I am so excited to make this thread after lurking for so long and saving all my spare cash. I am finally prepared to invest in a good Desktop and would love some advice from the resident tech gods. 1.) My budget is $1,500. While I'm willing to go that high, it'd be great to get what I'm looking for without using the whole budget. 2.) I have Sims 3 and 80% of the expansions including Seasons and Pets. I'd like to play on Medium to High graphics.3.) I do use mods, CC, and store content. 4.) Other games I wish to play are: Minecraft, Steam, and Eudemons Online. If there's anything else that I need to add, please feel free to let me know. Thank you for any and all help! It's all greatly appreciated.

I want to buy this laptop to run the sims 4 but I have all expansions packs, some stuff packs, cc and mods so would this laptop be ok: Lenovo IdeaPad 330 15.6 InchAMD A64GB 1TB Laptop

I want to a laptop to run the sims 4 but I have all expansions packs, some stuff packs, cc and mods and was think about this laptop: Lenovo Ideapad 320 Processor: Intel® Pentium™ N4200Operating System: Windows 10 HomeHard Drive: 1TB HDDGraphics: Intel® HD Graphics 505Memory: 4GB

@phoebebebe13 Thank you for pointing me their way. I'll send them a PM!

Hi! Sorry to hijack your post OP, but I have a similar situation. My budget is about $1200 US, and I have all Sims 3 expansions and stuff packs, use CC, etc. I want to play the highest graphics possible. Also want to play Minecraft and edit videos, and eventually I want to play the Sims 4.What I was really wondering though is, what is better: a desktop or a laptop? Can I get the same performance with a laptop? Also, would it make a difference to just buy a desktop or build one?I keep going around in circles as to which computer is best, please give me some guidance :) Thanks!!!!!

Desktops will always offer stronger performance for less money than laptops and more often components can be upgraded. Laptops require stronger, more expensive configurations to even approach the performance that a desktop can deliver and cannot be upgraded over time, except in some cases for adding more RAM or replacing a hard drive. Laptops are essentially expensive disposable machines with much shorter expected lifespans than desktops. Their only real benefit is portability.Custom configurations are recommended over a certain budget amount ($1,200 USD certainly qualifies) because you get to choose exactly the components you want, with some help as needed, and you get higher quality parts than off the shelf.Some basic guidelines for TS3 with all EPs (what we call "the entire game"), it's not all that different for TS4.Processor - i5 quad core or higher, i7 would be better (especially for TS4), or the AMD equivalents. At least 2.4 GHz but most desktop level i5s and higher are already there. TS4 might need more power than that, but the game isn't "finished" yet.Memory (RAM) - At least 8 GB. I wouldn't buy a new computer today with less than 16 GB, but the games don't need that much. That would be more for future-proofing and running programs alongside of the game at the same time.Graphics Card - Definitely a dedicated Nvidia or AMD card of sufficient capacity. On the current series, at least an Nvidia GTX 1050/1050Ti, a 1060 would be ideal, or again the AMD equivalents. Older cards are fine too if they are of sufficient strength within their own series, but they don't tend to make new mid-to-higher range computers with older cards. Lower end cards will cause problems.Hard Drive - At least 512 GB, multiple internal drives are fine as long as the one the games are installed on and the user Documents folder resides on is at least that. Solid State Drives (SSDs) are great, TS3 can certainly benefit from those (for TS4 these don't matter), but ones of sufficient size can drive the price tag way up.The case must have sufficient cooling and there must be an adequate power supply to run all of these components efficiently.

PC Advice/Help | EA Forums

50 Replies

igazor
7 years ago
Desktops to carry the entire game at medium to high graphics tend to start at $750 USD, give or take, they will go higher if we add high capacity Solid State Drives (SSDs) to the mix. Minecraft and Eudemons won't change the requirements. Is there an actual game called "Steam" as opposed to the Steam platform from which one can install other games (that is, a competitor to Origin)?

And are you in the US, with these being US Dollars?

With this budget, you should be able to do a custom build where you, with some assistance, specify the parts and the vendor assembles the machine for you. And with these requirements, you should be able to stay well below your budget. Will you also need a monitor?

Paging some colleagues.
@phoebebebe13
@chesterbigbird
BGH22
7 years ago
steam has games that require different computer specs. Some specs are way higher than the sims 3 . What are all the specific games you are playing.?
Axs3193Sxa2829
7 years ago
@igazor

If I can keep it under $1,000 I would be very happy so a pre-made PC would be enough. I do need a monitor and I am in the US. It's Steam the platform. I have yet to play anything from it so I wasn't sure how to refer to it.

@phoebebebe13

I haven't started playing anything since I have a Mac Air and don't want to strain it. What I've been considering is: My Time in Portia, Farm Folks, and Stonehearth. I hope those aren't super demanding?
dyedye15
7 years ago
I want to buy this laptop to run the sims 4 but I have all expansions packs, some stuff packs, cc and mods so would this laptop be ok:

Lenovo IdeaPad 330 15.6 Inch
AMD A6
4GB 1TB Laptop
dyedye15
7 years ago
I want to a laptop to run the sims 4 but I have all expansions packs, some stuff packs, cc and mods and was think about this laptop:
Lenovo Ideapad 320
Processor: Intel® Pentium™ N4200
Operating System: Windows 10 Home
Hard Drive: 1TB HDD
Graphics: Intel® HD Graphics 505
Memory: 4GB
igazor
7 years ago
@dyedye15 - I would say no on either one, Ideapads are not made for gaming. But this is the TS3 section of the forum, you will get a more informed answer on a forum board devoted to TS4.

The TS4 Help Center area on this forum is closing in a few days. Players needing such assistance are advised to post on EA's Answers HQ board (in the correct section for TS4) since otherwise there might not be enough time for a proper conversation.
BGH22
7 years ago
"Helitorian;c-16681046" wrote:
@igazor

If I can keep it under $1,000 I would be very happy so a pre-made PC would be enough. I do need a monitor and I am in the US. It's Steam the platform. I have yet to play anything from it so I wasn't sure how to refer to it.

@phoebebebe13

I haven't started playing anything since I have a Mac Air and don't want to strain it. What I've been considering is: My Time in Portia, Farm Folks, and Stonehearth. I hope those aren't super demanding?

@Helitorian I would ask @chesterbigbird she is the desktop expert. I was asking what you play so she can get an idea of what specs you need in a computer. Some people play heavy games on steam that require a more powerful computer
Axs3193Sxa2829
7 years ago
@phoebebebe13 Thank you for pointing me their way. I'll send them a PM!
BGH22
7 years ago
@Helitorian Your welcome. It's easier to get chester in PM. Paging people in here sometimes does not work
Sassypint
7 years ago
Hi! Sorry to hijack your post OP, but I have a similar situation. My budget is about $1200 US, and I have all Sims 3 expansions and stuff packs, use CC, etc. I want to play the highest graphics possible. Also want to play Minecraft and edit videos, and eventually I want to play the Sims 4.

What I was really wondering though is, what is better: a desktop or a laptop? Can I get the same performance with a laptop? Also, would it make a difference to just buy a desktop or build one?

I keep going around in circles as to which computer is best, please give me some guidance :) Thanks!!!!!