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@xws3qax4wier I don't get overwhelmed by hardware questions, so feel free to list whatever's on your mind. Who knows, we might even find out whether this site has a per-post character limit. (Let's hope we don't find out.)
1) You could absolutely upgrade the graphics card if you wanted. A 5700X will also keep up with everything currently on the market under $1,000, and maybe some of the more expensive ones. (I can check benchmarks if you'd like, but you get the idea.) However, if the price of upgrading is relatively high, I'd consider waiting: a GPU that costs $800 today might only be as fast as a $300 model in three years, so you could put away the extra money and get something faster if and when you need it.
2) Sims 4 can't properly use even 16 GB memory. Its practical max seems to be in the 6-8 GB range; above that, the save runs poorly on any system. This is a limitation of the game engine, not the hardware. The only time RAM spikes above that is when the save or the game itself has a bug, for example the Father Winter issue from a couple years ago. So no, you won't see any benefit from installing more than 32 GB over the entire life of Sims 4.
This is also completely or almost completely independent of the resolution you're using: more pixels means more VRAM used, but the GPUs you're considering have far more memory than Sims 4 can utilize. The last time I checked my own game, my GPU topped out at about 2.5 GB VRAM used while running on ultra settings at 2560x1440 and around 170 fps.
Speaking of fps, it's not really your question, but my overclocked RTX 2070 can maintain a stable 169 fps (ultra settings, 2560x1440) under ideal conditions, and its core load isn't close to maxed out. In fact, the GPU isn't even running at its turbo speed a lot of the time. I do see fps drops, even as low as the 90s here and there, in certain worlds and during inclement weather, but even then, the core load is somewhere in the range of 60%. (The CPU, RAM, and SSD aren't anywhere near maxed out either, and temps are fine across the board.) So this looks pretty clearly to be a limitation of the game engine, not my hardware.
The number of sims in a save can significantly impact fps because the game engine has more to process, but this has nothing to do with the graphics card. The CPU does matter here, but the ones you're considering are fast enough that the game engine will be the limiting factor. What can impact GPU load is having more sims on the active lot, especially if they're wearing high poly custom content, but here again, the cards you're considering are more capable than the game engine and wouldn't themselves limit the performance.
I mention this because I have my doubts about the website you're looking at, but also because I want you to have reasonable expectations here. I'm not sure there's any way to overcome Sims 4's limitations, and above a certain point, faster components aren't going to make any difference. That doesn't mean there's no point in spending more money—in particular, a strong processor is a great investment when it enables you to install a faster GPU down the line. It's just that Sims 4 is limited in what it can reasonably handle regardless of the computer running it.
Aah, okay. I understand what you are saying. Thank you for all that information! I did a bit more research today and answered most of my own questions, the biggest one I have left is this: is there a reason or benefit to a backup power protector? Would I need one if my psu is already strong enough to support my gpu per Nvidia's recommendations? If I should get one, does it need to match/exceed the wattage of my psu or not since it's just a backup (assuming it's even necessary)?
- puzzlezaddict3 years agoHero+
@xws3qax4wier Are you talking about a UPS (uninterruptible power source)? I would say it's probably not necessary unless you live in a place with frequent power outages or unreliable power delivery. It would also be important to have one if you were handling sensitive data that you needed to know would always be intact; for Sims 4, you'll have backup saves, so it's not so critical. I'd definitely at least get a surge protector though.
If you do want a UPS, you can get one with a slightly lower maximum output than your PSU, since the goal here is not to keep playing but to give you a few minutes to shut down safely. Something like 500W should be fine for that purpose.
- PrettyPeriwinkle3 years agoRising Novice
Yes, I did mean UPS I couldn't remember what it was called.
I think I might alas have one more question: I was skimming back through our conversation and saw you say your temps were good across the board. What kind of cooling do you have? Are the fans that come with it sufficient or is it wise to invest in extra cooling?
- puzzlezaddict3 years agoHero+
@xws3qax4wier My CPU cooler is a Fractal Design S36, an all-in-one liquid cooler with a three-fan radiator. It's overkill for my processor, but I really didn't want to worry, and it wasn't that much more money than the cheaper and barely-sufficient options. Plus it's quiet. My GPU just has the typical stock cooler, three fans in this case. I front-mounted the radiator and set its 120mm fans to intake, and I have three 140 mm case fans set to outtake, two on top and one in the back. The entire setup is overkill, but it's nice to know that my GPU is barely going to hit 70º C even on a hot day.
The best part about buying a quality case is that you have plenty of options for where and how to mount the fans. If you decide to add more, you just order a few decent ones from Amazon. You can always flip a fan around to switch between intake and outtake, and you can experiment with different configurations. None of this requires any special components or planning in advance.
As an example, if my GPU temps were more of a problem, I could switch the radiator fans to outtake and the others to intake. The radiator would be taking in hotter air from inside the case, so my CPU temps would likely rise by a few degrees, but that would also exhaust the CPU heat directly instead of letting it stay inside the case, so the GPU would stay a little cooler. Since I'm not concerned with either component's temperatures, I haven't bothered; I'm just saying it would be a viable strategy if I installed a more powerful graphics card that was running a little hot.
If you're looking at a 5700X or 5800X, you could get away with a high-end air cooler (Noctua makes the best models, but there are other options too), and a 240mm liquid cooler would be more than sufficient. Other than that, you can easily adjust after the fact, so it's not a huge concern right now. Just get a case with room for five or six fans and you're fine. And the system integrator should absolutely include sufficient cooling in the build. After all, that's part of what you're paying for.
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