The cheapest wow rig competition

Esmein · 06/20/07, 4:57 AM

Hi there!

This would be my first ever post on EJ, so be gentle

I got an idea yesterday evening, while I was fixing my linux router box, that it would be fun to find out what is the cheapest configuration ever, that runs wow on a considerably playable level. I have yet to find out what should be the guideline, but I think 10-15 fps out in the wilderness using any options given in wow configuration file would be okay.

I myself have a core 2 duo system with x1950pro so the first results should be shocking, but I always felt it is fun to compete in non regular things. Now that I replaced my router box due to some technical issues with one of my NICs, I have a p2 500 with nvidia Vanta 16mb packed with 2*64 mbyte sd ram(? got to check). I will have to dig my old 20gb hdd as I dont think I can fit wow on my 6 gb disk, but I'll have a go.

Everything is allowed as long as it is not illegal or immoral, do not get your little bro's browser pc

Looking forward to see how cheap you can get on configurations, I assume that the low minimum should be 500-700 mhz, 128 mbyte ram with specialised ui and cropped win xp install along with something like geforce 2 mx 400.

vorda · 06/20/07, 5:40 AM

The geforce would do, that ram wouldnt if you run XP on it. Does WoW run under w98?

This would be my first ever post on EJ, so be gentle

What happened to that sticky here?

edit: that being said, there's enough 'noise level' on EJ these days not to have these kind of topics.

Gearshifter · 06/20/07, 5:43 AM

nvm*

*just delete

Starbucks · 06/20/07, 5:45 AM

Generally MHz is not that important, you can probably get away with a 1.5GHz system, something like the older AMD systems.

RAM though is something not to skimp on, you would need 1GB for it to perform reasonably well.

Graphics card I would think bang for buck wise a 9600 Pro would work well with settings on medium/low and no weather effects.

I would say parts and case and a 40GB HDD you can probably get this very cheap

• Chicken · 06/20/07, 5:46 AM

That rig should work... For soloing work. I used to play WoW from time to time on a rig like it , though it was a P3 450 and 2*128 mb SD ram. Same graphics card I believe.

It's not pretty to play WoW on it though, you need to set all settings to the minimum and flight paths will basically consist of 'Hey I used the flight path! *few minutes wait* Hey I'm at my destination without seeing anything in between and why is everything pure white?'.

So it's not really playable as such, that is, if you're really desperately addicted you could make it work, but trying to do anything that involves groups of larger than 5 people will be doomed, and you'll be avoiding capital cities like there's a plague there.

Esmein · 06/20/07, 5:48 AM

Originally Posted by Gearshifter

I must admit that I fail to see the point of the subject. :P is it a contest?!!!

Uhm, yes, I meant contest but my english failed me yet again

128 mbytes of ram does run Windows xp, I'm positive about that, as we have p1, 166mmx with 2.1gb hdd and 128 mbyte of ram running windows xp where I work... uhm. well. it runs office

so well uhm.. I think the absolute must is something that handles AGP, meaning p2 or p3, I think some old duron does the job aswell. Geforce 2 mx400 is something I had experience with, I wasn't jumping around as it was chopping as hell, but I'm sure some of you may know tricks to speed things up. I'll nLite a winxp installer later this day and see what happens.

Esmein · 06/20/07, 5:51 AM

Originally Posted by Starbucks

Generally MHz is not that important, you can probably get away with a 1.5GHz system, something like the older AMD systems.

RAM though is something not to skimp on, you would need 1GB for it to perform reasonably well.

Graphics card I would think bang for buck wise a 9600 Pro would work well with settings on medium/low and no weather effects.

I would say parts and case and a 40GB HDD you can probably get this very cheap

In fact I have a core 2 system with x1950 pro to play on, but I became curios what the bare minimum is that human creativity can make wow run on

Throwing out everything that is unnecessarry in windows can get as low as what 65-70 mbytes memory usage, totally minimalistic wow ui too, some tweaking in config files that may help is also welcome.

Greybone · 06/20/07, 5:59 AM

This is a pretty dumb topic - what's "playable" varies a lot between users, you have a totally different requirement if you raid vs if you only play solo, and so on.

And for the love of god stop it with the 'Hello first post here wooo' shit.