Home› The Sims 3› The Sims 3 General Discussion
  • Categories
  • Discussions
  • Activity
  • Best Of...
    • Forum Announcement, Click Here to Read More From EA_Cade.

    Advice on Laptop purchase for Sims 3

    Azzie73Azzie73 Posts: 41 Member
    in The Sims 3 General Discussion
    I am hoping for some advice from the more knowledgeable people out there. I currently play Sims 3 on a desktop. I only have the base game and the two stuff packs and it plays fine. I was very fortunate at Christmas time and am now able to purchase a laptop as well as the other Sims expansion games.

    I would like to get a Dell as my roommate has had great luck with them. I have NO computer smarts and it is VERY intimidating to go online and build a laptop. I was wondering if anyone out there had any advice on what I REALLY need to play the Sims and all the add on games -vs.- what Dell is pushing at me. (It will also be used for my college classes)



    Thank you in advance for helping out a fellow Simmer!
    :D

    Comments

    • ThoseDaysAreOverThoseDaysAreOver Posts: 1,315 Member
      edited January 2011
      I play an new HP laptop, and my gameplay is terrific!

      Just look for a good amount of RAM perhaps 4GB, but most importantly the video graphics card! Trying getting an actually graphics card, not chip, laptops usually have chips, and are not used for gaming, but they still are anyway.

      I have an HP Intel Core i5, 4GB RAM, and ATi Mobility Radeon Premium Graphics/ Intel Core Graphics.

      If your in a computer store or other store, try going on to it, and see how you like it.

      So for example, if you find a Dell you like, try going onto the internet and go to this link http://cyri.systemrequirementslab.com/CYRI/ its as easy as 1.2.3 you just select Sims 3, and it tells you if it can run Sims 3, and its performance, hope that helps :)
    • NokuoroNokuoro Posts: 3,413 New Member
      edited January 2011
      well.. Dell laptops aren't really made for gaming. They are more for entertainment and internet surfing.

      Gaming laptops would have to be:
      Asus
      VAIO
      Toshiba
      Alienware
      (those are the ones i trust)

      and it also depends on the Specs
      it has to have 4GB or more
      a good size hard drive
      at least 2.4GHz processor
      I would go with a GEForce 360M or higher
      and an ATI Radeon

      This would make the laptop be in the $1000 range if you want a well lasting gaming laptop.
    • MysteryJokerMysteryJoker Posts: 1,279 Member
      edited January 2011
      And what is your budget?
    • Azzie73Azzie73 Posts: 41 Member
      edited January 2011
      Sorry, I forgot to add my budget is around $1,000. I can go over, but would like to stay near that mark.
    • Angelllite7Angelllite7 Posts: 9,730 Member
      edited January 2011
      Ihave an hp laptop with an i5 processor and it has tons of room on it. runs great. I recommend hp then again as mystery joker said, what's your budget?

      ok you just posted budget, you can afford a nice laptop for that price mine was around 800 and from what I hear the i5 processor is 2nd best ext to the i7. but I don't know, just heard it from a few pros
    • MysteryJokerMysteryJoker Posts: 1,279 Member
      edited January 2011
      Hp Pavilion dv7

      That starts at $899. With that, I'd add another $200 to upgrade to the i7 processor.

      But if you really want your game to shine, I'd save up for a gaming rig.
    • HaidenHaiden Posts: 3,841 Member
      edited January 2011
      Your looking in the region of $1000 to $1500 for a decent "gaming" laptop...Alienware is the best....but you pay for it...aswell as the name. Asus are churning out some very good laptops that play very well, though they cost more on the higher end of what I stated above.

