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GDI_Lord's avatar
GDI_Lord
3 years ago
Solved

New Computer Build Recommendations for The Sims 4 @ 4K Ultra + Mods

Hello I'm looking to build my wife a PC which will exclusively be used to play the Sims 4 with a lot (5GB and counting so far) of custom content and mods. Currently she's using my i7-6700, 64GB RAM,...
pc
  • puzzlezaddict's avatar
    puzzlezaddict
    3 years ago

    @GDI_Lord  Unfortunately, yes, the performance issues you're seeing are mostly or entirely due to the game engine and not really fixable on the user end.  There are some things you can adjust around the edges, for example Simp4Sims has posted an edited graphicsrules.sgr file that can help with performance, especially on high-end machines with underutilized hardware.  If you're curious, google "Simp4Sims Graphics Overhaul" and try it out on your current machine.

    The fps drops going into build mode are also a longstanding issue with no good fix or workaround.

    Load times increase as a save has more sims, the sims are more progressed (skills, relationships, etc.), as the lots get more complicated, and possibly some other factors I'm not thinking of right now.  Custom content affects load times as well, although it's not linear—some cc will have a negligible effect, while other items' impact can be noticeable.  It's difficult to predict beyond the fact that broken or outdated cc will definitely drag out the loading process.

    As for what hardware would max out the game's performance, that depends in large part on the framerates you want to see.  In QHD, my 2070 runs a new save at around 170 fps in most worlds, but that drops in a couple of worlds and in inclement weather and with post processing enabled and occasionally for other reasons.  I haven't tested in 4k, but if you'd like to know, I can play with the DSR settings and give you some numbers.  The GPU isn't close to maxed out at any point while running the game, according to hwinfo, and neither is my 9700K.

    AMD GPUs have had a couple extra graphics issues that Nvidia cards have not.  I don't know whether it's been an AMD driver issue or something the Sims developers overlooked, but if all else is equal, I'd go with an Nvidia card and avoid the potential extra hassle.  Just in case you're considering it, Intel laptop GPUs seem to not get along with the game very well; I haven't seen any data on the desktop models, but they do use the same drivers.

    Sims 4 uses four CPU cores, at most, or at least that was the case the last time I checked.  So clock speed is going to be more important than having extra cores.

    If you'd like some hard data, just let me know what you're looking for, and I'll fire up the game post some hwinfo results.

    As for a specific recommendation, I'd say if you can get a good deal on a 2070 and perhaps a 11600K, you can be confident that the hardware isn't the issue and also not spend a lot of money unnecessarily.  16 GB RAM should always be fine, as would be a SATA SSD, but NVMe SSDs are almost as cheap these days.

puzzlezaddict's avatar
puzzlezaddict
Hero+
3 years ago

@GDI_Lord  Your post may have been mistakenly flagged as spam.  This can happen when a post includes a few links or is edited more than once, or sometimes for no discernible reason.  If you don't want to type it out again, just wait; one of the EA community managers should find it in the site's spam filter and clear it soon enough.  I'll see the post whenever it shows up again and reply.

GDI_Lord's avatar
GDI_Lord
3 years ago

GDI_Lord--GraphicsRules.SGR, part 2:


