How many CPU cores can the Sims 4 fully utilize?
Hello everyone,
Can someone please clarify the maximum number of CPU cores that the Sims 4 can fully use?
As I am installing more and more DLC, as well as building larger and larger houses, my computer is gradually becoming very slow, such as:
1. When I switch from live mode to build mode, I have to wait for about 10 seconds for everything to halt;
2. When I switch from build mode to live mode, I have to wait for another 10 seconds for the computer to enable everything to start running;
3. When I move my cursor onto certain items, I also have to wait for a few seconds to enable me to click on them to show an option bubble;
4. In build mode, when I move one item, the item will wait for a few seconds to relocate its position;
I am now thinking about upgrading my CPU from 8 cores to 16 cores. (I have already enabled all 8 cores in Windows system), But what concerns me is:
How many CPU cores can the Sims 4 fully utilize? For example, if the Sims 4 can only fully utilize 4 cores at most and all 12 cores remain idle, then it doesn't make sense to upgrade the CPU.
Can someone clarify the maximum number of CPU cores the Sims 4 supports? Greatly appreciated!
System Information
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Time of this report: 6/2/2024, 20:16:31
Machine name:
Machine Id:
Operating System: Windows 11 Home 64-bit (10.0, Build 22621) (22621.ni_release.220506-1250)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: System manufacturer
System Model: System Product Name
BIOS: 0807 (type: UEFI)
Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 3800X 8-Core Processor (16 CPUs), ~3.9GHz
Memory: 32682MB RAM
Available OS Memory: 32682MB RAM
Page File: 4692MB used, 32853MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS
DirectX Version: DirectX 12
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
User DPI Setting: 192 DPI (200 percent)
System DPI Setting: 144 DPI (150 percent)
DWM DPI Scaling: Enabled
Miracast: Available, with HDCP
Microsoft Graphics Hybrid: Not Supported
DirectX Database Version: 1.5.5
DxDiag Version: 10.00.22621.3527 64bit Unicode
------------
DxDiag Notes
------------
Display Tab 1: No problems found.
Sound Tab 1: No problems found.
Sound Tab 2: No problems found.
Sound Tab 3: No problems found.
Input Tab: No problems found.
--------------------
DirectX Debug Levels
--------------------
Direct3D: 0/4 (retail)
DirectDraw: 0/4 (retail)
DirectInput: 0/5 (retail)
DirectMusic: 0/5 (retail)
DirectPlay: 0/9 (retail)
DirectSound: 0/5 (retail)
DirectShow: 0/6 (retail)
---------------
Display Devices
---------------
Card name: AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT
Manufacturer: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
Chip type: AMD Radeon Graphics Processor (0x731F)
DAC type: Internal DAC(400MHz)
Device Type: Full Device (POST)
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_731F&SUBSYS_23131458&REV_C1
Device Status: 0180200A [DN_DRIVER_LOADED|DN_STARTED|DN_DISABLEABLE|DN_NT_ENUMERATOR|DN_NT_DRIVER]
Device Problem Code: No Problem
Driver Problem Code: Unknown
Display Memory: 24492 MB
Dedicated Memory: 8151 MB
Shared Memory: 16341 MB
Current Mode: 3840 x 2160 (32 bit) (60Hz)
HDR Support: Supported
Display Topology: Internal
Display Color Space: DXGI_COLOR_SPACE_RGB_FULL_G22_NONE_P709
Color Primaries: Red(0.633789,0.340820), Green(0.311523,0.635742), Blue(0.158203,0.061523), White Point(0.312500,0.329102)
Display Luminance: Min Luminance = 0.500000, Max Luminance = 270.000000, MaxFullFrameLuminance = 270.000000
Monitor Name: Generic PnP Monitor
Monitor Model: U28E590
Monitor Id: SAM0C4D
Native Mode: 3840 x 2160(p) (59.997Hz)
Output Type: Displayport External
Monitor Capabilities: HDR Not Supported
Display Pixel Format: DISPLAYCONFIG_PIXELFORMAT_32BPP
Advanced Color: AdvancedColorSupported
Driver Name: C:\WINDOWS\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\u0403196.inf_amd64_d0c41aa30f8bcfb2\B402774\amdxn64.dll,C:\WINDOWS\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\u0403196.inf_amd64_d0c41aa30f8bcfb2\B402774\amdxx64.dll,C:\WINDOWS\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\u0403196.inf_amd64_d0c41aa30f8bcfb2\B402774\amdxx64.dll,C:\WINDOWS\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\u0403196.inf_amd64_d0c41aa30f8bcfb2\B402774\amdxc64.dll
Driver File Version: 31.00.24033.1003 (English)
Driver Version: 31.0.24033.1003
DDI Version: 12
Feature Levels: 12_1,12_0,11_1,11_0,10_1,10_0,9_3,9_2,9_1
Driver Model: WDDM 3.1
Hardware Scheduling: DriverSupportState:AlwaysOff Enabled:False
Displayable: Not Supported
Graphics Preemption: Primitive
Compute Preemption: DMA
Miracast: Not Supported by Graphics driver
Detachable GPU: No
Hybrid Graphics GPU: Not Supported
Power P-states: Not Supported
Virtualization: Paravirtualization
Block List: DISABLE_HWSCH
Catalog Attributes: Universal:False Declarative:True
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 2024-05-07 8:00:00 PM, 50244904 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: n/a
WHQL Date Stamp: n/a
Device Identifier: {D7B71EE2-305F-11CF-0374-F25E6EC2D235}
Vendor ID: 0x1002
Device ID: 0x731F
SubSys ID: 0x23131458
Revision ID: 0x00C1
Driver Strong Name: oem34.inf:cb0ae41454c11a98:ati2mtag_Navi10:31.0.24033.1003:PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_731F&SUBSYS_23131458&REV_C1
Rank Of Driver: 00CF0000
@jliu670 The conventional wisdom is that Sims 4 can use only four cores or threads. I don't know if that's changed for the DirectX 11 version, and I'd suggest testing it to see whether it helps. But no modern game can really take advantage of a 12- or 16-core processor, at least not by itself. Beyond eight cores or so, depending on the game, what matters is the sustained clock speed, not the base clock but wherever the turbo stabilizes over time. It of course also matters how many instructions per clock cycle the CPU can handle, with the number increasing in each successive generation.
I will say from my own benchmarking with an i7-9700K that I highly doubt Sims 4 is maxing out even four cores of your CPU. The problem is the game engine and how it trips over itself constantly. That's not to say you wouldn't see any improvement from a faster processor, only that it would be a matter of degree rather than a proper fix. Your save might well run poorly on any system out there.
So I'd suggest also testing a new save, with no mods or custom content, and reasonably-sized houses, in both DirectX 9 and 11 modes. Then you can compare that to your current save, and a large house placed in a new save, to see how the game behaves. I'd also suggest trying Simp4Sims's GraphicsRules Overhaul, if it's been updated properly (if the game doesn't work, delete the file). This edited .sgr file cuts down on the switching between high- and low-LOD images, among other things, and this switching can cause a significant amount of lag by itself, especially on larger lots with a large number of objects.