      I have an HP though..it has an i5 2.6ghz, a 1 gig dedicated graphics card and 4 gigs system ram. I think it cost around $1000...give or take $100

      Also...it a good idea to invest in a laptop cooling pad at the same time :D
    • MysteryJokerMysteryJoker Posts: 1,279 Member
      edited January 2011
      Correction; any hardcore pc gamer would tell you Clevo is the best way to go for a gaming laptop. Alienware is alright but overpriced. OriginPC comes out with portable desktops pretty much (24GB of RAM in a laptop anyone?). Voodoo is also great, probably since they resell Clevo laptops with a few variations.
    • Angelllite7Angelllite7 Posts: 9,730 Member
      edited January 2011
      Haiden wrote:
      Your looking in the region of $1000 to $1500 for a decent "gaming" laptop...Alienware is the best....but you pay for it...aswell as the name. Asus are churning out some very good laptops that play very well, though they cost more on the higher end of what I stated above.

      I have an HP though..it has an i5 2.6ghz, a 1 gig dedicated graphics card and 4 gigs system ram. I think it cost around $1000...give or take $100

      Also...it a good idea to invest in a laptop cooling pad at the same time :D

      I heard alien ware had huge problems...
    • Angelllite7Angelllite7 Posts: 9,730 Member
      edited January 2011
      MysteryJoker wrote:
      Correction; any hardcore pc gamer would tell you Clevo is the best way to go for a gaming laptop. Alienware is alright but overpriced. OriginPC comes out with portable desktops pretty much (24GB of RAM in a laptop anyone?). Voodoo is also great, probably since they resell Clevo laptops with a few variations.

      is 243 a lot? or a little? cause my laptop has twice that
    • MysteryJokerMysteryJoker Posts: 1,279 Member
      edited January 2011
      Angelllite7 wrote:
      Haiden wrote:
      Your looking in the region of $1000 to $1500 for a decent "gaming" laptop...Alienware is the best....but you pay for it...aswell as the name. Asus are churning out some very good laptops that play very well, though they cost more on the higher end of what I stated above.

      I have an HP though..it has an i5 2.6ghz, a 1 gig dedicated graphics card and 4 gigs system ram. I think it cost around $1000...give or take $100

      Also...it a good idea to invest in a laptop cooling pad at the same time :D

      I heard alien ware had huge problems...

      Nah. They run fine. The only issue is you have to wait for reviews on the updates for the drivers. Otherwise, you'll get a bugged update. Sound familar? :P
    • MysteryJokerMysteryJoker Posts: 1,279 Member
      edited January 2011
      Angelllite7 wrote:
      MysteryJoker wrote:
      Correction; any hardcore pc gamer would tell you Clevo is the best way to go for a gaming laptop. Alienware is alright but overpriced. OriginPC comes out with portable desktops pretty much (24GB of RAM in a laptop anyone?). Voodoo is also great, probably since they resell Clevo laptops with a few variations.

      is 243 a lot? or a little? cause my laptop has twice that

      I really, really find it hard to believe that you packed 48 GB of RAM into a laptop...
    • Angelllite7Angelllite7 Posts: 9,730 Member
      edited January 2011
      MysteryJoker wrote:
      Angelllite7 wrote:
      MysteryJoker wrote:
      Correction; any hardcore pc gamer would tell you Clevo is the best way to go for a gaming laptop. Alienware is alright but overpriced. OriginPC comes out with portable desktops pretty much (24GB of RAM in a laptop anyone?). Voodoo is also great, probably since they resell Clevo laptops with a few variations.

      is 243 a lot? or a little? cause my laptop has twice that

      I really, really find it hard to believe that you packed 48 GB of RAM into a laptop...

      maybe I am looking at the wrong thing. I am on my desktop right now, but how do I check when I get on my laptop??
    • ThoseDaysAreOverThoseDaysAreOver Posts: 1,315 Member
      edited January 2011
      I have HP Pavilion dv6 Intel Core i5, works just fine
    • GoldmoldarGoldmoldar Posts: 11,966 Member
      edited January 2011
      Angelllite7 wrote:
      MysteryJoker wrote:
      Correction; any hardcore pc gamer would tell you Clevo is the best way to go for a gaming laptop. Alienware is alright but overpriced. OriginPC comes out with portable desktops pretty much (24GB of RAM in a laptop anyone?). Voodoo is also great, probably since they resell Clevo laptops with a few variations.