option TerrainSlopeScaling
setting $Off
prop $ConfigGroup TerrainSlopeScalingEnabled 0
setting $On
prop $ConfigGroup TerrainSlopeScalingEnabled 1
end
setOption TerrainSlopeScaling $On
option SimQuality
setting $Low
prop $ConfigGroup RenderSimLODDistances "29999.97, 29999.98, 29999.99, 30000"
prop $ConfigGroup RenderSimTextureSizes "512, 512, 512, 512"
prop $ConfigGroup CASSimTextureSize 2048
prop $ConfigGroup ThumbnailSimTextureSize 512
prop $ConfigGroup CASSinglePassShaderEnabled true
prop $ConfigGroup MinSimLOD 0
prop $ConfigGroup EnableSimPointLighting false
prop $ConfigGroup PhysiqueTextureBlendingOnLot 0
if (($vMemoryLevel < $vMemoryLevelHigh) or ($ramLevel < $ramLevelHigh))
prop $ConfigGroup SimCacheSizeLimit 20
else
prop $ConfigGroup SimCacheSizeLimit 35
endif
setting $Medium
prop $ConfigGroup RenderSimLODDistances "29999.97, 29999.98, 29999.99, 30000"
prop $ConfigGroup RenderSimTextureSizes "1024, 1024, 1024, 1024"
prop $ConfigGroup CASSimTextureSize 2048
prop $ConfigGroup ThumbnailSimTextureSize 1024
prop $ConfigGroup CASSinglePassShaderEnabled true
prop $ConfigGroup MinSimLOD 0
prop $ConfigGroup EnableSimPointLighting true
prop $ConfigGroup PhysiqueTextureBlendingOnLot 1
if (($vMemoryLevel < $vMemoryLevelHigh) or ($ramLevel < $ramLevelHigh))
prop $ConfigGroup SimCacheSizeLimit 50
elseif ($ramLevel == $ramLevelHigh)
prop $ConfigGroup SimCacheSizeLimit 90
else
prop $ConfigGroup SimCacheSizeLimit 125
endif
setting $High
prop $ConfigGroup RenderSimLODDistances "29999.97, 29999.98, 29999.99, 30000"
prop $ConfigGroup RenderSimTextureSizes "1024, 1024, 1024, 1024"
prop $ConfigGroup CASSimTextureSize 2048
prop $ConfigGroup ThumbnailSimTextureSize 2048
prop $ConfigGroup CASSinglePassShaderEnabled false
prop $ConfigGroup MinSimLOD 0
prop $ConfigGroup EnableSimPointLighting true
prop $ConfigGroup PhysiqueTextureBlendingOnLot 1
if (($vMemoryLevel < $vMemoryLevelHigh) or ($ramLevel < $ramLevelHigh))
prop $ConfigGroup SimCacheSizeLimit 100
elseif ($ramLevel == $ramLevelHigh)
prop $ConfigGroup SimCacheSizeLimit 175
else
prop $ConfigGroup SimCacheSizeLimit 250
endif
setting $VeryHigh
prop $ConfigGroup RenderSimLODDistances "29999.97, 29999.98, 29999.99, 30000"
prop $ConfigGroup RenderSimTextureSizes "2048, 2048, 2048, 2048"
prop $ConfigGroup CASSimTextureSize 2048
prop $ConfigGroup ThumbnailSimTextureSize 2048
prop $ConfigGroup CASSinglePassShaderEnabled false
prop $ConfigGroup MinSimLOD 0
prop $ConfigGroup EnableSimPointLighting true
prop $ConfigGroup PhysiqueTextureBlendingOnLot 2
prop $ConfigGroup SimCacheSizeLimit 1024
logSystemInfo " -SimCacheSizeLimit 1024"
end
setProp $ConfigGroup ClipPlaneExponent "1"
setProp $ConfigGroup ClipPlaneZoomClose "3"
setProp $ConfigGroup ClipPlaneZoomDistant "72"
setProp $ConfigGroup FogCurveModifier "1, 3"
setProp $ConfigGroup ObjectSizeCullFactor "9999"
option ViewDistance
setting $Low
prop $ConfigGroup ClipPlaneDistances "0.042, 2.4, 4200, 36000"
prop $ConfigGroup SkyboxClipDistances "10, 36000"
logSystemInfo " -ClipDistances Max 36000 > GPU High"
prop $ConfigGroup FogDistances "10000, 10, 100000, 3000"
prop $ConfigGroup AllowDistantSkybox 1
prop $ConfigGroup FogDense 0
prop $ConfigGroup DofEnabled true
prop $ConfigGroup SsaoEnabled true
setting $High
prop $ConfigGroup ClipPlaneDistances "0.042, 2.4, 4200, 36000"
prop $ConfigGroup SkyboxClipDistances "10, 36000"
logSystemInfo " -ClipDistances Max 36000 > GPU High"
prop $ConfigGroup FogDistances "10000, 10, 100000, 3000"
prop $ConfigGroup AllowDistantSkybox 1
prop $ConfigGroup FogDense 0
prop $ConfigGroup DofEnabled true
prop $ConfigGroup SsaoEnabled false
end
option AdvancedRendering
setting $Off
prop $ConfigGroup DofEnabled false
prop $ConfigGroup SsaoEnabled false
prop $ConfigGroup NormalMappingEnabled false
prop $ConfigGroup RenderPostProcessEnabled false
prop $ConfigGroup RenderShadowsEnabled true
prop $ConfigGroup RenderFadeTuning minspec
prop $ConfigGroup RenderForceMinspecShaders 0
prop $ConfigGroup RenderPretransformEnabled true
prop $ConfigGroup TerrainLODMode 0
prop $ConfigGroup TerrainSpecScale 0
setting $On
prop $ConfigGroup RenderForceMinspecShaders 0
prop $ConfigGroup RenderPretransformEnabled true
prop $ConfigGroup TerrainLODMode 0
prop $ConfigGroup TerrainSpecScale 0
end
option VerticalSync
setting $Off
prop $ConfigGroup VerticalSync 0
setting $On
prop $ConfigGroup VerticalSync 1
end
setOption VerticalSync $Off
option UseHiDpi
setting $Off
prop $ConfigGroup UseHiDpi 0
setting $On
prop $ConfigGroup UseHiDpi 1
end
setOption UseHiDpi $On
option UiScale
integer 100
prop $ConfigGroup UiScale 100
end
setOption UiScale 100
option UseOSDpi
setting $Off
prop $ConfigGroup UseOSDpi 0
setting $On
prop $ConfigGroup UseOSDpi 1
end
setOption UseOSDpi $On
option ResolutionWidth
integer 1024
prop $ConfigGroup ResolutionWidth 1024
end
option ResolutionHeight
integer 768
prop $ConfigGroup ResolutionHeight 768
end
option ResolutionRefresh
integer 0
prop $ConfigGroup ResolutionRefresh 0
end

