Hi, I know project rene is early in the making but im just wondering if anyone knows what specs you need to have to run the game? Im saving up to a new computer, and in the sneak peek it looked like it had really good graphics so I want to be sure that the computer im getting can keep up with the game even on higher graphic settings..
@RoseFinn12 Not only is this information unavailable, I doubt even the developers know the answer right now. They're undoubtedly hoping to make a game that will run on low-end computers—they don't want to lock out a large portion of their audience, after all—but it's far too early to know how demanding the final product will be.
If you're looking to buy now, the best favor you can do yourself is to find a system that can be upgraded later if it becomes necessary. That mostly means a processor that's somewhat overpowered for Sims 4 and a power supply that can handle more than the current components will draw from it. This usually means looking at options from custom-build companies. Some of them also sell pre-built models, and these use the same quality components as the custom computers. An excellent example in the U.S. in terms of price and build quality is SkyTech:
https://skytechgaming.com/product-category/pre-built-pcs/?orderby=price
As you can see, the prices are higher than the cheapest options with the same processor and graphics card, but the quality is higher too, and these builds would accommodate a somewhat faster graphics card down the line without requiring any other upgrades.
If you'd like to talk more about computer specs, just ask.
Okay then I know, thank you for your quick response. Unfortunately I live in Sweden so I probably can't order from there (I think), but maybe you know some other site? 🙂
@RoseFinn12 I wasn't suggesting you order from Skytech, only offering an example of what to look for in general and how the prices compare to other options. I don't know of any specific sites in Sweden either, but I do remember a few years ago helping someone pick out components from a store that did custom builds. That might be more expensive than is strictly necessary here—you don't really need to pick out each component—but the same stores or similar ones might also offer pre-assembled computers.
If you do have any Swedish stores in mind, feel free to link them and I'll take a look. The language difference isn't really a problem since the components have the same names anywhere. I understand you're saving up, so instead of trying to fit within a particular budget, I can give you an idea of the kinds of systems you might consider when you're ready.
Oh okay then I understand, we have: https://sharkgaming.se/
https://www.komplett.se/category/21660/gaming/gamingdator/gamingdator-stationar
@RoseFinn12 Okay, these sites provide some good examples of your options. Please keep in mind that prices can change quite a lot in a short amount of time, and stock turns over quickly, so these exact models and the various configuration options probably won't be the best choices for you when you're ready to buy. This is more about showing how the process would work in general and what your new computer might cost.
To start with, this is an expensive (16.299 SEK) example of a system that's overpowered for Sims 4, by a wide margin, and would accommodate almost any graphics card currently on the market. (The $1,600 RTX 4090 would need more power, but that's a ridiculous GPU anyway.) It has all high-quality components, the kind you'd buy if you were building the computer yourself, although I'd personally prefer a better CPU cooler. You're also paying a premium for the company to build it for you.
https://sharkgaming.se/ktg-serious-pc-v3
In comparison, these two are typical prebuilt computers with similar hardware: processors that are less powerful but still more than good enough, and less storage. The HP uses generic components manufactured for HP, so upgrade options would be somewhat limited; you could easily add storage and RAM, but the low-end power supply and the motherboard's proprietary connections mean it would be difficult or impossible to make any other improvements. The Lenovo build uses higher-quality components that can be swapped if necessary, but you'd still need a new power supply if you upgraded the graphics card.
https://www.inet.se/produkt/2219182/lenovo-legion-t5-i5-16gb-512gb-rtx-3060-ti
On the other hand, if this computer only needs to last around five years, the Lenovo would be an excellent choice. A 3060 ti is always going to handle Sims 4 without any trouble, and whatever Sims 5 turns out to be, this GPU should be more than fast enough for the first couple years. Sims 3 and 4 were comparatively easy on hardware in the beginning and only became more demanding with the release of Pets/Cats & Dogs and Seasons, so if Sims 5 followed that pattern, you wouldn't need to worry about upgrades for a while.
If you do want to set up the computer so it can be easily upgraded as you go along, Shark Gaming looks like the better option right now in terms of price and selection, although like I said, things can change over time. As an example, you could start with this model:
https://sharkgaming.se/shark-bloodlust
Upgrading the processor to an i5-12600KF costs 1.040 and also gives you a CPU that would support whatever graphics card you want in the future. It would also easily handle a heavy load of simulation-related calculations. This is the kind of processor that can handle any current game regardless of settings. I'd definitely upgrade the cooling, maybe to one of the Noctua options (+69 or more) at possibly to the Arctic liquid cooler (+479) at the high end, but I'd need to look at some benchmarks.
For the rest of the build, I'd upgrade the power supply to the 850W Hydro K Pro (free) or perhaps something better and a bit more expensive if it's available at the time. (The Hydro performs well but is a bit loud, and I personally would gladly pay more for a premium brand like Corsair.) This particular 3060 isn't the best version, but I would only worry about it if you were going to run it close to full load, which you're not because Sims 4 can't come close to maxing it out. (I've benchmarked the game on a 2070, which is quite similar in terms of performance, so I know.) When the time came for a better GPU, maybe three or four years down the road, you could pick the card you wanted without changing anything else.
There are also AMD-based builds that might be more cost-effective, depending on which components you want. For example, this one is 13.940 with a Ryzen 5 5600X and an Asus Dual 2060 (or +600 for a Dual 3060), plus the cheapest Noctua cooler. (Noctua is the gold standard in CPU air coolers and has been for a while.)
https://sharkgaming.se/max-bite-predator-v2
When you're ready to buy, feel free to come back for help choosing a build, or just to have someone look over what you've already selected. And if you have more questions now, please keep asking.
Thank you so much! Do you know if any of these are good? https://www.komplett.se/product/1213662/gaming/gamingdator/gamingdator-stationar/komplett-i26-core-gaming-pack
Because I need all the setup (screen, mouse, keyboard, headset) which I didn't think of😅
@RoseFinn12 I would definitely not get the first one. Its processor is fine for now but not the kind you'd count on to keep up with newer games (or a newer graphics card) down the line. The graphics card is also not a great option. The second one is better, but it's still not the kind of system I'd start with if I wanted to upgrade in the future.
There's no reason you need to buy a bundle, and in fact it's usually not a good idea to do so. The bundle price might look good, but the monitor will typically be a model that's not selling well, and the mouse and keyboard (and anything else included) might have the same issue or be low quality overall. I would strongly recommend buying the peripherals separately so you get exactly what you want. A bad mouse can be very distracting, a bad keyboard can be miserable to type on, and a headset that doesn't sound the way you want is such a disappointment.
Okay, is it cheaper building your own or is it better to go for a premade one?
@RoseFinn12 As I mentioned before, it's always cheaper to get a prebuilt model from a company that uses low-end components. The problem there, or one of them, is that you don't have a proper upgrade path. So while the system might be fine now, installing a new graphics card could require a new power supply and maybe a new processor, depending on the card you're adding.
So then the question is what your priorities are: to save money and get a system that's good enough now, or to have a computer that will last through an upgrade cycle or two? I would personally go with the latter, especially if I were planning to play a game that didn't yet have minimum or recommended requirements. But reasonable people can disagree, and you may prefer to get something cheap now and buy a new computer in three or four years.
