Would this Dell computer run Sims 3 with most EPs and store cc? (2020)

That laptop should be over the top capable of running the entire game (meaning all EPs) with as much store content as you want.

With a 256 GB SSD though, you will need to decide if you want the game installed on that and your user Documents folder, and hence your TS3 user game folder, on the SSD or on the much larger regular hard drive. The game benefits from being on an SSD but it will run fine either way; some players can work with 256 GB but others find it too restrictive after a while, keeping in mind that it's best to reserve at least 35 GB of free space for Windows to work with on the volume from which the operating system is running. Larger SSDs are available, but they do tend to drive the price up significantly.

Thanks for your insight!

I'm not technical enough, but my husband certainly understood your suggestions, and said I should definitely not sync onedrive to this computer, too.

Hi, so i'm a new member and don't think I can start my own discussion. I want to get a new computer and found this one that I really like. Will it be able to play TS3 and a few EP's (generations, pets, roaring heights). Here's the link to the computer. https://www.bestbuy.com/site/dell-inspiron-15-6-7000-2-in-1-touch-screen-laptop-intel-core-i5-8gb-memory-512gb-ssd-32gb-optane-silver/6373038.p?skuId=6373038

Thanks!

@havanesefluff - The game with a few EPs should run pretty well on that one on medium to lower graphics settings in game options, but what would be holding things back is that it does not have a dedicated graphics card. The heaviest of the EPs (Pets and Seasons) may be too much for it; players' expectations vs. experiences will vary on mid-range laptops and it can be difficult to predict them.

Generations should be okay, it's one of the lighter ones on impact. Roaring Heights is a store world, not an Expansion Pack, and should be fine.

Ok, thanks for the response. My budget is $1,000 and I think I want a Dell. Do you have any recommendations? Currently I have an early 2015 MacBook Air that I run the game with generations and 2 store worlds. I think the game is really heavy on it and it’s hard to run.

@havanesefluff - Between a MacBook Air having much weaker hardware (they are meant to be lightweight and portable, not really for heavy game programs) and the Mac version of the game being crippled as it can only utilize 2 GB of RAM unlike its Windows counterpart that can use almost twice that, you're already looking way ahead of where you are now and the Inspiron linked to will provide a much better experience.

Laptops with dedicated cards of sufficient strength will run higher, but your budget should allow for something better than integrated graphics only. Calling in someone with more finely tuned shopping skills. :)
@puzzlezaddict

Thank you! I’m not a computer person so I don’t really know what to look for. I mainly play sims 3 so I just need something to fit the games certain needs. I’m definitely leaning towards Windows. I just need help deciding which model would be the best fit.

@havanesefluff Are you committed to getting a Dell? Most Dell gaming laptops in your price range only come with a small 256 GB hard drive. While that's enough for Sims 3, your user data, and plenty of small apps like browsers, it might not be enough if you decide to install other large games too, or store a large amount of data like a music or photo collection. Of course, those kinds of files can go on an external hard drive, but you'd want games on the internal drive, and regardless, it's more of a hassle to deal with an external drive in addition to the laptop.

If 256 GB is enough, then this $700 laptop would do well—its Nvidia 1650 should run all Sims 3 content on ultra graphics settings, minus the two (water and high detail lots) that the game engine itself doesn't handle well.

https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/gaming-laptops/new-dell-g3-15-gaming-laptop/spd/g-series-15-3500-laptop/gn3500edfrs

This one ($860) is the same laptop except with a significantly faster graphics card (a 1660 ti). That wouldn't make any difference to Sims 3, but it would help if you planned to play other more demanding games in the future.

https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/gaming-laptops/new-dell-g5-15-gaming-laptop/spd/g-series-15-5500-laptop/gn5500eejvs

This may actually be a better deal than the one above, with a graphics card (an AMD 5600M) that's a bit slower than the 1660 ti but still much faster than the 1650. It also only has a 256 GB SSD, but for $750, you'd have plenty left over to ask Best Buy to upgrade the hard drive, if you wanted, and maybe the memory while they were at it, although you could do that yourself too. The processor is also significantly stronger than the one in the other two models, which won't matter to Sims 4 either but does help with CPU-heavy games, for example Cities Skylines, Planet Zoo, or Anno 1800.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/dell-g5-15-6-gaming-laptop-amd-ryzen-5-8gb-memory-amd-radeon-rx-5600m-256gb-solid-state-drive-red-print-grey/6409419.p?skuId=6409419

