What computer is good for Playing The Sims 3

The game's requirements are actually quite simple, compared to the mahjority of games: 

The Sims™ 3 Minimum Hardware Requirements
FOR WINDOWS XP

    * 2.0 GHz P4 processor or equivalent
    * 1 GB RAM
    * 128 MB Video Card with support for Pixel Shader 2.0
    * The latest version of DirectX 9.0c
    * Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2
    * At least 6.1 GB of hard drive space with at least 1 GB of additional space for custom content and saved games

FOR WINDOWS VISTA

    * 2.4 GHz P4 processor or equivalent
    * 1.5 GB RAM
    * 128 MB Video Card with support for Pixel Shader 2.0
    * Microsoft Windows Vista Service Pack 1
    * At least 6.1 GB of hard drive space with at least 1 GB of additional space for custom content and saved games

For computers using built-in graphics chipsets under Windows, the game requires at least:

    * Intel Integrated Chipset, GMA 3-Series or above
    * 2.6 GHz Pentium D CPU, or 1.8 GHz Core 2 Duo, or equivalent
    * 0.5 GB additional RAM

FOR MAC OS X

    * Mac OS X 10.5.7 Leopard or higher
    * Intel Core Duo Processor
    * 2 GB RAM
    * ATI X1600 or Nvidia 7300 GT with 128 MB of Video RAM, or Intel Integrated GMA X3100.
    * At least 6.1 GB of hard drive space with at least 1 GB of additional space for custom content and saved games
    * This game will not run on PowerPC (G3/G4/G5) based Mac systems, or the GMA 950 class of integrated video cards.

Can't help you with the mac specs (but since the game is not native to macs, there are many issues) but on a PC, make sure you have a dedicated graphics card.

Here are some recommondations: http://simswiki.info/wiki.php?title=Game_Help:TS3_System_Requirements

The minimum specs are too low if you plan to get expansion packs (especially Seasons and Pets)

Intel HD Graphics is a graphics chip not a card, so no good.

I'll see if I can get a mac helper to check the mac specs.

The game requires a graphics chip with a minimum of 128mb. Many integrated graphics chips have no dedicated video memory or 64 mb dedicated video memory. This seems to be a problem for TS3 and more demanding packs like PETS and Seasons. Mac users seem to have some problems that don't seem to get resolved (I'm not a mac user). To play all TS3 packs you need a mid level gaming computer or better.

Hello

I use an iMac. If you want to go with the iMac then you want to get as much RAM as possible (8 GB is OK but 16 would be better - it's a lot cheaper to replace the RAM yourself as when you buy it through Apple it's very expensive), especially if you intend to install a lot of expansion packs for the game. It chews through memory faster than I can get through jaffa-cakes. Get a decent graphics card.

If you are going to use the computer for lots of things then it might be worth getting a Mac, but if your main aim is to play TS3, then, as much as I love Macs, I would go with a PC because then you would avoid the additional problems that are encountered by Mac simmers. If you remain keen on a Mac then I would recommend you read these threads:

http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/posts/list/539546.page

http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/posts/list/658546.page

Before you spend a load of money on a new computer, though, are you sure you can't fix your game on your current computer. Is that a Mac?

Caspin

The wiki page doesn't give it green all across.

My card (550ti) on the other hand only has a maybe and some no's too and it rund fine with all EPs. I do get some loading delays but other than that it's fine. It doesn't crash.

What about NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M ?

That has two maybe's on the wiki page but I think it should be fine.

This is just my opinion and I can't give you any guarantuees though.