acer nitro 5

@punky12345678910  The second one is definitely the better choice.  The first one has a U-series processor, and many of these models don't run TS3 well at all; the second one's processor is good enough.  The second model also has a better graphics card, atlhough the card in the first model would probably be fine.  I say "probably" because there isn't much data on that card.  But an Nvidia 1050 ti, which the second model has (even if it's not listed, the 4 GB variant is the ti version), is the typical recommendation to run all packs on the highest graphics settings.

There are a couple of considerations.  First, Acer laptops often don't have adequate cooling.  Running TS3 generates a lot of heat, and if the system can't cool itself properly, you risk damaging the hardware.  The second is that this model only has 8 GB RAM.  That's more than enough for the game itself and Windows, but it might be difficult to multitask.  Even a couple of browser windows could put you close to running out of memory, especially if that browser is Chrome.

The third consideration is that TS3 will run much faster when installed on a solid state drive.  Loading a save, traveling, loading CAS and Build/Buy catalogs, saving, and messing around in Edit Town, among other things, will all be faster on an SSD than an HDD.  Of course, SSDs are more expensive, especially since you'd need one that's at least 256 GB, ideally 512 GB, to be able to install the game and keep Documents on it.  (You could move other files to the larger HDD, but the program files and the game folder in Documents would both need to be on the SSD to get the full benefit.)

A quick glance at a couple of sites says that you could get the MSI version of the second laptop you linked for $800.  It also has a hybrid (SSHD) hard drive, which would be a bit slower than an SSD.  MSI is known for making great gaming laptops, even at the entry level.  There are a couple of cheaper Asus models that come with a single 256 GB SSD, but that wouldn't be enough storage if you wanted to use the computer for much besides TS3.

https://www.amazon.com/MSI-GV62-8RD-200-Performance-Steelseries/dp/B07D4ZML7M

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834235176&ignorebbr=1

If you'd like me to look around a bit more, just list your budget as well as anything else you'd like to run on this computer.  It sounds like you'd prefer a laptop, but let me know if desktops would work as well.

Thank you so much for your reply!
I have had a couple acers in the past both ran the sims 3 pretty decently and, in my opinion, were great laptops. My first one didn't have an issue with cooling, but the second did and I had to purchase a cooling pad for it. I wasn't sure if these would have the same issue or not.

I have heard great things about MSI and ASUS the ones you linked looked great I'd definitely be open to that. I just looked into acer first since I've had a couple in the past and loved them.

I would definitely prefer a laptop and the max I can spend is about 800$ (I know its not a whole lot to work with). Besides TS3 the only other game I'd like to be able to play is TS2, but TS3 really is my main priority. May seem silly to want to spend so much just to play one game, but TS3 is my favorite and I haven't been able to play in years so it would be nice to be able to play again

Again, thank you so much for taking the time to help me out I really appreciate it!

@punky12345678910  After checking Amazon and newegg more thoroughly, as well as a couple of other sites, I think the choice really comes down to whether you're comfortable with a single 256 GB SSD.  It would mean you couldn't store much besides the game folders for TS3 and TS2; you'd need to put any movies, music, photos, etc. on an external drive.  (These aren't so expensive; you could probably find a 1 TB version for $50, or a 4 TB version for $120, if you wait for a sale.)  Browsers and a few documents would be fine, but anything that takes up significant space would need to go elsewhere.

If you're okay with the 256 GB SSD, I found one option that's better than the second laptop I linked.  This Asus has the same processor, the same screen, and the same 8 GB RAM, plus an Nvidia 1060 3 GB, which is a bit better than a 1050 ti.  So you'd be paying $50 for the graphics card upgrade.

https://www.amazon.com/IPS-level-i5-8300H-Processor-GeForce-Gigabit/dp/B07JF6HRJ1

If you'd prefer more storage, the Asus version of the MSI I linked first is a bit cheaper.  This one is sold through Amazon by a third party, but since it has the "fulfilled by Amazon" designation, it's less of a risk.

https://www.amazon.com/8th-Gen-i5-8300H-FireCuda-Gigabit-FX504GE-US52/dp/B07CZ8TP35

For what it's worth, the Acer prices I saw didn't look any better than the others.  I did notice Best Buy had a couple of models for under $700 (again the 1 TB HDD and 256 GB SSD versions), but they both came with a 7th-gen Intel processor.  There was a big jump in quality to the 8th generation, so you're better off spending a bit more money for the newer version.

And I totally understand why you'd buy a laptop just to play games.  I paid much more than was strictly necessary for my laptop, but it has a dedicated graphics card that runs TS3 very well, and I think of it as money well spent.