Hello, thanks for taking a look at my thread, i hope you can offer me some help
I got my desktop computer in September 2015 and it was cheap. It was an upgrade from my previous one and was for the Sims 4 base game, plus other sims (simcity/sims 3 etc) titles. I am still able to play all those fine, however since installing 2 stuff packs, 1 game pack and City Life (i have all other EPs already) Sims 4 certainly lags a bit when i'm in the city. Its still totally playable and i enjoy it but its not perfect. So i've been looking around online all night at desktops and graphic cards and motherboards till my brain hurts.
My current desktop -
CIT Vanquish Case blue LED (i love this, don't want to change it if i don't have to!)
ASUS P5G41T-MLX Motherboard
Nvidia Geforce GT 730 2GB DDR5
Intel Quad Core 2.4ghz Q6600
8GB DDR3 RAM (2 x 4GB)
Windows 7 Pro 64 Bit
750watt power supply
What i need advice on is which parts to upgrade? Product names you would recommend? What would you do? Or should i just get a new computer?
The guy who built my computer would be the one upgrading it, if i knew what parts. I'm finding it hard working out which components are compatible with which and what will fit in my case and all that more technical stuff. Any help would be appreciated! Oh and i only use this computer for Sims 2 + plus all EPs, Sims 3 + all EPs, Sims 4+plus all current and probably future EPs, and Simcity 5. Haha. Other games i just buy for my PS4 if I can. I call it my Sims-computer
Edit: btw, i'm in the UK
My Sim, living her best life...
#RagsToRiches
Comments
#RagsToRiches
#RagsToRiches
@phoebebebe13 will help you she comes onto the forums.
http://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/817478/hello-come-and-introduce-yourself
http://tinyurl.com/OneRoomOneWeek
http://tinyurl.com/rosemow
My Showcase thread https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/948861/rosemow-s-rooms-showcase
#RagsToRiches
http://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/817478/hello-come-and-introduce-yourself
http://tinyurl.com/OneRoomOneWeek
http://tinyurl.com/rosemow
My Showcase thread https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/948861/rosemow-s-rooms-showcase
Hmm that's a tough one, You would be spending too much if you needed to upgrade the cpu because you would need a new motherboard also, and your graphics card is on the low end of things too.
Do you have a budget? If i know the budget i can suggest some things within the budget.
16GB hyper X fury
MSI GTX 1080
MSI gaming M5 mobo
Evga 750 supernova
Corsair hydro h110i GT
Corsair obsidian 750D
500GB SSD
6TB Seagate Barracuda Pro
LG 34" ultra wide
I've been playing Sims 4 tonight and its running perfectly and my graphics are still on ultra, so it seems like its just the City with those common time lapse problems. My priority has turned to being able to play Sims 3 better now - i play that on low and medium graphics, and it looks awful! how much would it roughly cost to play that on ultra? I'm curious and like i said I don't really have a budget, it's more a case of seeing how much things cost and then either "great i can buy that now" or saving up a bit more...
Thanks for the help!
#RagsToRiches
If you get a 4TH gen intel i5 that might be ok without having to upgrade your ram also.. (newer gen intel requires different ram.)
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Intel-Processor-3-2GHz-Cache-Previous/dp/B00JIJUBAS/ref=sr_1_9?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1484886576&sr=1-9
Even though is is not the new tech it still blows your cpu out of the water.
Then you would need the motherboard:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gigabyte-Z97P-D3-LGA1150-Motherboard-USB3-0/dp/B00K9R1OCW/ref=sr_1_1?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1484886909&sr=1-1&keywords=LGA+1150
Then i would upgrade your graphics card as that's lower end also
https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Graphics-Cards/Gigabyte-NVIDIA-GeForce-Express-Graphics/B01MEHH5G0/ref=sr_1_19?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1484887131&sr=1-19&keywords=GTX+1050
That will get the job done nicely, That should also fit in the case.
As for the ram, you would need to check with your pc guy if you can re use the ram you have currently, because i would need to know the exact make and model of the ram.
