Re: What computer is best for the Sims 4 including packs, mods, and cc?

@MinVediva  $1,500 U.S. is more than enough to fit your needs.  Do you want a desktop or a laptop?  Desktop hardware is more powerful, and desktops are much more upgradable, but a laptop is more convenient.  If you're going with desktop, let me know whether the monitor is part of the budget and how large you want it to be.

Please also let me know whether you'd prefer the best system for $1,500 or the cheapest system that fits your needs.

@MinVediva  If you're not looking for the best computer $1,500 can buy, you really don't need to pay nearly that much, even with the monitor included, for Sims 4.  There are a few rough categories to choose from even below $1,000, and the question is at what point does price become more important than performance.

If your only goal is to play Sims 4 on ultra settings without the game lagging too much (it'll lag for sure, that can't be avoided, but it won't be the hardware's fault), then these are as low as I would go.  Performance should be smooth, other than when the game inevitably lags, and you'll have room for whatever else you want to install.  The second one has a newer and better processor, which should help with longevity and with some of the Sims 4 lag, but it's not strictly necessary.

https://www.amazon.com/Skytech-Chronos-Mini-Gaming-Desktop/dp/B09R1V8X6F

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/skytech-gaming-chronos-mini-gaming-desktop-intel-core-i3-12100f-16gb-memory-nvidia-geforce-gtx-1650-500gb-nvme-ssd-black/6537309.p?skuId=6537309

The next tier means smoother graphics, especially if you get a monitor with a higher refresh rate (more on that below), and more of a buffer to absorb the effects of the game lagging.  To be clear, this is about the game tripping all over itself, not the hardware, but faster hardware can resolve those tie-ups marginally more quickly.  The faster graphics card also leaves some room for Sims 4 to get more demanding, if it does, or for the eventual Sims 5 to be more graphics-intensive than that.  Given the small difference in price between this and the next tier up, this is the only computer I found that's worth the price given its hardware.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/skytech-gaming-nebula-gaming-desktop-intel-core-i5-12400f-16gb-memory-nvidia-geforce-rtx-3050-500gb-nvme-ssd-black/6537311.p?skuId=6537311

Finally, these computers are overkill for Sims 4 and almost certainly always will be, but since these systems are only around $900, they're worth mentioning too.  Aside from the faster graphics card, you're also getting twice the storage for the first two, which is convenient if not necessary for Sims 4 and schoolwork.

https://www.newegg.com/skytech-st-azure-0641-b-ne/p/3D5-000Z-000Z2

https://www.newegg.com/ibuypower-slatehakoi5n3601/p/N82E16883993002

https://www.amazon.com/Skytech-Blaze-3-0-Gaming-Desktop/dp/B0B52VH28X

https://www.amazon.com/Skytech-Azure-Gaming-PC-Desktop/dp/B0BRBR8C9Y

Within a given tier, the hardware isn't meaningfully different other than the extra storage of the first two $900 options.  But storage is very easy to upgrade and quite cheap these days, so you wouldn't be locking yourself into 500 GB with the other options.  All of these have 16 GB RAM, which is convenient for multitasking and will probably be necessary eventually even if it's not right now.

I chose desktops from companies with a reputation for good build quality and getting the most out of their hardware.  You might see a slightly cheaper option with the same hardware from HP or Acer, but I would suggest avoiding those given your budget can accommodate a slightly higher price.  Some manufacturers use proprietary components that don't work as well and are not interchangeable with commonly-available parts, so repairs and upgrades can be much more difficult.

For monitors, the single most important feature is an IPS panel (as opposed to VA or TN), which has the highest-quality colors and widest viewing angles.  Second, for many of us at least, is a higher refresh rate.  Many people can readily distinguish between 60 or 75 Hz and 120 or higher, especially at younger ages, with the higher refresh rates making everything from games to dragging a desktop window feel smoother and more responsive.  Even some of those who can't tell the difference, consciously at least, report a subjective improvement.

