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2009_JW's avatar
2009_JW
2 years ago
Solved

Sims 3 on a 2014 Mac Mini

Will a 2014 Apple Mac Mini, 3GHz I7, 8GB Ram, with a 256GB SSD be able to run all the expansion packs on ultra settings, or is that a long shot.
mac
technical issues
  • puzzlezaddict's avatar
    puzzlezaddict
    2 years ago

    @2009_JW  Your saves would work fine on the digital version of Sims 3, provided you've registered your base game and packs or could do so now.  There's no need to use discs if you can install the game through the EA App.  And you wouldn't have to deal with the 2 GB RAM limit that comes with the 32-bit Mac version.

    Having said that, if you're set on an older Mac that can run Mojave, anything with an AMD Radeon Pro graphics card would do.  The Vega would be fine but is overkill; you'd see similar results with a Pro 570 or 580.  I ran the game for a while on my 2017 MBP with a Pro 560 and have tested it on an iMac with a Pro 580; the Pro 4x0 series is basically as fast, with the 5x0 series having been little more than a refresh.  The 380 would also be sufficient.

    The graphics card is the important factor here, not the processor.  So a Xeon CPU wouldn't do you any good unless it were paired with a suitable GPU, and a lower-end CPU than a Xeon would also be fine with the right GPU.

    If you're set on going this route though, I'd suggest using your discs to install the game on a Windows PC.  The discs themselves would work equally well, and the Windows version of the game is superior to either Mac version.  I can get into why if you like, but the short version is its RAM limit is ~3.7 GB rather than 2 and it's a lot smoother and doesn't have the extra bugs of the 64-bit Mac version.  And a decent gaming desktop for Sims 3 could cost U.S. $800 or so, often less on sale.

    You could also Bootcamp any Intel Mac and get the benefits of the Windows version while keeping macOS around for everything else.  My 2017 MBP is Bootcamped, and once I did that, that's how I played Sims 3 for a while, despite having it installed on the Mac side of the partition as well, until I built my gaming desktop.  It would cost you a Windows license, but that's it, and for me at least, it was well worth the price.

puzzlezaddict's avatar
puzzlezaddict
Hero+
2 years ago

@2009_JW  The answer is you can probably play, but not all expansions on ultra settings.  This Mac's graphics chip is below the minimum requirement for the 64-bit version of Sims 3, which doesn't mean you can't play at all, only that the experience may not be what you want.  You'd likely need to make some compromises, like not playing with the Pets expansion and turning down the lighting and tree detail settings, at least from what I've seen of other Macs with similar hardware.

If you've already bought this system and the game, there's no harm in trying to play and adjusting as necessary.  If you're looking to buy a new computer, I'd suggest something else.  I can help with that process, if you're interested.  In that case, please list your budget and country as well as any other details that matter to you, for example whether you want or need a Mac or would be okay with a Windows PC.

  • 2009_JW's avatar
    2009_JW
    2 years ago

    Thanks. I have new Macs (2020 M1 Max MacBook Pro), but it is too new to run macOS Mojave (the last macOS to support 32 bit applications). I play on disc and I want to keep my saves so Mojave is a must for me. I would love it if you could help me find a Mac that would run the sims 3 disc on these settings. Basically, the oldest/cheapest desktop Mac that will run all expansions on ultra settings (I live in the US, and have an external superdrive so I don't need one with it built in). I know Macs are not the best for gaming, but they are best for the other tasks I do. Thank you!

    • 2009_JW's avatar
      2009_JW
      2 years ago

      By the way, I could get a Mac Pro (2013) 12 Core Xeon 64GB with a 1TB SSD, would that be the same case as the Mac mini? Or a much newer 2017 iMac Pro 12 core with a Vega 64x. Im just trying to figure out how much I need to spend to get sims 3 on disc with goods settings and expansions, to work on a Mac...

    • puzzlezaddict's avatar
      puzzlezaddict
      Hero+
      2 years ago

      @2009_JW  Your saves would work fine on the digital version of Sims 3, provided you've registered your base game and packs or could do so now.  There's no need to use discs if you can install the game through the EA App.  And you wouldn't have to deal with the 2 GB RAM limit that comes with the 32-bit Mac version.

      Having said that, if you're set on an older Mac that can run Mojave, anything with an AMD Radeon Pro graphics card would do.  The Vega would be fine but is overkill; you'd see similar results with a Pro 570 or 580.  I ran the game for a while on my 2017 MBP with a Pro 560 and have tested it on an iMac with a Pro 580; the Pro 4x0 series is basically as fast, with the 5x0 series having been little more than a refresh.  The 380 would also be sufficient.

      The graphics card is the important factor here, not the processor.  So a Xeon CPU wouldn't do you any good unless it were paired with a suitable GPU, and a lower-end CPU than a Xeon would also be fine with the right GPU.

      If you're set on going this route though, I'd suggest using your discs to install the game on a Windows PC.  The discs themselves would work equally well, and the Windows version of the game is superior to either Mac version.  I can get into why if you like, but the short version is its RAM limit is ~3.7 GB rather than 2 and it's a lot smoother and doesn't have the extra bugs of the 64-bit Mac version.  And a decent gaming desktop for Sims 3 could cost U.S. $800 or so, often less on sale.

      You could also Bootcamp any Intel Mac and get the benefits of the Windows version while keeping macOS around for everything else.  My 2017 MBP is Bootcamped, and once I did that, that's how I played Sims 3 for a while, despite having it installed on the Mac side of the partition as well, until I built my gaming desktop.  It would cost you a Windows license, but that's it, and for me at least, it was well worth the price.

      • 2009_JW's avatar
        2009_JW
        2 years ago

        thanks! you have been a big help

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