Since other people seem to be getting responses I thought I’d give this a try lol. I’m currently searching for a new laptop for school since I gave my old one away. I’ve been bouncing between either getting a cheaper (under $300) laptop for the sims and macbook for work or getting one that I can do both on (around $1000). And I do have all the expansion packs and play with mods and cc. Thanks in advance!
Hey @skajsms,
I've moved your post to a more relevant board than EA General Questions.
@skajsms Other people do seem to get responses, don't they. First of all, even the cheapest M1 MacBook Air would run the game better than a $300 laptop, so you'd be better off spending that $300 upgrading the storage on the Mac. But it may be worth waiting a few weeks to see if Apple releases an upgraded version of the Air: rumors are that there may be an announcement in March. I don't think anyone outside Apple actually knows right now; I'm just saying your options may be quite different soon enough.
Even the current Air runs Sims 4 pretty well, so even if Apple announced a product that was out of your preferred price range, it might lead to a discount on the model you already want. I'm not saying an M1 Mac is a gaming laptop, and it certainly doesn't perform like one, but it'll get the job done. If you want more precise info about how that model runs Sims 4, feel free to ask in the Mac forum:
https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-Mac/bd-p/The-Sims-Mac
As far as a Windows PC goes, you could get a true gaming laptop, one capable of running all Sims 4 content on ultra graphics settings, for as little as $700 U.S. if you catch a good sale. Around $1,000 or so, you'd see options with upgraded components that would give you more of a buffer to account for future packs and the game's own issues with performance. Most of these models do look like gaming laptops though, not necessarily the kind of thing everyone wants to take to work. (There are a couple models that have a more subtle look but are still heavy, as in 5 lbs or so.)
Below this is a class of laptops that can run Sims 4 on high graphics settings and can be much lighter; these models also start at more like $500, but features like extra RAM and storage can push up the price somewhat. These are definitely not gaming laptops, but if you want a lighter machine and don't need to play on ultra settings, they're reasonable alternatives, and of course cheaper overall than either a Mac or a gaming laptop.
Whatever you decide, I'd be happy to list out some options. Macs cost what Apple decides they cost no matter where you are, but for either category of Windows laptop, just let me know your country and preferred budget, and I'll have a look. If you want to wait a few weeks instead, that also works—I'll be around whenever you're ready to make a purchase.
I’m kind of in a rush to buy a new computer so I don’t think I can wait for the announcement.
But I did do some research and I found this laptop: https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-laptops/xps-13-touch-laptop/spd/xps-13-9305-laptop/xn9305ezwlh?gacd=9694607-1002-5761040-0-0&dgc=st&ds_rl=1285903&gclid=CjwKCAiAsNKQBhAPEiwAB-I5zY7mMktfvpWmETFALYf_grAIwQMwSC8ZzcbHhe9kckF6NZ9rbUF6KRoCXSEQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&nclid=lwhMjTVCTbjoTyb8Vdq5zKiXf_3w6fXY7vXVchlLPzI72_tnon6SuHX66g67Eb5p
I don’t need to play on ultra setting but I do want high/
medium and maybe a reshape if possible
I was also looking at this laptop but it does look a little heavy :https://www.hp.com/us-en/shop/pdp/omen-laptop-16z-c000-2y0v1av-1?&a=1&jumpid=cs_con_nc_ns&utm_medium=cs&utm_source=ga&utm_campaign=HP-Store_US_All_CPS_All_AMD_Google_All_Smart-PLA&utm_content=sp&adid=528037761309&addisttype=u&2Y0V1AV_1&cq_src=google_ads&cq_cmp=13541623146&cq_con=123108433905&cq_term=&cq_med=&cq_plac=&cq_net=u&cq_pos=&cq_plt=gp&gclid=CjwKCAiAsNKQBhAPEiwAB-I5zcCFMBvhq-6Uy-TM0znjsATFQJk1NmE3W5ghTZJNh9m4kRtBDcpqPxoC3EAQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Oh and I do love in the US and I don’t really want to go over $1000
@skajsms Both of those options are fine for what you want, but you can definitely do better for your budget. I'm not going to list all possible examples (there are so, so many), just the best option of each kind I found in a quick search; if you want to see more like any of the ones below, just ask.
In terms of a laptop in the same class as the Dell, this MSI is better in every way: it has a stronger processor with a graphics chip that's a bit faster, it has double the RAM and double the storage, and it's on sale for $660 right now. While you don't technically need the extra memory (you could upgrade the XPS if necessary) or storage (you could use an external drive if it came to that), both are nice to have.
A slightly smaller alternative is this 14" Acer ($700), with 8 GB RAM but otherwise the same hardware as the MSI:
In terms of gaming laptops, it's true that most are somewhat heavy, at least at the entry level, and the few that aren't usually run hot and loud due to their meager cooling setup. (That's one way to keep the weight down.) This is an exception though:
https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-Display-GeForce-Keyboard-G513IC-EB73/dp/B09DDJ84WK
It weighs 4.6 lbs, which isn't exactly light but is certainly manageable, and its graphics card is faster than Sims 4 needs now or probably ever. It's also the entry-level version of a higher-end product line, so its build quality is very good for a gaming laptop in this range. It does only have 8 GB RAM, which is sufficient for Sims 4 although perhaps not for heavy multitasking, but the memory is expandable, and a second RAM stick would probably run you about $40 if and when you wanted to upgrade.
Another alternative I saw is this Acer:
https://www.amazon.com/Acer-SFX14-41G-R1S6-Creator-LPDDR4X-Backlit/dp/B093TK1PXF
It's basically a gaming laptop in a lightweight (3.3 lbs) chassis. It actually has an even faster graphics card than the Asus above, plus 16 GB RAM. While I wouldn't expect this model to squeeze every bit of performance out of its hardware—that's just not how lightweight laptops are built—I'd still expect the graphics card to equal or beat the one in the Asus given its starting advantage. Which is to say, this laptop is also more than fast enough to run Sims 4 on ultra settings.
I wouldn't expect to find other models like this last one in your price range, but for the others, if you like one category but want something a little different, I can do a more thorough search. Just let me know what details matter to you.
Honestly tharAcer seems like best option but since my father is paying for it I was also looking at a cheaper one as a backup lol. What do think about thins one?
And what about Lenovo’s? I was looking at the Ideapads and was wondering if it they were also fine?
@skajsms I definitely wouldn't get this laptop you've linked. In terms of hardware, it's a couple classes below the cheaper options I listed, much less the gaming laptops, and while you might not need to be able to play on ultra graphics settings, there's a significant difference between high and low-medium settings. If you decide you would in fact stay closer to $500, you can still do significantly better.
Lenovo Ideapads range from "fine" to "very good," depending on the model and what it's supposed to do. In your situation, and Ideapad gaming laptop, one with a dedicated graphics card, would be in the "fine" range, not terrible but also not the quality of slightly more expensive options. (That's not to say it's a bad choice, only that it's not the best in terms of build quality.)
In the more portable category, some Ideapads are good, but the internal hardware will matter much more than the brand name. For example, you could find an Ideapad with the same processor as the Acer you've just linked, and my answer about it would be exactly the same. On the other hand, if you found an Ideapad you liked with the same processor as the first two I linked and it was a reasonable price, it would be a good choice.
