Re: Sims 4 + All Expansions PC Requirements
@gemski2012 The build you're considering would be overkill in some ways for Sims 4, even accounting for all current and future packs. Of course, you might have other plans for this PC, or you might want to be able to upgrade one or two parts in a few years without buying a whole new computer. Still, if you're considering Sims 4 only, here's what you need to know:
CPU: You could get away with a much weaker processor; even a Ryzen 5 1400 would be fine. On the other hand, if you want to futureproof, spend a little extra money and get the 3600 instead of the 2600. It's a dramatic step up, which means, practically speaking, that it will last longer before becoming obsolete.
Motherboard: Sims 4 will run fine on a cheap board, and so will any of the processors listed. (The benchmarks are only a couple of percentage points apart.) The advantage to getting a more expensive board is that you might want to upgrade some of the parts in the future, so the flexibility would be helpful.
Storage: Sims 4 doesn't really benefit from being on an SSD. Windows benefits a lot though, and so do many other programs. How much total storage you need will depend on what else you'll be installing. If you only want to play TS4, you could get a single 500 GB SSD, or a 256 GB SSD and a 1 TB HDD, and have more than enough space. But a 500 GB SSD/2 TB HDD combo is great if you're willing to pay for it. (Also, you didn't ask, but even the most demanding AAA games don't benefit from being on an NVMe SSD rather than a SATA.)
Memory: You only need 8 GB for TS4, but getting 16 GB will be doing yourself a huge favor—multitasking will be so much smoother. AMD processors love fast RAM, although 3000 MHz would be more than enough; I think only the 3rd-gen Ryzens would benefit from 3200 MHz. If you do get a cheaper motherboard, check its specs to make sure it even supports the higher speeds, because some don't. (The ASRock you're considering does though.)
Graphics card: It's highly unlikely that Sims 4 will ever be able to use more graphics power than you'd get from an Nvidia 1060 6 GB or an AMD Radeon RX 580 8 GB. You could bump that up to a 1660 ti and give yourself plenty of breathing room, but it's not strictly necessary. Anything more would be overkill. Besides, it would be easy to replace the card in two or three years if you want to play something else, and a lot cheaper than getting another new computer.
Power supply: You didn't list it, but don't cut corners here. A low-quality PSU can wreak havoc on a system. Spend a little extra for a gold-certified model from a reliable brand. How much wattage you'll need will depend on your GPU, and once you pick that, I can give you a couple of recommendations, if you want.
As for your current list, the motherboard is fine for what it is, although you could do better if you were willing to spend the money. Samsung is a great brand for SSDs, and WD is fine for a secondary drive. G.Skill is great. Interestingly though, the support page for the motherboard lists this RAM at a supported speed of 2933 MHz, so you wouldn't get the benefit of the faster speed.
If you have other questions, please feel free to ask.
