Getting the most out of my computer?

So I'm loving playing FF14, and I'm lucky that my computer is able to keep up with the graphics, however, I'm wondering if I can push it a bit further, or if I'm at the maximum it can perform.

Currently I have EVERYTHING on maximum settings, except General Drawing settings which is on 8. If I even put it up to 9 the gameplay gets really laggy and unplayable. I'm not even sure if I'm missing much with having the settings on 8, but I'd certainly like to know if this is due to the graphics card, or if it is the HD that is doing the work for the general drawing, and if there's anything I can do to help it along.

Heres my set up :


Operating System Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate Edition Service Pack 1 64bit (build 7601)
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 CPU 950 @ 3.07GHz
Number of Processors Logical Core Count 8 Physical Core Count 4
BIOS BIOS Date: 09/23/10 21:00:01 Ver: 08.00.15
Language English (Regional Setting: English)
Physical Memory 16375.113MB
Virtual Memory 2047.875MB
Page File 32748.422MB
Storage C:\ Hard Disk Drive Total Disk Space 1862.917GB Free Disk Space 1288.522GB
Storage Z:\ Network Drive Total Disk Space 1862.917GB Free Disk Space 1288.522GB
DirectX Version DirectX 11
Graphic Device(s) NVIDIA GeForce GTX 470
+Device \\.\DISPLAY1
+Chip GeForce GTX 470
+Maker NVIDIA
+Video Memory 1248.438 MB
+Shared Video Memory 2815.852 MB
+DAC Type Integrated RAMDAC
+Display Mode 1280 x 1024 (32 bit) (60Hz)
+Driver nvd3dumx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvd3dum,nvwgf2um,nvwgf2um
+Driver Version 8.17.0012.5896
+Driver Date 10/07/2010 06:38:00
+Driver Language English
+Vertex Shader 3.0
+Pixel Shader 3.0
+Vertex Texture Supported
Graphic Device(s) NVIDIA GeForce GTX 470
+Device \\.\DISPLAY2
+Chip GeForce GTX 470
+Maker NVIDIA
+Video Memory 1248.438 MB
+Shared Video Memory 2815.852 MB
+DAC Type Integrated RAMDAC
+Display Mode 1024 x 768 (32 bit) (60Hz)
+Driver nvd3dumx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvd3dum,nvwgf2um,nvwgf2um
+Driver Version 8.17.0012.5896
+Driver Date 10/07/2010 06:38:00
+Driver Language English
+Vertex Shader 3.0
+Pixel Shader 3.0
+Vertex Texture Supported

No point in having drawing quality and background drawing quality higher then standard. There is a diff but it so small i can't tell the diff.

I have a 450gts and i can play on 9 don't know why you lag so much o.o

If the only place you are lagging is the cities there isn't much you can do.

I would only suggest bumping up your RAM from 2GB to like 6GB or higher if you can afford it. You have a 64bit Operating system. So you can go much higher than 2GB. If you had a 32bit OS you would be limited to only 4GB which your not even at that point yet.

I've heard that SSD's help to when in cities to load player character data faster when they pop in.

But lastly we must just live with the fact that the servers are in Japan and it's a worldwide server. You can't do much with that unless your ISP is crappy.

Thanks :) I'll certainly look into RAM, but at the moment I feel that I can enjoy the game at its settings and not be missing much