Laptop Purchase for Sims 2 UC and Sims 4
Hi Everyone!
So I'm finally going to be able to replace my current lower-end laptop and I plan to upgrade to a laptop (PC is not convenient for me because I live on campus for college) with specs that would be good for both the Sims 2 UC and Sims 4 w/ majority of the EPs, and some of the SPs and GPs, and a lot (thousands) of CC and mods for both games.
I specifically posted in the Sims 4 section because I know that the Sims 2 shouldn't be a problem since it doesn't require the newer cards (and I know I'm probably going to have to utilize the Graphics Rules Maker to get it to work). However, I am hoping to play the Sims 4 with high or ultra settings. I found these laptops so far and my budget is max $800:
If anyone has had experience with these laptops or has input on the specs of these models, please let me know! Thank you!
@SerenitySims101 Excess heat will shorten a the lifespan of computer hardware, but the components will do everything possible to protect themselves. That's why I keep mentioning thermal throttling: it's not that your laptop would likely be damaged by excess heat, it's that the heat would cause the CPU and GPU to downclock so they don't become damaged, and you'd see the results in performance.
A 1650 Max-Q should be able to run all Sims 4 packs together on ultra graphics settings. Whether that extends to your custom content depends not so much on the amount of cc you have installed as the type. High poly (high resolution) items take more resources to render than EA-made items. The more of these items are in camera range—not just installed, but actually being rendered—the higher the demands placed on the graphics card.
It's therefore difficult for me to predict whether a Max-Q card would be fast enough for you, or even whether a 1650 ti would be fast enough, since there is some extremely high poly cc floating around. I can only tell you how much performance, roughly, you'd gain or lose depending on the choice.
Having said that, it sounds like peace of mind might be the most important consideration here. If you're already worried about hardware temperatures, there's a good chance you'll keep thinking about it while you play, and that might impact your enjoyment of the game more than turning down one or two graphics settings to high.
Regardless of which laptop you choose, you can help limit the workload of the components, and therefore limit the temperatures to some degree, by capping in-game framerates to 60, or maybe 72 if you happen to have a 144 Hz monitor. (Fewer frames rendered per second means a lower workload.) This process is quite simple once you have the laptop in front of you; if you need help with the process at that point, feel free to ask.
