[Read First] Running Sims 3 in Windows
Overview
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Contrary to popular belief, Sims 3 is not...
Forum Discussion
What hardware do I need to run Sims 3?
Note: These are my own recommendations, not EA's. The official minimum requirements list what was sufficient to run the base game alone, at its release in 2009, on hardware that existed at the time. The information below reflects reports (and some benchmarking) from current players on modern hardware.
You can of course try to run the game on any computer you like. As long as the system doesn't overheat, you won't be doing damage by experimenting.
Any dedicated graphics card from the last six years or so, aside from some Nvidia MX-series models, is sufficient to run Sims 3 on mostly ultra graphics settings. Even if you can afford it, the game can't use more power than an Nvidia RTX 3050 Mobile at a 1920x1080 resolution and 60 Hz. If you'd like to play at a higher resolution and/or refresh rate, and your budget allows it, consider going up to an RTX 4050/4060 or AMD RX 6600, but the game can't use any more power than that.
If you're looking for a budget laptop, or something lightweight, a good integrated graphics chip can manage at least high graphics settings. Examples include Intel Xe Graphics with 80 or 96 EUs and AMD RX Vega 7 or 8 (4000-series processor or newer).
Any processor paired with a dedicated graphics card in a laptop or prebuilt desktop will be sufficient. The processors that have good integrated graphics are also faster, relatively speaking, than than their iGPUs, and are therefore also fine.
For RAM, 8 GB is sufficient: 4 GB for Sims 3 (the mathematical limit of what it can use), and 4 for Windows and other background processes. 16 GB is nice to have but not required.
For storage, I would suggest at least 256 GB, or 512 if you're going to store anything else on the computer. The Sims 3 base game is about 6 GB, and the game with all DLC is about 32. However, that doesn't include Store or custom content, or saves, which can get quite large.
What specific computer should I buy for Sims 3?
If you'd like help picking out something specific, please create your own thread in the Sims 3 tech section (here). List your budget and country as well as any other considerations: laptop vs. desktop, screen size, extra storage, etc., whatever matters to you. I'll try to help you find something suitable.
What was that recent update (Jan 13 2025) about?
Prior to the update, Sims 3 wouldn't start correctly on certain newer, higher-end Intel processors. (This is commonly known as the Alder Lake issue.) EA updated the game to fix the problem. The update had no other effects and did not alter the game itself. The update was only made available in the EA App, not in Steam, and not for disc installs that don't require the EA App.
Do I need to take steps to make my game use more than 2 GB RAM?
No.
Can I make my game use more than 4 GB RAM?
No. The 4 GB RAM cap is a mathematical limitation of all 32-bit apps.
What mods should I add for best performance?
I highly recommend NRaas ErrorTrap, Overwatch, MasterController, Register, Traffic, and Traveler. ET and OW clean up stale data that the game itself cannot; the last three fix various bugs and other problems without any need for user input. MC does nothing unless you use it to issue a command, and its Reset Sim and Reset Everything options are highly useful.
For more information about mods you might want to use, please see this post and the ones that follow:
What mods should I add to make my game more fun?
That depends entirely on you: your play style, the features you're using, what about the game is currently bothering you. It's best to create a thread in the General Discussion section describing what you're looking to add to your game, or what frustrations you want to address.