This laptop is $900 and has a 1660 ti. Its processor is a bit weaker than the one in the first two laptops but still good enough for Sims 3. It also has a 512 GB SSD.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/dell-g3-15-6-gaming-laptop-intel-core-i5-8gb-memory-nvidia-geforce-gtx-1660ti-max-q-512gb-solid-state-drive-black/6350872.p?skuId=6350872

There aren't a lot of websites out there selling current-generation Dell gaming laptops; the only other options I could find in this price range were older models on Amazon from third-party sellers. If you're willing to look at other vendors though, there are plenty of good options out there. Just as an example, this Lenovo is $800 and has a 1650 ti, which is a bit faster than the regular 1650; and a 512 GB SSD.

https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/ideapad/ideapad-gaming-laptops/IdeaPad-Gaming-3i-15%E2%80%9D/p/81Y4001JUS

If you'd like to see other options as well, let me know what details matter to you, and what other manufacturers' laptops you'd be interested in buying. Dell makes high quality laptops for the price, but so do a few other companies.

So I looked at the models that you recommended and did some research. Dell is my top choice and I like their models so I would like to stick with them. I would like to get a computer that already has 512 GB SSD without having to get one with 256 GB and then having to upgrade. I like the Dell G3 Gaming Laptop that you recommended with 512 GB SSD, and I also like the Dell Inspiron 15.6" 7000 that has 512 GB SSD. I'm not a huge gamer and I don't play any CPU-heavy games. I also might use the computer for some of my schoolwork and it will be my main/personal computer. If i'm only going to be playing TS3 is it worth getting the Dell G3? I looked at the key specs on Best Buy and saw that they have some differences. Are there any major differences that I should look at? and which do you think would be a better fit for me? I also wanted to know about the Late Night EP, I have it on Origin but because the Mac version is corrupt I cannot play it. Would it be very heavy on either of those Dells? I don't think that I will get the Pets EP, so I only need to worry about the base game, Late Night, and Generations. Thank you so much for all of the help, I really appreciate it!

@havanesefluff The single most important component in determining how well a given computer will run Sims 3 (as with most games) is the graphics card. Although the processor matters too, the GPU will be the limiting factor here. And the Inspiron doesn't have a dedicated card at all. Its integrated chip could certainly run the first few expansions, including Late Night and probably Generations, on lower graphics settings. But if you ever wanted to add a more demanding pack, not just Pets but maybe Seasons, or Island Paradise, or possibly even something in the middle like Supernatural or University Life, the Inspiron might have serious trouble handling it. And if you're planning to keep this laptop for several years, it wouldn't hurt to futureproof for what you might want to do down the road.

The other consideration is the cooling. While modern laptops of any strength should be capable of cooling themselves properly when possible (i.e. if you're not playing in bed with the laptop swaddled in the blankets), models like the Inspiron don't usually have the kind of cooling that would support even moderate gaming. What hardware does when it starts to overheat is it downclocks to lighten the load and reduce temperatures, throttling performance in the process. I don't know how good the Inspiron's cooling is relative to other laptops in its class. But it could easily run hot enough while you're playing that its performance wouldn't even match the best case scenario for its hardware. That's often what happens when people try to play Sims 3 on this kind of laptop, although others manage don't see significant side effects and can still play well on lower settings.

If you had less money to spend, I'd say get a laptop like the Inspiron—the same hardware can cost below $500 from other manufacturers—and see how it goes and which packs you can run reasonably well. But for $900, the G3 is a much better choice. It may last longer too, since you won't be subjecting it to loads it's not designed to handle.

By the way, Late Night isn't exactly corrupted in macOS, it just doesn't install correctly. This isn't a difficult problem to fix, but your new computer will make it a moot point. Besides, the best solution is playing in Windows instead, where all the issues related to trying to play in macOS just disappear.