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MAWriterGirl's avatar
MAWriterGirl
3 years ago
Solved

Best used desktop to run Sims 3?

I'm searching for a good, inexpensive used desktop PC for my Sims 3 game.  I bought my current PC in 2014, and it runs Sims 3, but with heavy limitations.  I can play with only two expansion packs at...
pc
technical issues
  • puzzlezaddict's avatar
    puzzlezaddict
    3 years ago

    @MAWriterGirl  Your computer has the processor, graphics card, RAM, and storage that its product page advertised, at least.  However, you've plugged your monitor into the motherboard, not the graphics card.  Please fix that; you're not getting any benefit from the card and are running everything through the integrated chip.  I like to borrow this diagram from someone else:

    The graphics card should have HDMI and DVI ports, and it looks like you're currently using HD15 for the monitor, so you may need an adapter, but those are cheap.

    Please also update the Nvidia graphics driver.  You can get the newest one here:

    https://www.nvidia.com/Download/driverResults.aspx/200382/en-us/

    Run the installer as an admin: right-click on the download and select "Run as administrator."  Choose the Custom (not Express) option and check the box to perform a clean install.  Restart your computer after installing and before trying to play.

    For the clacking sound, make sure there isn't a fan cable or something else catching the fan.  You can just open the case and have a look, maybe spin the fan slowly and see what happens.

thesims1depot's avatar
thesims1depot
Seasoned Ace
3 years ago

I'm going to jump in here, because I don't agree with some of the advice that was given above, as the OP stated that they were on a budget. 

The Sims 3 can run on any computer that has a quad-core CPU, 4GB RAM and a budget to midrange card, using an ordinary, run of the mill hard drive. I say that as someone who's run the game fine on multiple setups, starting with a rinky-dinky single core AMD Athlon CPU, 2GB RAM and ancient Nvidia 9800GT. This game ran fine with the Nvidia 710GT and the 1030GT, which I have on my other machine. 

The only reason why anyone would need a super-duper computer is if they planned on also live streaming or recording The Sims for Twitch or some other platform. This is why some Sims 3 players have monster rigs, because many of them are streamers and recorders. People who just want to play the game don't need monster rigs, unless they're really impatient and want their game to load in the blink of an eye. A quadcore with 4GB RAM and a large hard drive will do fine. Anything over that is overkill.

I had to speak up because it's very frustrating to me when an image is being depicted of The Sims as being like the latest triple AAA title needing all the works, which in turn induces a lot of anxiety in players when shopping for a new system. Again, if you're someone who is just playing the game, a budget system is fine. It's the ones who are hoping to livestream and run other programs while playing The Sims for whatever reason that need high end machines.

@MAWriterGirl I don't know much about Intel, I just know AMD. A quadcore AMD CPU with 4GB RAM and at minimum an Nvidia 710 GT card will be fine, but the 1030 GT is ideal. (I have that running on my other machine.) I looked at your choices, and I would be more worried about the reviews for each product than whether they will run The Sims. The reviews for the Dell suggests there's something sketchy going on there.

MAWriterGirl's avatar
MAWriterGirl
3 years ago

I don't know much about Intel, I just know AMD. A quadcore AMD CPU with 4GB RAM and at minimum an Nvidia 710 GT card will be fine, but the 1030 GT is ideal. (I have that running on my other machine.)

@thesims1depot  Thank you for your input, that's helpful to know.  I have a few questions if that's OK by you, mainly regarding graphics. When I play the game and skim my camera through town (without going into Map mode) it looks as if the town is perpetually shrouded in fog, so that I can see only a certain distance ahead and as I approach things, they appear from the fog.  Is this normal, or would a better graphics card show me the whole town from the perspective of a bird flying at around treetop level or so?  Would I get sunlight reflecting off water and shadows cast by buildings and other objects, and be able to see to the limits of the world I'm playing?  I've seen so many screenshots that have these qualities and would love to get that in my game.  I have my current graphics on the lowest setting (default, I think), so mirrors in my Sims' homes don't work right.  Mostly I don't mind, but I'd like to have that option too.  I'm afraid that if I try to raise the settings on my current PC, the game will crash or something a lot worse will happen.

You're correct in that my primary, probably only, interest is in playing.  I've been a Simmer for only about a year and don't have a lot of confidence in my ability to transfer short videos or even screenshots to social media, even if my current PC would allow it.  I might do this occasionally just to share with a friend or two, but it definitely won't be a regular thing.  Would you be able to recommend a specific PC that has the specs I quoted above?  Thanks again!

  • thesims1depot's avatar
    thesims1depot
    Seasoned Ace
    3 years ago

    @MAWriterGirl :

    If you're seeing fog, chances are that has to do with the graphics settings in-game. When you lower the draw distance to the lowest level, you'll have this issue. If you have other issues with the game graphically, it could be a case of needing to update your graphics drivers or even, in some odd cases, rolling them back, which is what I had to do with my graphics card. I had to roll the driver back, because there was an issue with a recent update that caused rain to clip. 

    In terms of recommending a computer, I would pick a build similar to the Dell you found on Amazon, but with better reviews. Another site I would recommend, in case you decide against Amazon or run out of time at Tiger Direct (can't believe it's closing; bought my first electronics components there, like 20 years ago!), is Newegg: http://www.newegg.com. You can also try Best Buy and B & H Photo.

    Go to "Desktops" sections on any of these sites, filter results by "low to high-price" to find budget builds. To help drill things down, read reviews because some of buyers will actually be specific as in, "It runs older games like GTA V great or Assassin's Creed fine." If a desktop can run an older triple A title like GTA V or any other released around the time TS3 wound down (GTA V was released in 2013), it can run TS3. 

    BTW, I'm just going to reiterate what I said earlier, and explain my remarks:

    1. There aren't desktops with a quadcore in consumer builds (aka store-bought) that cannot run older titles like The Sims. Desktops like that have always been aimed at casual users/casual gamers who want budget builds that can play older titles like GTA V, Assassin's Creed, etc. That's why I said that an AMD quadcore is fine without getting into specifics about it. 

    2. The Sims 3 is not a triple A title, so it doesn't make sense to say that a casual user would need at least 8GB, or even invoke SSDs or anything of the sort. A person can certainly start with 4GB and then upgrade if they want, but not need it for The Sims 3 if all they want to do is play the game. 

    3. Speaking of which, the conventional wisdom of needing a monster rig started when it turned out that TS3 was poorly optimized. So, people assumed that when their computers started sputtering, they needed to drop gobs of money on souped up components. But then, as it turned out, some of them wound up needing mods and hacks anyway to get the game running smoothly in spite of all the money they had spent: Help With Setting Up/optimizing The Sims 3 On New/high end systems. — The Sims Forums

      So, I guess that's why everyone wants to recommend SSDs, expensive cards, etc.. I suppose dropping $700-$1000 on a rig to play TS3 will cancel out some of the lag that comes with the game because of poor optimization, but I think it would be much cheaper to get a midrange computer and just use NRAAS and other mods like everyone winds up doing anyway, no matter how budget or high end the system. 🤣

    Good luck on your search, and Happy Simming!

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