainly doesn't need a gaming setup - WoW is about ten years old!

Pretty standard laptops these days can run WoW well enough these days.

My pc won't run the latest graphically-intensive games, but it will run games >5 years old well enough, and there's tons I've never even tried. Bonus: I can usually get them for less than ten bucks. I like a bit of gaming, but it doesn't drive my pc spec.

Just had a quick squint at the recommended spec for WoW - they reckon a NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT is the ideal card. Wikipedia informs me that the 8 series came out in 2006!

Even an Intel HD 4000 seems to manage almost 40fps at 1600 x 900.


Deanna - If you're happy with the way your current setup plays it, I reckon pretty much any new computer will be adequate for WoW. Alternatively, something like this would meet the WoW requirements (and is on the supported cards list). That would keep you going till you're ready for a more major upgrade. Of course you'll need to check that it'll work OK with your PC - I have no idea what power requirements it has, or what power and interface connections you have available etc.

 

The first post included a link for a gaming rig from WalMart. I know WoW is old, but a buyer review of that computer from the link:

>>I purchased this computer for playing WoW. It does it fairly well, but does lack a little bit in the video card department. I'm able to run it on ultra graphics in all slots, which is a huge upgrade from what i was used to, but only at an average of 20fps. So as long as u don't mind the low fps, or are willing get a cheap upgrade for it, then it is a great computer for the price. I was also surprised when it showed up earlier than was expected by about 2-3 days. So overall i'd say it's a great deal, worth getting if u need/want a new computer.<<

If cybatron wants to use that rig or a business desktop to play Wow, that is certainly an option, perhaps not one with longevity. I recommended additional research to avoid possible disappointment later, but the OP is certainly free to disregard that.

I didn't suggest a laptop because it didn't sound like a laptop would be desirable since there already is a monitor present.

According to Blizzard Entertainment:

* NVIDIA GeForce 6800 and ATI Radeon X1600 are the minimum required cards to run World of Warcraft and Hearthstone. Using a slower video card may lead to performance issues in-game.

So cover that and I guess all is well.

Hmm, that radeon only draws 'up to' 75w, meaning it *might* work in MrsD.s old hp wiffa 200w psu.

Based on the info in this thread, I'd take a guess and say your computer will run MoP, but it won't run it very well. The new zones are quite a step up in detail compared to the rest of Azeroth, and in particular it's fairly memory-intensive. You might be ok setting everything to Low, but even then you'll struggle in LFR (if you dare venture into that cesspit) with all the spell effects etc. going off.

The Walmart one you linked will handle WoW easily.

Don't be sorry. I appreciate people trying to help me figure this out. I really do.

I know this computer handles everything I ask it to do without issue, even WoW. Despite it being so old, the graphics end of it is actually doing very well.

I talked to a few people offline, who I didn't know played WoW but now I do, and it seems it's not ready for Heath Stone. However, they believe it's okay for everything before it. So I should be okay for a while. This gives me time to save up for a better computer that will handle my music and video entertainment, my websites work, writing, etc, and WoW.

My biggest concern at this point was that they were going to do something and I was going to lose what I already had, but the people I talked to offline said they don't believe that is the case. They think I just won't be able to play Hearth Stone until I get a better computer. So I'm guessing a newer, better all purpose type of deal would work well for me.

Thank you again for everything.
Deanna

How do I find out what my power stuff is on this machine?

Well, so far I've got up to Cataclysm. My gnome is only in the low 60s. So I don't think I've nearly gotten through what I've bought yet, plus I have to keep going back through some sections for stuff I somehow missed and gathering herbs for potions.

Of course I'd probably be further if the people with the skulls on their bars would stop popping into places, chasing down my little gnome warlock and killing her. lol I seem to have a gift for running into what I think might be horde raid parties, and they don't like me. lol

If my system will hang on for a while, it'll give me some time to try and get the money together to get a newer one. At one point I was drooling over Alienware, but my financial situation changed. Until it changes for the better, I'd say they're out of reach.

