@kwana1994 If your games are registered to you in Origin, then you can download them for free onto your new computer. If you own disc copies, they'll have come with codes on the backs of the inserts inside the CD cases, and those codes can be added to your Origin account. Or you could reinstall from disc, if your new computer has a disc drive and authenticates the discs. (This doesn't always work, especially with Windows 10.)
Your saves are stored in your TS3 game folder, in Documents\Electronic Arts, so you'd have to retrieve that data from your old computer and transfer it to your new one. If that's not possible, then yes, you'd have to start over.
I love macs—I'm typing on one right now—but for TS3, they're absolutely not the right choice, especially if you're looking for a laptop. Macbook airs don't run the game particularly well, lacking both a dedicated graphics card and adequate cooling; the cheaper macbooks (not pro) probably won't even launch TS3. The only Apple laptop that can handle TS3 on high settings is the 15" macbook pro, but it sounds like that's a lot more money than you're looking to spend. Additionally, TS3 in mac OS is extremely limited compared to Windows 10 for a variety of reasons that I can get into if you're interested. But the bottom line is, Windows 10 will run the game much better.
A laptop that can run TS3 and all packs on high settings will cost at least $900 U.S. (more in other countries), although you can probably find one for $800 or a bit less during these holiday sales. Acer is actually a decent brand, although like other brands, it makes lower-quality entry-level laptops as well as ones for gaming. Still, if you'd rather not buy Acer, ASUS and MSI are both good choices. The specs you'd need in a laptop are:
- Intel i7 processor, preferably quad core, at least 2.4 GHz, or AMD equivalent, and not U-series (the processor will have a U on the end of it)
- 8 GB RAM. 16 GB is preferable for other reasons, like running multiple apps at once and future-proofing, but TS3 doesn't need it
- a dedicated graphics card, at least an Nvidia 960 or 1050 ti, or AMD equivalent.
- 512 GB storage. An SSD is nice but not necessary. With a single 256 GB hard drive, you'll likely run out of space quickly, even using cloud storage
If you're looking at a particular laptop, I can tell you whether it would run TS3 well. Or, if you'd prefer, someone here can try to find you a few models. Just list your budget and country, as well as any other features you'd need the laptop to have.
