sims 3 unrecognized video card??

@funshine03  Sure, I can help.  Please go into Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 3, open deviceconfig.log, copy the first 40 lines of the file (stop when you get to Options), and paste it into a reply here.  You can delete your user and computer names, about 25 lines down, if you want; the file doesn't contain any other identifying info.

Please also let me know what kind of install this is: EA App or Origin, disc, Steam, or something else.

=== Application info ===
HERE IT IS
Name: Sims3
Version:
Build: Release
=== Rating info ===
GPU: 5 GPU Memory: 1 CPU: 3 RAM: 4 CPU Speed: 2296 Threading: 3
Adjusted CPU: 2661 RAM: 8000 Adjusted RAM: 7488 Cores: 8
=== Machine info ===
OS version: Windows 8 6.2.9200
OS prod type: 0
OS major ver: 6
OS minor ver: 2
OS SP major ver: 0
OS SP minor ver: 0
OS is 64Bit: 1
CPU: AuthenticAMD
Brand: AMD Ryzen 7 3750H with Radeon Vega Mobile Gfx
Family: 15
Model: 8
Cores: 8
HT: 0
x64: 0
Memory: 8000MB
Free memory: 3974MB
User: 
Computer: 
=== Graphics device info ===
Number: 0
Name (driver): NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650
Name (database): NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 [Found: 0, Matched: 0]
Vendor: NVIDIA
Chipset: Vendor: 10de, Device: 1f91, Board: 109f1043, Chipset: 00a1
Driver: nvldumd.dll, Version: 30.0.15.1278, GUID: D7B71E3E-5CD1-11CF-0D77-90300EC2D335
Driver version: 1278
Monitor: \\.\DISPLAY1
Texture memory: 32MB <<OVERRIDE>>
Vertex program: 3.0
Pixel program: 3.0
Hardware TnL: 1

IT'S THE EA APP I use

@funshine03  You need to edit two .sgr files within the game's program files.  Unless you changed the default install location, the file path will likely be one of these:

Program Files\EA Games\The Sims 3\Game\Bin

Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\The Sims 3\Game\Bin

First, open graphicscards.sgr (Notepad is fine).  Click crtl-F and search for 10de , which will bring you to these lines:

vendor "NVIDIA" 0x10b4 0x12d2 0x10de
card 0x0fd1 "GeForce GT 650M"
card 0x0fd2 "GeForce GT 640M"

Create a new line under the one that says Nvidia and copy and paste this:

	card 0x1f91 "GeForce GTX 1650"

Make sure this line is indented like the ones below it; the lines in my copy are one Tab in from the left.  Save, close the file, and open graphicsrules.sgr.  Search for 8800 , which will take you here:

elseif (match("${cardName}", "*8800*") or match("${cardName}", "*9500*") or match("${cardName}", [etc.]

Change the bolded 8800 to 1650 , but don't change or delete any of the other characters, not even the asterisks.  This will designate your card as uber-level, as it should be.

Finally, scroll to the top of the file and find this, 8-10 lines down:

if ($textureMemory == 0)
seti textureMemory 32
setb textureMemorySizeOK false

Change the 32 to a 1024 and put a # and a space in front of setb (and leave the other spaces on the left intact).  This will tell the game your graphics card has 1 GB VRAM instead of none.  It has more than that, but Sims 3 can only use 800 MB anyway.

Save, close the file, load the game, quit, and check deviceconfig again.  You should see a [Found: 1, Matched: 1] next to your graphics card's name, and a few lines down, the "texture memory" (VRAM) should read 1024 instead of 32.

If this doesn't work, please post the same section of the deviceconfig as you did this time.

It sounds difficult. I don’t know how to do that. There’s any other options?

@funshine03  It's really not difficult at all.  But if you don't want to bother, Carl's Sims 3 Guide has a couple premade files for people to use.  Your particular graphics card should be included given its age (it's not old, but the guide gets updated frequently).  I don't know for sure though.

I can't link the download here, but google something like "Carl's Sims 3 Guide sgr files" and you should find it.