However, if you're going for one of the computers in the first tier, you may not get a lot of benefit from a refresh rate higher than 75 Hz.  The 1650 would run Sims 4 a little faster than that most of the time and sometimes drop below it, so something like one of these would be fine.  I realize that I'm listing a lot of options, but aesthetics matter to a lot of people, so you might cross off half of them because you don't like the stand or something.

https://www.amazon.com/VA229HR-Monitor-Frameless-1080P-Viewing/dp/B07WMTJGFX

(same as above; you could probably get Best Buy to price match)

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/asus-21-5-ips-led-fhd-monitor-black/6401041.p?skuId=6401041

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1457452-REG/lg_22mk430h_b_22_full_hd_ips.html

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1299685-REG/lg_24mb35v_w_23_8_led_lcd.html

https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-23-8-1080P-Monitor-VA247HE/dp/B09DHNBDGD

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/samsung-t350-series-24-ips-led-fhd-freesync-hdmi-vga-dark-blue-gray/6420870.p?skuId=6420870

https://www.amazon.com/MSI-Pro-MP243-Certified-Protection/dp/B0B94NQ1YC

https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-VA24EHE-Monitor-1920x1080-D-Sub/dp/B07Z8TC28F

(again, same as above)

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/asus-va24ehe-23-8-full-hd-led-lcd-monitor-169/6419208.p?skuId=6419208

If you're getting a computer with an RTX 3050 or especially a 3060 for a graphics card, then it's well worth the upgrade to 120 Hz or higher.  Sims 4 should run at 1920x1080 at or above 144 fps under ideal conditions on a 3060, and lower but still well over 100 on a 3050.  Some situations will create fps drops, that happens on even much more powerful systems, but most of the time you'd see closer to 144.  Even with a 1650, the price premium for a higher-refresh-rate monitors is low enough to be worth considering for general use.

https://www.amazon.com/LG-24GN600-B-Ultragear-Virtually-Borderless/dp/B08PHKNNRY

https://amazon.com/MSI-Refresh-Monitor-Optix-G242PM/dp/B09X32W7F9

https://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-G24-20-FreeSync-Certified-Adjustable/dp/B0B94RK4BK

https://www.newegg.com/metallic-black-msi-optix-g2412-24/p/N82E16824475257

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1703068-REG/gigabyte_g24f_2_us_24.html

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1727984-REG/msi_g2412_24_full_hd_170hz.html

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/asus-tuf-23-8-fhd-165hz-1ms-freesync-premium-gaming-monitor-displayporthdmi/6501810.p?skuId=6501810

In terms of specs, there aren't many meaningful differences, although look for a peak brighness, measured in nits, at or above 300 if you like a brighter monitor.  If you don't like a particular brand's monitors in general, that's also a good distinction to make.  For example, I'd never buy myself a Dell monitor even though they're high quality overall just because I don't like the way the screens look.

If you have more questions about any of this, please feel free to ask.

@MinVediva  Are you talking about the computer itself or the monitor?  Do you specifically want one or the other in white?  That will likely cost a bit more, and to be honest I don't see many white monitors out there at all: black is much better for viewing since it doesn't interfere with or draw the eyes away from the on-screen image.

@MinVediva  What do you think of these?  (Two links for each model in case there's an issue with supply or delivery)

https://www.amazon.com/MSI-Pro-MP243W-Certified-Protection/dp/B0B94NN78R

https://www.newegg.com/msi-pro-mp243w-24-full-hd/p/N82E16824475263

https://www.newegg.com/msi-modern-md241pw-23-8-full-hd/p/N82E16824475146

https://www.amazon.com/MSI-Modern-MD241PW-Protection-Adjustable/dp/B096HKMSWQ

The second one is more expensive than the first because it can swivel and change height, but the screens themselves are probably the same.

