Best PC for Sims 3 and 4
Hi, I would appreciate advice on buying a new gaming desktop for TS3, TS4, and maybe TS5 if there will be a TS5. My current PC is a 5 year old CybertronPC Shockwave TGM1213E. The specs are ...
Forum Discussion
@SimsinettySim An FX-6300 is still good enough for Sims 4, and that should be true for the entire run of the game, although we of course don't know what future packs will be like. If your motherboard supports it, you could add, for example, an Nvidia 1650 Super, and you'd in all likelihood be able to run Sims 4 on ultra even with all current and future packs together. You could get a quality overclocked 1650 Super for $160:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B081R359ZM/
If you're not sure what your motherboard supports, please list its exact model, and I'll take a look.
If and when you're ready to get a new computer, you may want to go with a custom build. You'd get to pick the components, which of course is an advantage in that you get exactly what you want and don't need to pay extra for other features you can't use. The other major advantage is that the quality of the components will be higher than in most pre-built systems. In practical terms, that means the hardware should last longer and support a wider variety of upgrades with minimal fuss.
For example, you may decide that now (or whenever you buy) and for the next two or three years, you only want to play Sims games and maybe a couple others that aren't so demanding, but you're thinking that might change at some later date. You could choose components that would support a high-end GPU, and a motherboard that had room for an extra NVMe SSD or faster lanes or the like.
Personally, if it were between ordering the Alienware you listed and getting a custom build, I'd go with the latter. You don't need a 2080 Super for Sims games, not Sims 3 or Sims 4 and probably not Sims 5, or else it would take a couple years of development before any Sims 5 packs would benefit from that much power. But that's at least four or five years out, since from all indications, the base game is at least two years away, if it even ever exists. By that time, all current graphics cards will likely be obsolete, and there will be new ones that are more powerful than anything you could find now. So instead of buying an $800 card, you could buy a $400 card now and get a $500 card in four years that's faster than the $800 card is now.
Also, not that I'm interested in criticizing Alienware, but with a third-gen Ryzen processor, you really want faster memory than 2666 MHz, and there's no reason to have a 2 TB NVMe SSD unless you're compiling code or doing advanced graphic design or video editing or whatever. Point is, you could put together better components for your needs than those.
If you'd like to go the custom route, let me know, and I'll find a good starting point so you can see what your options look like. If you'd rather get a pre-built system, I can look for other options aside from the Alienware, but let me know more or less what you're hoping to get. Still though, you could just get a new GPU (again, if your mainboard supports it) and go for the new system in a couple years.
@puzzlezaddict Thank you so much! I would love a custom build, but I honestly have no clue how to add all the components so that it makes sense. Even what you said about not needing the 2TB sounds plausible now, but when I’m sitting here trying to figure out what I need, I simply don’t know what it all means and I keep clicking on the highest numbers thinking it’s more expensive, so it must be “better”.
It’s like trying to make pizza when you have never made your own, so in a way it’s easier to just order one vs having to figure out how to make your own dough and pizza sauce from scratch. Looking at the Alienware line, they look all nice and shiny and I’ve read some good reviews. That’s about it. It really doesn’t need to be an Alienware desktop, or even a Dell.
The current motherboard in my CybertronPC is GA-78LMT-USB3 per user manual, I don’t know if that’s helpful. I do have the manual and I can answer any questions you may have.
And you definitely got what I was saying, I’m looking for a higher end option in terms of performance that can be upgraded in the future if needed, without paying an outrageous price for something that doesn’t suit my needs.
TS3 is my favorite game, and I would play it a lot more if it wasn’t for the crashes after playing for a while on my current desktop. TS4 has performed well enough on my current system, even though it’s been slowish lately and I did notice my desktop being a lot noisier whenever I started the TS4 before my power supply blew up.
I have all expansions and use a lot of CC for both games, I don’t know if that makes any difference in terms of what I will need.