setf n (sqrt($resolutionLevel/(16*9)))
setOption ResolutionWidth (floor(16*$n))
setOption ResolutionHeight (floor(9*$n))


option SceneResolution
setting $Low
prop $ConfigGroup PseudoResolutionRatio "5,8"
setting $Medium
prop $ConfigGroup PseudoResolutionRatio "25,32"
setting $High
prop $ConfigGroup PseudoResolutionRatio "0,0"
end
seti VisualQualityCustom 0
seti VisualQualityLow 1
seti VisualQualityLowMedium 2
seti VisualQualityMedium 3
seti VisualQualityHigh 4
seti visualQualityUltra 5
option VisualQuality
setting $VisualQualityCustom
setting $VisualQualityLow
optionProp SceneResolution $Medium
optionProp SimQuality $Low
optionProp ObjectQuality $Low
optionProp LightingQuality $Low
optionProp GeneralReflections $Off
optionProp EdgeSmoothing $Off
optionProp VisualEffects $Low
optionProp ViewDistance $Low
optionProp PostProcessing $Off
optionProp AdvancedRendering $Off
optionProp TerrainSlopeScaling $Off
optionProp UseUncompressedTextures $Off
setting $VisualQualityLowMedium
optionProp SceneResolution $High
optionProp SimQuality $Low
optionProp ObjectQuality $Low
optionProp LightingQuality $Low
optionProp GeneralReflections $Low
optionProp EdgeSmoothing $Off
optionProp VisualEffects $Low
optionProp ViewDistance $High
optionProp PostProcessing $Off
optionProp AdvancedRendering $On
optionProp TerrainSlopeScaling $On
optionProp UseUncompressedTextures $Off
setting $VisualQualityMedium
optionProp SceneResolution $High
optionProp SimQuality $Medium
optionProp ObjectQuality $Medium
optionProp LightingQuality $Medium
optionProp GeneralReflections $Medium
optionProp EdgeSmoothing $Off
optionProp VisualEffects $Medium
optionProp ViewDistance $High
optionProp PostProcessing $On
optionProp AdvancedRendering $On
optionProp TerrainSlopeScaling $On
if ($vMemoryLevel >= $vMemoryLevelMedium)
optionProp UseUncompressedTextures $On
else
optionProp UseUncompressedTextures $Off
endif
setting $VisualQualityHigh
optionProp SceneResolution $High
optionProp SimQuality $High
if ($vMemoryLevel >= $vMemoryLevelMedium)
optionProp ObjectQuality $High
optionProp UseUncompressedTextures $On
else
optionProp ObjectQuality $Medium
optionProp UseUncompressedTextures $Off
endif
optionProp LightingQuality $High
optionProp GeneralReflections $High
optionProp EdgeSmoothing $Low
optionProp VisualEffects $High
optionProp ViewDistance $High
optionProp PostProcessing $On
optionProp AdvancedRendering $On
optionProp TerrainSlopeScaling $On
setting $visualQualityUltra
optionProp SceneResolution $High
optionProp SimQuality $VeryHigh
optionProp ObjectQuality $High
optionProp UseUncompressedTextures $On
optionProp LightingQuality $VeryHigh
optionProp GeneralReflections $High
optionProp EdgeSmoothing $High
optionProp VisualEffects $High
optionProp ViewDistance $High
optionProp PostProcessing $On
optionProp AdvancedRendering $On
optionProp TerrainSlopeScaling $On
end

setOption VisualQuality $visualQualityUltra

option FullScreen
setting $Off
prop $ConfigGroup FullScreen 0
setting $On
prop $ConfigGroup FullScreen 1
end
setOption FullScreen $Off
option WindowedFullScreen
setting $Off
prop $ConfigGroup WindowedFullScreen 0
setting $On
prop $ConfigGroup WindowedFullScreen 1
end
setOption WindowedFullScreen $Off
option FrameRateLimit
integer 144
prop $ConfigGroup FrameRateLimit 144
end
setOption FrameRateLimit 144

option DisableScreensaverInFullscreenMode
setting $Off
prop $ConfigGroup DisableScreensaverInFullscreenMode 0
setting $On
prop $ConfigGroup DisableScreensaverInFullscreenMode 1
end
setOption DisableScreensaverInFullscreenMode $On