Other than those, I'm not seeing anything in white below $200 and only these two in silver:

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/hp-21-5-ips-led-full-hd-freesync-monitor-hdmi-vga-silver-black/6455487.p?skuId=6455487

https://www.amazon.com/Dell-S2721HS-Adjustable-Response-FreeSync/dp/B09S4ZZMS9

These are all 75 Hz monitors, which may be what you were going to choose anyway.  But if you're getting a computer with a GPU that could handle 144 Hz, I'm not sure you'd be happy with the downgrade to 75 Hz just to match the color scheme.  It's your choice though.

@MinVediva  There are lots of laptops that can run Sims 4 on ultra settings, including however much custom content you pile on top of the game itself.  Here again, the question is whether you want the cheapest option that's good enough for ultra settings or something more powerful that gives you room to absorb future expansions or cc that's more demanding to render.

I could make a list either way, but it's not worth doing unless and until you're ready to buy the laptop.  Prices change too quickly for any list to be valid for more than a few days.

@MinVediva  I personally would go with a computer with a 3060, but then I play other games and would want that extra power for those.  If you're getting one of the white monitors with a 75 Hz refresh rate, just get a desktop with a 3050; the faster 3060 would be wasted on one of those monitors.  If you're thinking about one of the 144 Hz monitors, get a 3060.

The important point here is the graphics card in the computer in question.  All the other components are good enough that they won't cause a problem.  So if you'd like to pick based on price or aesthetics or something else I didn't consider, that's totally fine.  Don't overthink this; you have lots of good options that are close enough to equal that you'll be fine no matter what you do.

@MinVediva  It's definitely possible to build your own PC.  In this price range, you probably would need to spend a little more, maybe in the range of $100-150 depending on the components you chose.  (You're not getting the benefit of the bulk discounts that make the prebuilt models so cheap.)  It's also quite the project for someone who hasn't done it before, so make sure you're willing to take the time to learn how to do it, or find a friend who already knows.

Is this a good computer? If so what’s a good budget monitor for it? My plan is to play Sims 4, modded, at ultra settings, and streaming eventually.
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/cyberpowerpc-gamer-xtreme-gaming-desktop-intel-core-i5-12400f-16gb-memory-nvidia-geforce-rtx-3050-8gb-1tb-ssd-white/6553012.p?skuId=6553012

@QueenTerikaB  This computer is good enough to run Sims 4 on ultra graphics settings, sure.  You can do a bit better on the price though.  This one is $75 cheaper and has the same hardware, except for twice the storage:

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/thermaltake-quartz-i350-r4-gaming-desktop-12th-gen-intel-core-i5-12400f-16gb-memory-nvidia-geforce-rtx-3050-1tb-nvme-m-2-white/6560191.p?skuId=6560191

If you want to save more money, this one is $100 cheaper than the one above and has a somewhat faster graphics card.  Its processor is equivalent in gaming, although it only has four cores, which is fine for Sims 4 but maybe not for other games you'd play.  I'd suggest upgrading the RAM to 16 GB, but you could do that yourself for about $40.  Or you could get an already-upgraded system if you'd rather spend more money and not have to worry about it.

For monitors, any modern one is going to work with almost any computer out there, so you don't need to worry about compatibility with the specific computer you buy.  The most important detail here is that the monitor has an IPS panel, which is the highest quality in terms of color and viewing angle.  Of course you want to make sure that your desk or table has room for the size of the monitor.

The other details to consider are brightness, at least 300 nits (or candelas per square meter) if you're going to play with the lights on; and refresh rate, with 75 Hz being the minimum and 100 even better.  Above that, the 3050 probably won't be able to maintain framerates that high in Sims 4, at least not if you have most or all of the expansions installed, so it's not worth spending extra for the upgrade.  Even the 1660 would have trouble staying at 120 fps.

Something like this would work nicely:

https://www.newegg.com/msi-pro-mp251-24-5-fhd/p/N82E16824475334

I don't see anything comparable for under $100 from Best Buy or Newegg, but let me know if you'd like suggestions in the $110 range, or would like me to check other stores.

