SC2 choppy - What should I upgrade?

[Skyze]

Im only playing vs AI right now, since my comp specs were too shitty to get opted-in. But anyways, Im still getting a considerable amount of choppiness, even on the absolute lowest settings. Its not unbearably bad, but its bad enough that At the start of the game, I cant do a super fast split like in BW, its physically impossible.

Here are my specs from when the opt-in thing measured my comp.

# Operating system:Windows 2.5.1.2600 (SP 2)
# CPU type:AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 3600
# CPU Speed (GHz):1.92
# System memory (GB):1.936
# Graphics card model:NVIDIA GeForce 7050 PV / NVIDIA nForce 630a
# Graphics card driver:nv4_disp.dll
# Desktop resolution:1024x768
# Hard disk size (GB):465.646
# Hard disk free space (GB):419.411

Rather than buying a new comp, which I'd love to do but Im really strapped for cash lately, what would be the best thing I can upgrade that will help improve SC2's performance?

[Norfindel]

How do you know that you're hardware-limited? Did the opt-in program warn you?

[Gradius]

Try overclocking the GPU.

[imdrunkontea]

your graphics card is the limiting factor here. if you want medium settings, try getting something at the level of an nvidia 9600 (i'm not a graphics guru, so I'm sure theres better models for the money, but that's the ballpark to aim for)

just for comparison, i have equivalent processor and memory, but a better gpu, and i can run sc2 at medium settings without a hitch.

[Skyze]

I dont necessarily want medium settings, I just want the game to be 100% smooth as possible. I play competitively and dont like any slight "catching" of the screen as I scroll, or any stuttering of the game while I play. That quarter of a second delay in micro can be game-ending.

[milo]

I'd say Video Card and/or RAM.


The game has an FPS counter, if you didn't know. Press ctrl+alt+f, or something like that.

[Kimera757]

More RAM, and find out how to increase your page file size. (It can only be 1.5 to 2x the amount of RAM you have.)

[TunaFish]

2 GB RAM isn't too bad.

Your graphics card needs help though. If you just upgrade to a card with over 512 mb of memory - which shouldn't cost too much - you'll be in much better shape.

[ManiaCCC]

Graphics card... there are some very cheap models which should be good enough for SC2

[muzzy]

Definitely your graphics card.
I looked up your card, it gets roughly 350 for a 3dmark06 score. That's horrible!
For reference, I have an older card, Radeon 2600... I get 5300 on 3dmark06. I am able to run at medium-low settings and get 60-90fps average, never below 45fps.