Ridiculous Frame Rate in Dalaran/25/BG 40v40

Hey guys, I am having issues with ridicolously low framerates in heavy crowded areas. Yes I know something like this is expected, but not in the amount I am having it. In Dalaran my fps is around 5-15 dependend on which area, BGs like Alterac Valley I straight up ignore because of the 3-5 fps I am having in the big battles, 25 raids are the same... Just yesterday I was in Toc 25 and had between 2-10 fps in the bossfights, which makes 25 raids simply unplayable especially as a healer. In areas where I walk alone I have between 40-60 fps.
I have a solid system with an Intel Core i7 - 7700HQ CPU and a Geforce GTX 1060 with 8 GB RAM which can play any other game like Fallout or Witcher almost flawless.

Here are the things I already tried to fix it:

- Reinstalled the client and used other clients, also a client which does not use the updated face models. (No Change in fps)
- Turned off any addons. (No change in fps)
- Tried Window mode, setting all the graphics to low etc. Basicially I tried out every ingame Video and effects setting. (Disabling the shadows gave me 5 fps or so in Dalaran, but even with the shadows disabled I sometimes get 3 fps in 25 Raids)
- Made sure, that the client is using the GTX and set it to High Performance mode. (No change in fps)
- Tried to use all of my RAM with Larger Adress Aware. (First I thought it worked, but I guess it was only because I tried it, while Dalaran was not as full as usually.)
- Moved the game to a SSD and other drives and tried to play it from there. (No change in fps)
- Tried to use all of my cores in editing the Config.wtf. (SET processAffinityMask "15" for my 4 cores.) (No change in fps)

That said, none of my friends with much worse systems experience these kind of issues. Btw. there is no problem with my connection, I have solid 32ms. I believe it has something to do with my computer, especially because every other WotLk Client has the same problem. But then again Why only WoW?

I am starting to get desperate, maybe one of you guys have an Idea :)

Have a great sunday.

choose openGl or Direct3D

WTF > config.wtf open it and change SET gxApi "opengl" to SET gxApi "direct3d"

and remove this large adress aware, it's useless.

If you have change some graphical setting but that doesn't fit, normally erase WTF and use repair tool but this won't work. So you have to reinstall.

"opengl" is not the default and there is no user interface option to change the rendering API; it's unlikely he is using "opengl".

Also, the only valid options on Windows are "d3d9" (default), "d3d9ex", and "opengl".

ofc because I wrote the wrong word, it's not change but choose. (I took for him d3 but i can choose opengl)

So write one of this cmd in your wtf. This is the official solution made by blizzard on wow manual to force graphic acceleration.

What are you talking? There is direct3D on window. Open your Nvidia control pannel > adjust setting with []. Then read these 2 lines.


p.s: You should update/reinstall your drivers in case.
p.s2: For me your wow is running on intel graphic, not your gc. Because your fps are way too low. And don't forget to clean up wow cache.

p.s3: It's a bit more tricky but you can run some directx diagnostic. By typing dxdiag on your window search bar.

I tried to write:

SET gxApi "opengl", SET gxApi "d3d9" and SET gxApi "d3d9ex"

The only thing that caused a change was opengl, because it caused my game to crash. The two others made no difference. Still crappy framerate :/

And I am pretty sure, that I am using the Geforce Graphics Card, because it is my standard and I specifically set it up in the Nvidia system settings for the WoW.exe.

Edit: Shouldn't even the integrated graphics be able to get at least 25-30 fps?

As i said i choose direct3d for you, not opengl. The reason is simple: wow use directX most of time.

And the right cmd are SET gxApi "direct3D", not d3d9x or anything like Shred wrote. Exactly like I write with capital.

Futhermore put your cfg cg in "let your computer choose" /"autoselect". Or restore it by default (even better).


Wow is an old game your "new" intel graphic are enought powerful to run it at 50-60 fps in "empty" field. I did it in the past on a ****ty old computer (2001), with intel graphic until wotlk (too heavy for it).

Sorry, what do you mean by cfg cg? Because changing it to direct 3D itself did not work.. :<

I mean you may be set the wrong configuration of your graphic card for wow. You said you change it especially for wow, so just reset it to default.

And the cmd I said , ti's on your Wow> WTF>config.wtf

cfg = configuration
cg (sorry It an other language)= gc = graphic card

The standard settings is, that any application is running through the Geforce. By specifically mentioning that I tweaked the WoW.exe, I meant, that I made sure that the application is running on the Geforce.
Do you maybe have another idea what the problem could be?

So run dxdiag on your window bar, let see what it say.

If I understand correctly your wow running "perfectly" but suddently in some zone your fps get nuke.

If i'm right, fine what change in your computer.

correct. In non crowded areas the game functions with solid 60 fps. In Raids, BGs and Dalaran it nukes. I ran the diagnosis and it says it can't find any problems. Anything specific I have to look out for?