Forum Discussion

puzzlezaddict's avatar
puzzlezaddict
Hero+
5 years ago

Re: What’s a great gaming pc that will run the sims?

@fappingfelines  While Sims 3 is hard on lower-end PCs, and Sims 4 keeps adding packs, a system that can run both games on ultra graphics settings doesn't have to be that expensive.  (I don't know how demanding Paralives is going to be, but it looks like it probably won't be any more so than Sims 3 or 4.)  In the U.S., I can usually find a suitable prebuilt system for $800 or so, monitor not included.  Prices will be higher in other countries.  The price of a custom build is also higher, although by how much can vary to some degree.  And of course there are benefits to a custom build, like allowing for upgrades down the line.

So the place to start would be with your preferred budget (and in what currency), and whether your priority is saving money or getting an upgradable system.  If you'd like, I can list a few good options, or just the hardware you'd want if you'd prefer to do the shopping yourself.  In the latter case though, I do need to know what you want out of this computer first, so I know what components to recommend.

2 Replies

  • fappingfelines's avatar
    fappingfelines
    5 years ago

    Thank you for the response😌! I’ve done a lot of research throughout the day & there’s more to come of course. But from what I’ve learned the best pre built PC is the NZXT BLD. If I did happen to get a Prebuilt I’d buy that. You can also still upgrade parts with prebuilt especially if it’s nzxt. But if I do decide to build which I’m still leaning towards, because everyone says it’s cheaper that way & I can choose what I want. I’d try finding parts that will give my game beautiful graphics, run smoothly without lag or crashing. I’d want a lot of space, I mean a lot. All the expansions or most, and a bunch of mods. I can’t give anymore info than that because I simply just don’t know too much right now regarding the components. I do want to upgrade in the future whatever it ends up being. I also live in the US & my highest budget for the PC alone would probably be nearly $1000 for starters. But if I can avoid that, that would be great as in I possibly wouldn’t need all that extra stuff for the few games I’m playing. It just all comes down to the space I need and how good the games look/play, of course.

  • puzzlezaddict's avatar
    puzzlezaddict
    Hero+
    5 years ago

    @fappingfelines  If you're going with a custom build, you'd probably want to spend the full $1,000, at least if you'd like room to accommodate later upgrades.  Specifically, you'd want to spend extra on a better power supply and motherboard than is strictly necessary, plus perhaps a better processor, that is if you don't want to upgrade that too.

    If you're building the computer yourself, in your price range it tends to be more expensive than a prebuilt model (as in, something you get from Amazon or Best Buy), but maybe a bit cheaper than a custom build (a system where you pick the components and a company builds it for you).  Still, it's a hassle to build it yourself, and if you've never done so, you may want to find a friend who's built a computer to help you out.  It's a lot easier if you have someone who's been through the process and can point you in the right direction.

    Anyway, for what you want out of the computer, this is the minimum I'd suggest:

    • Graphics card:  An Nvidia 1660 (any subtype) would be overkill; you could get away with a 1650 Super or an AMD 5500XT.
    • Memory:  8 GB is enough for any of these games, but RAM is cheap, and 16 GB is convenient.  If you're getting a prebuilt system or a custom build and it's expensive to upgrade over 8 GB, just spend the $40 and install another 8 GB yourself.
    • Storage:  For the three games, you should be more than fine with a 500 GB SSD.  None of these games will run faster on an NVMe than a SATA SSD, although Windows would run faster.  You could also get a small (128 or 256 GB) NVMe SSD for Windows and a larger SATA SSD for gaming.
    • Power Supply:  Whatever else you do, get a PSU from a reputable company that's at least bronze-rated, ideally gold.  A bad power supply can wreak havoc on your system.

    As for your processor and motherboard, they go together: what type of board you get depends on the socket you need for the CPU.  There's too much information to summarize neatly, but once you've picked out your processor or at least narrowed it down, let me know if you'd like help picking out a board.  The CPU cooler will also depend in part on the processor, not so much because of compatibility but because some CPUs need more cooling power than others.

    If the prices from NZXT are higher than you'd like and you still want a custom build, it's worth looking at Cyberpower PC, especially if you catch a convenient sale.  The build quality isn't always perfect, but you should be able to handle any issues that come up yourself; for example making sure that your RAM is running at the correct speed only takes booting into BIOS and changing one value.  The Cyberpower site is a bit difficult to navigate, but it's not all that hard to find the best deal if you know how to look.

    For these sites or any other potential purchase, please feel free to ask more questions once you have an idea of what you want.

Recent Discussions