Forum Discussion

yelyaaah's avatar
4 years ago
Solved

Laptop for Sims 4 plus expansion packs?

Like many others here I'm looking for some advice re a laptop to play Sims 4 + expansion packs (maybe some mods).

Would prefer an 'everyday' laptop compared to a gaming one - mainly for aesthetics/bulkiness reasons. I know I want 1TB storage because my current MacBook of 256GB isn't enough, and I don't want to be in the same position of lack of space in the future.

Budget is between £400-600 but willing to go up to £800 if absolutely necessary. UK based. Refurbished models are welcome ideas too.

My knowledge of processors, graphic cards etc. only goes so far. Any advice would be really appreciated!

Here's two I'm thinking of:

https://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/refurbished-acer-swift-3-amd-ryzen-5-5500u-8gb-1tb-ssd-14-inch-windows-11-l-a2-nx.ab1ek.009/version.asp

https://www.box.co.uk/Acer-Aspire-5-AMD-Ryzen-5-8GB-RAM-1TB-SS_3213603.html

  • @yelyaaah  I think that should work fine.  A new sealed copy will come with an unused product key, and if you don't get what you paid for, just ask Ebay for your money back.  This isn't the only source of cheaper keys, so you should be able to find something else if necessary.

    You don't need the Pro version of Windows 10 or 11—Home works fine for almost everyone—but it's certainly not a problem to get the extra features.

4 Replies

  • @yelyaaah  There aren't a lot of laptops in this class with a 1 TB solid state drive, and it looks like you found two of the best options.  The first one you listed is a little faster than the second, but not so much that getting the second is a bad idea.  If you're comfortable getting a refurbished laptop, the first option is a very good choice, and you won't do any better for less than £600.  This class of laptop should run all Sims 4 packs together on medium-high or high graphics settings; ultra settings might be possible depending on your playstyle and which packs you install.

    Since you asked for other options though, you could get a new laptop with the same specs as the refurbished one for £550:

    https://www.argos.co.uk/product/5253498?clickPR=plp:6:38

    You could upgrade the processor for another £50:

    https://www.argos.co.uk/product/9554344?clickPR=plp:9:38

    https://www.argos.co.uk/product/4563639?clickPR=plp:10:38

    (These two are almost the same but have slightly different shapes and weights.)  I'm not saying you need the upgrade or to buy a new laptop, just that you could if you wanted.

    One other possibility to consider is a gaming laptop that doesn't look like one.  In addition to a much faster graphics card, one that could run all Sims 4 content together on ultra settings with some room to spare, this has 16 GB RAM, which is nice to have for multitasking purposes if not strictly necessary.

    https://www.box.co.uk/82L500DQUK-Lenovo-ideaPad-5-Pro-AMD-Ryzen-7-16GB-RA_3822865.html

    It doesn't come with an OS, but installing Windows is trivial and only takes a few minutes.  You might be able to find an old Windows 10 key for relatively cheap, particularly if it comes with a very old install medium you wouldn't want to use.  (For example, I found one from 2017 a while back.)  Since you only need the key and could make the install medium yourself with a spare USB stick, it doesn't matter how old the product is.

    If you have more questions, please feel free to ask.

  • yelyaaah's avatar
    yelyaaah
    4 years ago

    Thanks so much for your response and recommendations 😊

    I did look at the ideaPad but was skeptical about its lack of OS. I searched for Windows to install but the price was £200+ making the overall cost out of budget. Maybe I just didn’t look hard enough for cheaper options? 

    If I could find a reasonably priced OS then the ideaPad is 100% what I’d go for. 

    EDIT: I found this… what’s your thoughts? 
    https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/325215684779?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=nDHT7xIOQ8O&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

  • puzzlezaddict's avatar
    puzzlezaddict
    Hero+
    4 years ago

    @yelyaaah  I think that should work fine.  A new sealed copy will come with an unused product key, and if you don't get what you paid for, just ask Ebay for your money back.  This isn't the only source of cheaper keys, so you should be able to find something else if necessary.

    You don't need the Pro version of Windows 10 or 11—Home works fine for almost everyone—but it's certainly not a problem to get the extra features.

  • yelyaaah's avatar
    yelyaaah
    4 years ago

    What a star, thanks for your help!

    I'll go on the hunt for alternative (read: cheaper) options regarding an OS and get the ideaPad.