laptop specs

HI Puzzle!!  
Thank you so much for your help!!  You have been a huge help.  I really do like the 3rd alienware link you posted to me.  Im not sure which hard drive option to go with.  Are the 2x 512 better or the 1 1tb better?  I also wasnt sure about the display options under the dark side.  Would I want the nvidia display for 19.00 more?  Which components would you upgrade? 

@jmelrokmi  The G-sync feature isn't really necessary for Sims 4—you can accomplish essentially the same thing with software, and usually the built-in Nvidia Control Panel is sufficient.  But you might find it's nice to have at some point, and for $20, why not.  For the hard drives, I'd get a single one rather than two in RAID 0.  The performance gain from RAID 0 is uneven (and sometimes it's actually slower), and an NVMe drive is already so fast you won't need any boost.  Getting a single drive leaves the second slot open if you ever decide you need more storage.

If you're only planning on playing Sims 4 and the as-yet-nonexistent Sims 5, the Nvidia 2060 is sufficient.  If you think you might like to play other, heavier games at some point, and you're willing to pay the extra, the 2070 Super would be a good investment.  But it really depends on the games.  From the (very early) look of it, Paralives wouldn't use the extra speed, and Cities Skylines doesn't either.  Games like Tomb Raider definitely do, especially at higher refresh rates.

For the memory, 16 GB would be enough for me.  I've never had more than about 11.5 GB RAM in use in all the time I've been watching, and that was in one specific game that's a memory hog.  Even with significant multitasking—playing Sims 4, having a couple browser windows open, and editing your screenshots in real time—I doubt you'd come close to maxing out RAM use.  But if you'd like to check, open the Task Manager on your existing computer some time and see how much you're using.  The values can be displayed as percentages or absolute totals; right-click on the Memory header to switch.

Also, RAM can be upgraded easily, so this is the least important of all the decisions.  In fact, buying the full 32 GB and installing it yourself would currently be cheaper than the $150 Dell is charging to do it for you.  (I don't know what it would be with your discount, but a 2x16 GB kit is about $110 sold separately.)  On the other hand, if you never want to have to think about it and are willing to pay for the upgrade, it's a reasonable investment.  It's really not a bad decision either way though.  Personally, I'd do the upgrade myself, but a) I wouldn't be getting a discount, and b) I'd be comfortable messing around with my laptop components.

The bottom line is, this is going to be a very good laptop no matter what you choose.  Even the baseline would be more than fine for Sims games.

thank you so very much!!!  You need paid for your in depth pc consults.  It is so appreciated.  🙂 

hi could this one work ?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Acer-NITRO-5-15-6-Intel-Core-I5-NVIDIA-GeForce-GTX-1050-/153998541229?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292

just let me know thank you 

or this one ? it’s really in my budget 👇🏾

https://www.ebay.com/itm/174341668823

@kelleybb1024  The first one is much better than the second, capable of running Sims 4 (all packs included) on ultra or a mix of high and ultra graphics settings, provided it's in good shape overall.  If you don't get that particular laptop, a similar one with an Nvidia GTX 1050 would also work fine.

I would worry about the second one, given how much older its hardware is.  Even a reasonably well-maintained laptop is going to start struggling after six years, and while it might be fine right now, you don't want to be in the same situation in a year or two.

If you want to save money and split the difference, look for a laptop with a GTX 960M, or at least a 950M (900 series, and nothing lower than 50).

thank you sooo muchh i’m trying to get a nitro 5 but if i need any more help i’ll ask you if you don’t mind you’re really helping me out and i appreciate it 🙂

also i found a acer nitro here 

https://offerup.co/LYGpPEP5X7

@kelleybb1024  That might be the best laptop you've seen so far, provided it is what it says it is.  The price seems really low for this particular laptop though.  Still, if you can get some kind of guarantee or return window, even if just long enough to make sure it turns on and does in fact have the hardware it should, then this would be a good purchase.

All I'm saying is, be a bit cautious and do your homework before handing over your money.