Which upgrade should I get for Starcraft 2

Hi guys,

I want to upgrade my M17xR3 to run Starcraft 2 better. Right now I play at medium and I think it's really a shame since the game (Especially HoTS) is so beautiful. I know SC2 is a CPU focused game, so should I upgrade my cpu or gpu? I don't have the money right now to buy both. current system below ▽

Which would be best price/performance increase for me?

 

Upgrade the GPU to a 7970M or 680M.

 

GPU, if you are looking for overall quality boost.

 

That's strange that you have to run it on medium. You should be able to play on Ultra without a problem.

I guess the biggest upgrade for the money is going from a 6990m to a 7970m or nVidia 680m . Your CPU seems good enough for starcraft 2 IMO.

 

Hmm okay. Wouldn't it be better to buy a CPU right now (Haswell) and the new generation GPU cards 800M or AMD 290M next year?

Yes I can run it on 40 fps with everything turned on but in online play during battles it can dip to 20-25 and it will completely inhibit my micro.


Btw: If any master/high dia player (any race) wants to 1v1 tell me I would like to ^^ (top8diamond last season)

 

You can't put a Haswell CPU in the R3. The highest you can go is Sandy Bridge XM (2960XM).

 

Oh damn you're right. I totally forgot :/ now I know why I wanted to buy a whole new laptop at first. Is there a big difference in price/performance, overall performance and energy consumption, betweeen Sandy and Haswell?

 

Haswell is much more aimed toward power saving. Performance wise, not nearly as much as the GPU's.

You'll be better off upgrading the GPU. Get a 2960XM later, maybe in a few months.

 

I think i have to say something cuz you are all wrong...

I was playing SC2 from day 1.

First, i was running it on i5-430M with 5870M in MSI GX740

Framerate was OK good, but not as fluid as i wanted. (especially when big fights are happening)

I upgraded CPU to 920XM, and, i felt like i am in a completely different car....if you know what i mean....

Time came to upgrade to my current beast, From very Flimsy MSI to M17x R2.

I transferred the 920XM CPU to R2 (since it had 720QM)
Upgraded GFX in R2 from as well, stock 5870M to 6970M

I saw yet another gain in FPS on Ultra settings, nothing huge, but it was noticeable (5870M < 6970M)

Then, i went to play multiplayer, guess what....

I normally play 4v4 because i like people raging......

First couple minutes of the game is fine, when the game reaches 15:00 Minute mark, The $£!* stats to get real.

Even when i have ThrottleStop set to 90/80 TDP/TDC 25@All Cores, Framerate drops like hell, to like you have said....25FPS.

What i really want to say is....You can't stop it bro, you will upgrade your GPU, yes, you will be able to get overall smoothness a bit better on Ultra settings, but on 15:00 minute mark, believe me, you will see again 25FPS.

Just because, when so many objects are in 1 spot, fighting, it generates A £*$^ Loads of Super-Duper effects, lighting, plus, about 200 units on the same time on the screen, everything has to be rendered, textured, and when it dies, @RagDoll kills the last thing you want - Your CPU, because you know, Information firstly goes to your CPU, then to your GPU.....

How many times you can see A top streamers, like IDRA, playing on a very good Desktop PC, but with effects lowered down to MINIMUM, why ?

How Many times i was watching a top YouTube streamer like Husky, having Frame rate drops when there is loads of things going on on the screen....


To summarize, no matter what you will do, no matter what you will upgrade, you will still see a 25FPS when on heavy battles, it is normal (even in HiGH END LAPTOPS)

Anyways, if i would you, i would get a beast XM CPU and overclock the hell out of it...

But you get me ? Frame Drop is like Agent Smith is saying to Neo -> INEVITABLE

Inevitability - YouTube

 

I can play SC2 on ultra with my R2 with a 920XM, 16 GB RAM, 5870M CF @ 1200p...now like Nexus Wars or heavy spawning maps will cause lag, normal game won't.

 

Haha LOL thanks. I love your comparison to The Matrix. "Goodbye, Mr. Anderson...".

I will get the 2960XM then OC it till it can't no more any tips on the OC' ing and where to get it?

"My name is NEO!"

 

Sorry this might be off track. But since you are considering a new laptop. Is a desktop an option?
Your R3 is still powerful for gaming on the move when you are away from your desktop.

 

I'm not home in the weekends so that's why I bought the laptop. I think it's a great idea but I don't have enough money to buy a whole new desktop. I'm a really poor university student (lol) had to save up for this thing for 2 years (bought it 3-sep-2011).

 

Google is your friend.
type "2960xm overclock"

and you are set, just reading might be annoying.....going trough hundread of pages is verry annoying

Treat your Alien like your girlfriend, if you know everything about HER, it is just soooo much easier to handle everything she throws at you.....you are getting me ?

 

I get it! I bought the cheapest version of my laptop and put in everything that is in it now to save money and sold the rest. I can probably do this without reading anything but since you seem to know a lot also I just asked. I will go on a google rampage tomorrow.

big thanks

 

Good Luck and post the resaults BRO !

 

SC2 can eat into FPS pretty good even on higher end hardware. With my 3630qm and 7970m on 4vs4 I usually start at 80+ FPS with extreme settings but I drop to between 30-40 later in the map. The thing is I don't really see it...I mean it isn't lagging or anything like that. No choppy game play and no skipping but the FPS def says it is lower. I think a lot of it has to do with limitations in the game engine, once it gets a lot of units all running around the map it can only do so much before the game actually has trouble.

Keep that in mind before you upgrade, though your likely to see a performance increase it may not hold out in larger maps.

 

Ok ty for the heads up ^^