@QueenTerikaB  The Thermaltake computer would be exactly as good as the one you've linked, provided neither one has some flaw in assembly.  (That's unlikely, but also, you could take it back and ask Best Buy to have a look.)  The important details are the components and how they're put together; nothing else is going to contribute here.

I would say that for an RTX 3050, yes, 1920x1080 and 100 Hz is more or less the sweet spot.  If you were buying a significantly faster graphics card, you could get more out of it, for example I play at a 2560x1440 resolution and get over 144 fps most of the time, but the 3050 isn't powerful enough to do that, at least not if you're playing on ultra graphics settings and with most of the EPs installed.  But the difference between 60 fps and 100 is noticeable for most people, and the higher framerates make everything from the game to desktop use feel smoother.

Ok, Thank you so much for taking the time out to help! 🙂. 

I am looking for a good gaming desktop. I have a lot of cc and some mods. I want it to run smooth and not be slow. I am in the US and want to stay under $1000. Anyone have any good recommendations?? Looking to buy this weekend.

@angela2878  If you want a cheaper good-quality computer that will be sufficient to run Sims 4 on ultra graphics settings, these would be good options:

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/thermaltake-quartz-i350-r4-gaming-desktop-12th-gen-intel-core-i5-12400f-16gb-memory-nvidia-geforce-rtx-3050-1tb-nvme-m-2-white/6560191.p?skuId=6560191

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/skytech-gaming-nebula-gaming-desktop-intel-core-i5-12400f-16gb-memory-nvidia-geforce-rtx-3050-500gb-nvme-ssd-black/6537311.p?skuId=6537311

The RTX 3050 shouldn't struggle with ultra setting at all, at least with the currently-released packs, but it's not going to consistently run the game at over 100 fps, even at a 1920x1080 resolution.  If you have a 1080p 60 or 75 Hz monitor, or are going to buy one, there's not much point in paying more for a faster graphics card, at least not as far as Sims 4 is concerned.  But if you might play other, more demanding games in the future, it's worth considering an upgrade.

This one is overkill for Sims 4, more power than the game will ever need.  It's also the cheapest decent system I found with a faster GPU than the 3050 and that doesn't have other drawbacks.  ABS is Newegg's in-house system integrator and uses the same standard components you'd buy if you were building your own computer.  This is the best option I saw for under $1,000; systems with a 4060 start at $1,000 from Best Buy and are almost as expensive on Amazon.

https://www.newegg.com/abs-za13400f4060-zyklon-aqua/p/N82E16883360482

If you would prefer to buy from Amazon, this one is $960 and has an RTX 4060, but it has otherwise the same specs (except for half the RAM, which won't matter since 16 GB is more than enough for anything this computer could run).  I don't think it's worth the extra $110, but I figured I'd mention it anyway.

https://www.amazon.com/MSI-Codex-Gaming-Desktop-13NUC5-087US/dp/B0CQB3142W

This is a little more expensive and has a graphics card that's a little slower, but I'm listing it because it's still very fast and is available from Best Buy, if that matters to you.  The RX 6700 is 10-15% slower in gaming than the RTX 4060 in the system above but still has far more speed than Sims 4 could ever use.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/ibuypower-slatemesh-gaming-desktop-amd-ryzen-7-5700-amd-radeon-rx-6700-10gb-16gb-ddr4-ram-1tb-nvme-ssd-black/6557597.p?skuId=6557597

If you have more questions, please feel free to ask.

@puzzlezaddict Hi! I'm looking for a good laptop in the €600-€700 price range ideally, or even lower if possible. I'm from Belgium and I would only use the laptop for Sims 4. I play Sims 4 with all expansion packs and lots of CC and mods, so it would need to be able to handle all of that. Completely lost in all the options there are, so any help would be greatly appreciated!