seti MemCacheBudgetValue 2097152000

setProp $ConfigGroup CacheBudget $MemCacheBudgetValue

seti DeformerMapsCacheBudgetValue 262144000
setProp $ConfigGroup DeformerMapsCacheBudget $DeformerMapsCacheBudgetValue

option AudioQuality
setting $Low
prop $ConfigGroup AudioQuality 1
setting $Medium
prop $ConfigGroup AudioQuality 2
setting $High
prop $ConfigGroup AudioQuality 3
end
if ($cpuLevel >= $cpuLevelHigh)
setOption AudioQuality $High
elseif (($cpuLevel >= $cpuLevelMedium) and ($cardLevel >= $cardLevelMedium))
setOption AudioQuality $Medium
else
setOption AudioQuality $Low
endif
seti AudioStereo 1
seti AudioHeadphone 2
seti AudioQuad 3
seti Audio51 4
seti Audio71 5
option Audi🤭utputMode
setting $AudioStereo
prop $ConfigGroup Audi🤭utputMode $AudioStereo
setting $AudioHeadphone
prop $ConfigGroup Audi🤭utputMode $AudioHeadphone
setting $AudioQuad
prop $ConfigGroup Audi🤭utputMode $AudioQuad
setting $Audio51
prop $ConfigGroup Audi🤭utputMode $Audio51
setting $Audio71
prop $ConfigGroup Audi🤭utputMode $Audio71
end
setOption Audi🤭utputMode $AudioStereo
option MasterLevel
integer 255
prop $ConfigGroup MasterLevel 255
end
setOption MasterLevel 255
option VoiceLevel
integer 255
prop $ConfigGroup VoiceLevel 255
end
setOption VoiceLevel 255
option SoundFXLevel
integer 255
prop $ConfigGroup SoundFXLevel 255
end
setOption SoundFXLevel 255
option MusicLevel
integer 255
prop $ConfigGroup MusicLevel 255
end
setOption MusicLevel 255
option MenuMusicLevel
integer 255
prop $ConfigGroup MenuMusicLevel 255
end
setOption MenuMusicLevel 255
option UISoundSXLevel
integer 255
prop $ConfigGroup UISoundSXLevel 255
end
setOption UISoundSXLevel 255
option AmbientLevel
integer 255
prop $ConfigGroup AmbientLevel 255
end
setOption AmbientLevel 255
option FocusMute
setting $Off
prop $ConfigGroup FocusMute 0
setting $On
prop $ConfigGroup FocusMute 1
end
setOption FocusMute $On
option MoodChange
setting $Off
prop $ConfigGroup MoodChange 0
setting $On
prop $ConfigGroup MoodChange 1
end
setOption MoodChange $On
option VoiceMute
setting $Off
prop $ConfigGroup VoiceMute 0
setting $On
prop $ConfigGroup VoiceMute 1
end
setOption VoiceMute $Off
option SoundFXMute
setting $Off
prop $ConfigGroup SoundFXMute 0
setting $On
prop $ConfigGroup SoundFXMute 1
end
setOption SoundFXMute $Off
option MusicMute
setting $Off
prop $ConfigGroup MusicMute 0
setting $On
prop $ConfigGroup MusicMute 1
end
setOption MusicMute $Off
option UIMute
setting $Off
prop $ConfigGroup UIMute 0
setting $On
prop $ConfigGroup UIMute 1
end
setOption UIMute $Off
option AmbientMute
setting $Off
prop $ConfigGroup AmbientMute 0
setting $On
prop $ConfigGroup AmbientMute 1
end
setOption AmbientMute $Off
option MatchSpeedStereoMusic
setting $Off
prop $ConfigGroup MatchSpeedStereoMusic 0
setting $On
prop $ConfigGroup MatchSpeedStereoMusic 1
end
setOption MatchSpeedStereoMusic $On
option EdgeScrolling
setting $Off
prop $ConfigGroup EdgeScrolling 0
setting $On
prop $ConfigGroup EdgeScrolling 1
end
setOption EdgeScrolling $On
option EdgeScrollingWarning
setting $Off
prop $ConfigGroup EdgeScrollingWarning 0
setting $On
prop $ConfigGroup EdgeScrollingWarning 0
end
setOption EdgeScrollingWarning $Off
option EnableTelemetry
setting $Off
prop $ConfigGroup EnableTelemetry 0
setting $On
prop $ConfigGroup EnableTelemetry 0
end
setOption EnableTelemetry $Off
option InvertHorizontalRotation
setting $Off
prop $ConfigGroup InvertHorizontalRotation 0
setting $On
prop $ConfigGroup InvertHorizontalRotation 1
end

About The Sims 4 Technical Issues - PC

PC players get help with their technical issues in The Sims 4 here.52,493 PostsLatest Activity: 12 minutes ago