I'm assuming a gaming computer would also do other stuff. Like my music and video entertainment, websites work, writing, etc. I need a system that will handle WoW, but also do other things too. If a gaming computer won't, then it wouldn't work for me.

I need something as all purpose as I can get it. I'm glad to hear the system I was looking at it might do the trick. When it comes to hardware I know extremely little and find it extremely confusing most of the time.

Thanks for the input. It's appreciated.
Deanna

Eek, you're playing on a PvP server? Ouch :S

No. I'm playing on a PvE, but some of the quests require me to go PvP or join a group for awhile to complete them. The only issues I'm having are with the characters with the skulls. I don't know what Pixillian ever did to them, but they sure don't seem to like her. lol

Most of the time I'm just doing on my own stuff. Which is cool, because I can go at my own pace. I get hit with a lot of please join our guild, but I decline them. I haven't heard much good about guilds. A lot of nitpicking and clicky behavior, especially over things like schedules. As for the invites popping up during combat, if they can't be polite enough to wait until something isn't trying to kill her, I don't even read them. lol

I think the server I'm on is Sen'Jen. It was the first one at the top of the list when I first logged on, and it said Normal and PvE. My character is a gnome warlock named Pixillian. Sometimes I think I should have picked something with longer legs, but I do have to admit, since she learned how to fly, I'm saving a fortune in gryphon fees. lol

The skulls don't necessarily mean 'bad', it just means that thing is more than 10 levels higher than you. Possibly the PvP people are showing up on your server because of this cross-realm stuff where certain areas are merged between servers. If you're on a PvE server then you shouldn't be attackable unless you actively engage with them, i.e. deliberately hit them. You can see if you're PvP flagged by the little Alliance shield icon near your character's health bar/portrait.

I'd definitely recommend joining a guild, but generally avoid the ones that just spam invites out to anyone. Sometimes you get lucky (I did, once), but usually it's best to ask around, look on the WoW forums at the guild recruitment pages. There's guilds for every kind of player :) If you were in the EU you'd probably fit into the guild I'm in :) FWIW, there's an option somewhere in the Interface Options to disable guild invites.

What spec's your warlock? I levelled mine as Destruction, which is fun, but I recently tried Demonology and that's fun too, turning into a giant demon every now and then and zapping everything :D

I chose destruction. I may try one of the others later, but for now I'm content to just blow stuff up and get paid for it. lol

Pixillian

I did confirm my server as Sen'Jin, and the option to disable guild invites. So hopefully they'll stop popping up while I'm in the middle of a mess and trying to get out alive. lo

If I'm hitting the skull people, it's not deliberate. Believe me. I have noticed my void walker seems to have a mind of his own sometimes and I have to try to reign the bugger in or end up in a fight. He's wandered too close to something more than once. I turn to avoid and he doesn't turn fast enough, then I'm in it. I think the butthead is doing it deliberately. lol

The imp and fel hound I like. The seductress I'd rather dump for something else. She annoys me. lol



 

Yeah sometimes assholes will deliberately hang around mobs you're trying to kill for quests for whatever in the hopes that you'll hit them by mistake, so they can then proceed to kill you and laugh. Never really understood the mentality behind behaviour like that.

Seductress is kinda useless imo, so you're doin right with sticking with the hound, imp or voidy :) (just don't use voidy in dungeons, it annoys tanks :p )

I try not to use the voidwalker in close quarters. I think because of his size, he tends to get in my way when I'm trying to target things. I prefer the imp and hound for small spaces. I usually use the voidwalker in open areas, where if I have to, I have plenty of room to reposition to get him out of my line of fire.

Are you using enemy nameplates for targetting? That makes it much easier to select things. (press V to turn them on and off)

No. I didn't know I could do that to target. Thanks for the tip. :)