I’m open to any suggestions, really, and I absolutely appreciate your input regarding upgrading my current desktop, going the custom build route, or even buying a good prebuilt system that fits my needs. Basically, teach me how to get that pizza. :-)
It’s like trying to make pizza when you have never made your own, so in a way it’s easier to just order one vs having to figure out how to make your own dough and pizza sauce from scratch. Looking at the Alienware line, they look all nice and shiny and I’ve read some good reviews. That’s about it. It really doesn’t need to be an Alienware desktop, or even a Dell.
The current motherboard in my CybertronPC is GA-78LMT-USB3 per user manual, I don’t know if that’s helpful. I do have the manual and I can answer any questions you may have.
And you definitely got what I was saying, I’m looking for a higher end option in terms of performance that can be upgraded in the future if needed, without paying an outrageous price for something that doesn’t suit my needs.
TS3 is my favorite game, and I would play it a lot more if it wasn’t for the crashes after playing for a while on my current desktop. TS4 has performed well enough on my current system, even though it’s been slowish lately and I did notice my desktop being a lot noisier whenever I started the TS4 before my power supply blew up.
I have all expansions and use a lot of CC for both games, I don’t know if that makes any difference in terms of what I will need.
I’m open to any suggestions, really, and I absolutely appreciate your input regarding upgrading my current desktop, going the custom build route, or even buying a good prebuilt system that fits my needs. Basically, teach me how to get that pizza. :-)
@SimsinettySim I looked up your motherboard, and it should support any graphics card you'd want to install. A high-end card would be a waste of money because your processor wouldn't keep up, but a 1650 Super or maybe 1660 Super would do fine. I will double-check with someone else though if you're interested, because there's no sense in spending that kind of money without being absolutely sure.
Even if you're set on getting a new high-end system, your current one plus a new GPU (and maybe a good cleaning on the inside) would be great for someone else who just wants to play Sims games. Maybe you have a cousin or a friend's kid or something who could afford a new $160 GPU but not a $700 computer. Just something to keep in mind.
As for the new computer, I totally understand what you mean about not knowing where to start when you've never done this before. When I first started thinking about custom builds, rather than pre-built systems, I was kind of disoriented and had no idea how to process the information. I was lucky to have someone who was willing to answer questions and give me links to read, and I figured it out in the end, but that's a difficult thing to accomplish on your own.
So I guess the first question should be what resolution do you want to use, and how high do you want your framerates? A graphics card that runs Sims 4 in QHD (2560x1440) at 160 fps is a waste if you're planning on using a 60 Hz FHD (1920x1080) monitor. Many people can tell the difference between 60 Hz and higher, but many can't. This will determine the graphics card, or at least the range of cards, and then we can go from there.
If you really do want a system you can upgrade over a long period of time, a custom build is your best bet. Among other details, the better motherboards made for AMD processors now support PCIe 4.0, which is so fast that there's no current hardware that can take advantage of it. That will change soon enough. But a pre-built system would likely have a budget board without any extras.
Let me know about the monitor, and I'll have a look at a couple of custom build sites later today. Then I'll link you the best options I find, and you can ask questions from there.
- @puzzlezaddict Thank so much for your response. Right now I’m using a Samsung UN33EH4003FXZA monitor, which is not optimal for gaming but has been ok, and I’m looking to buy a new monitor as well. I had a pretty good Dell prior to that, which unfortunately didn’t survive our last move.
I’ve been looking into replacing my old Dell monitor with another Dell, the SE2719HR. Again, I’m open to any suggestions on your end.
And thanks again for taking your time to talk me through this and for explaining things in detail. It seems like the more information I’ve been reading online, the more confused I’ve become.
The more I think about it, upgrading my current desktop seems like a good idea for now. I’ve already invested in the new power supply, and I can get someone to install the parts for me once I have a list of things that I need.
But, I’m still open for all options if that’s not the best thing to do. You’ve been very helpful, and I can’t say enough how much I appreciate that.
I’ve asked around for advice at 2 stores in my area, and they seem to know less than I do, if that’s even possible. It’s good to know that a certain desktop can play “GTA” or “Rise of The Tomb Raider” really well, but that doesn’t help me, since that’s not what I play on my desktop. Frustrating experience.
Featured Places
