Windows 7, 8 or 8.1?

I have windows 8 (not 8.1) , I7, 3gb Nvidia 770m , 16gb ram  - no issues. When I installed I shut everything down, no security and downloaded everything through Firefox. My game runs fine.

Windows 8/8.1 has securtiy that might conflict with the game. Dont download anything on Internet Explorer for this game it has its own securtity that conflics with the game.

This game is funny. It likes some computers and not others. We had two people in here about a month ago  who had Nvidia 780M both on windows 8.1 and the game was giving them a hard time and I dont know if they ever got it working. We had another person who had windows 7 and the Nvidia 760 card and that person was having some game play issues too.

I cant tell you how your computer will run the game until you test it out. Since your getting a computer this is desktop ??? If it's desktop get windows 8 and you can always switch to 8.1 later should you want to. One thing with windows 8 if switching to 8.1 there is no resore point so if you go from 8 to 8.1 in the future make sure you back up your computer before you do the switch.

I really do understand and feel you on the whole game issue. I have spent a lot of money on this game . Like you in the beginning my old computer could not play past fast lane and I did not play this game for about 3 years. I like you waited until I needed a new computer. I have seen this game be able to run on some computers that have below minimum requirements and some who far exceed the requirements and have issues. I have no idea how EA prgramed this game and why it acts the way it does.

If you have the chance to choose 8 or 8.1 I would choose 8 because it would be easier for you to go from 8 to 8.1 rather than have 8.1 and if you dont like 8.1 uninstall it to go to 8.

I do know that the sims 4 is being made on the newer OS so this would be 8/8.1 and I see posts where EA claims the specs for sims 4 will not be as high as the sims 3 but the confirmed specs are not out on sims 4 yet.

I can tell you we are all hoping there are no bugs in the sims 4 and crossing fingers your game runs on 8.1. Since you havent played in a while  we now have origin my advice is that you play on download versions rather than disc. You get free download verisons when you register your disc. I use all downloads, made sure I had no securiy on when I downloaded so nothing would interfear with my game installation. I used firefox and had no issue downloading at all. We now only patch the base game, and you just add eps after you patch the game and EP's on download do not have to be downloaded in any order.

Well since they added origin you might see some disc players in here having issues so I find download easier. I have the old disc versions that dont require origin but on my new computer I have a blu ray and I would rather the game disc versions not go in my disk drive.

Bookmark this link, when you get your computer, make sure you turn off all securtiy, download origin client with firefox first https://www.origin.com/en-us/download

You open Origin at desktop and your download versions of the game will be in my games. Download the base game, make sure it patches to 1.67. You patch number will show in the bottom left hand corner of the launcher of your base game. If the game does not patch to 1.67 use the superpatcher http://help.ea.com/en/article/the-sims-3-super-patcher/

Test out your base game make sure everything is running correctly before installing any Ep's. Then add your ep's one by one and test them so yo know each one is running correctly. This takes time but in the end if you test out everything one by one if you get any errors it will be easier to find the cause

Yes with 4 they are only showing us little things. I would like to see some game play before I decide to buy it. Im still undecided. They are coming out with a few more things in the sims store for sims 3 but they are not adding any more EPs. Im still playing 3 and not sure I'm ready for 4 yet. LOL

Your Welcome and also when you get your computer, you need to do certian things with your video card to accept the game. After you install the base game, you need to go into your Nvidia control panel, under 3D settings scroll down to vertical sync and switch vertical sync to adaptive. This keeps your fps in game at 60 so your card wont overheat .Also you have to add the game file to your Nvida Control panel again uder 3D settings. Your game file will be the TS3W file. Locate the game file through your Nvida control pannel and add it. How to find the TS3W file.  Computer C to the programs x86 file, to origin games file, to the sims 3 file, to game file to the bin file. In the bin file you will find the TS3W file and that is the file that runs the game.

Windows 7,8 and 8.1 is fine  I have 8.1 and it works for me