      is 243 a lot? or a little? cause my laptop has twice that


      Mysteryjoker is talking system ram. there is no laptop that can utilize 243 unless you are referring to hard drive space.
      Omen by HP Intel®️ Core™️ i9- 12900K W/ RGB Liquid Cooler 32GB Nvidia RTX 3080 10Gb ASUS Ultra-Wide 34" Curved Monitor. Omen By HP Intel® Core™ i7-12800HX 32 GB Nvidia 3070 Ti 8 GB 17.3 Screen
    • Angelllite7Angelllite7 Posts: 9,730 Member
      edited January 2011
      Goldmoldar wrote:
      Angelllite7 wrote:
      MysteryJoker wrote:
      Correction; any hardcore pc gamer would tell you Clevo is the best way to go for a gaming laptop. Alienware is alright but overpriced. OriginPC comes out with portable desktops pretty much (24GB of RAM in a laptop anyone?). Voodoo is also great, probably since they resell Clevo laptops with a few variations.

      is 243 a lot? or a little? cause my laptop has twice that


      Mysteryjoker is talking system ram. there is no laptop that can utilize 243 unless you are referring to hard drive space.

      I am not tech saavy, how do I check the ram he was talking about?
    • simjettsimjett Posts: 5,254 Member
      edited January 2011
      On the topic, if you're intent on the Dell, the XPS laptops are more suited than the Inspirions.
      http://www.dell.com/us/p/configuration-compare.aspx?ocs=dndojm1&returnURL=http://www.dell.com/us/p/popular-laptop-deals?3x_page=3&filterCollapsed=false&dgc=CJ&cid=47997&lid=1510955&acd=10715248-340761-

      Angelllite7 wrote:
      Goldmoldar wrote:
      Angelllite7 wrote:
      MysteryJoker wrote:
      Correction; any hardcore pc gamer would tell you Clevo is the best way to go for a gaming laptop. Alienware is alright but overpriced. OriginPC comes out with portable desktops pretty much (24GB of RAM in a laptop anyone?). Voodoo is also great, probably since they resell Clevo laptops with a few variations.

      is 243 a lot? or a little? cause my laptop has twice that


      Mysteryjoker is talking system ram. there is no laptop that can utilize 243 unless you are referring to hard drive space.

      I am not tech saavy, how do I check the ram he was talking about?

      Start / Windows button. right-click MY Computer / Computer, select properties :P
    • Azzie73Azzie73 Posts: 41 Member
      edited January 2011
      I just wanted to thank everyone for the help! I have alot to look over and check out now.

      Thanks so much! :D
    • SkyBluEyz40SkyBluEyz40 Posts: 1 New Member
      edited January 2011
      I personally wouldn't go with an HP, the motherboard fried twice (1st time only had for 6 weeks) within 14 months and HP would not replace it the 2nd time because the computer was around 10 weeks out of warranty (even though it is a known problem). Just bought an ASUS after my computer guy recommended it and it's the most fantastic laptop ever. Not to mention as long as you fill out the warranty card you get 2 years computer replacement if you spill, drop or damage your computer in any way. Sims 3 with expansions runs beautifully on it. Definitely surf the web and do your homework you'll be amazed what you find out about some of the more popular brands you never would have known. Also small piece of advice for any one that buys a laptop and games on it, ALWAYs buy an external metal laptop fan to put your laptop on, really worth the investment. Good luck!!!!!
    • Azzie73Azzie73 Posts: 41 Member
      edited January 2011
      Wanted to thank everyone again for the help. After doing some research and looking around and taking into account everything I will be using it for I ended up ordering a Dell.

      XPS 17
      6GB,DDR3,2 DIMM
      640GB 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive
      NVIDIA GeForce GT 435M 1GB graphics with Optimus

      Here's to hoping I made the right choice! lol
    Sign In or Register to comment.
    Return to top