With all that you can expect ultra settings.
16GB hyper X fury
MSI GTX 1080
MSI gaming M5 mobo
Evga 750 supernova
Corsair hydro h110i GT
Corsair obsidian 750D
500GB SSD
6TB Seagate Barracuda Pro
LG 34" ultra wide
#RagsToRiches
https://www.piriform.com/speccy/download (the free one with no support is fine.)
Install the program, when it load open the ram tab on the left hand side. Under spd click slot #1 and tell me the part number and manufacturer.
This should give me the exact info i need to know.
16GB hyper X fury
MSI GTX 1080
MSI gaming M5 mobo
Evga 750 supernova
Corsair hydro h110i GT
Corsair obsidian 750D
500GB SSD
6TB Seagate Barracuda Pro
LG 34" ultra wide
Manufacturer - Crucial Technology
Part Number - ST51264BA1339.16FM
speccy is really cool, I'm glad you told me about it, i'm finding it interesting looking at what my PC actually has
Edit: errrm, also while you're here - every now and then my computer screen goes black for about a second and then it comes back on with a pop up at the taskbar saying "Display driver stopped responding and has recovered. Display driver NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver, Version 376.33 stopped responding and has successfully recovered".
It started happening after NVIDIA Experience tried to update and only ended up uninstalling its self. I haven't re-installed it as I never used it anyway. Is that the problem?
#RagsToRiches
Ok to answer the display driver question,
You will need to download the driver from the nvidia website and manually install it.. never trust GeForce experience to do it for you (i hate that program LOL.)
http://www.nvidia.com/download/driverResults.aspx/113442/en-us
Download this driver, After downloading open to install.. click custom install and only select the Nvidia driver/nvidia physx and Audio.
Restart your pc after install.
OK as for your ram, you should be ok to re use that ram, However it is very average and on the older side. Personally i would just buy new ram as it's not very expensive. Now if you do this you may be able to also upgrade to the newer gen intel within your budget.
What's the absolute max budget? If you can get newer for a little over the 400 is that ok?
16GB hyper X fury
MSI GTX 1080
MSI gaming M5 mobo
Evga 750 supernova
Corsair hydro h110i GT
Corsair obsidian 750D
500GB SSD
6TB Seagate Barracuda Pro
LG 34" ultra wide
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B010T6CWI2/ref=s9_acsd_simh_hd_bw_bT8Ocp_c_x_w?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-3&pf_rd_r=QRN0XG1HMA6KTK45TZ5S&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=70adc757-a0e1-5136-9873-0bf729c03126&pf_rd_i=430515031
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gigabyte-Z170-GAMING-Socket-Express-Motherboard/dp/B01AUSEBHE/ref=sr_1_59?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1485130565&sr=1-59&keywords=1151
https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Graphics-Cards/Gigabyte-NVIDIA-GeForce-Express-Graphics/B01MEHH5G0/ref=sr_1_19?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1484887131&sr=1-19&keywords=GTX+1050
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Corsair-CMK8GX4M2A2666C16-Vengeance-2666Mhz-Performance-x/dp/B0123ZB70Q/ref=sr_1_43?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1485131105&sr=1-43
16GB hyper X fury
MSI GTX 1080
MSI gaming M5 mobo
Evga 750 supernova
Corsair hydro h110i GT
Corsair obsidian 750D
500GB SSD
6TB Seagate Barracuda Pro
LG 34" ultra wide
mmm....I'm thinking that that will cost me a bit too much, once I add on the guy upgrading it for me's hourly rate I appreciate the suggestion, it did make me stop and think, but hopefully if I improve my current computer now then in the future, once I have a job again (I quit just before christmas) then I might just.....do....something... This will still be the best computer that I've ever owned so
So if I stick to your first suggested products, and if I do update my RAM, what are my RAM choices?
#RagsToRiches
https://www.amazon.co.uk/HyperX-FURY-DDR3-Memory-Module/dp/B00J8E91T0/ref=sr_1_1?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1485133795&sr=1-1&keywords=HX318C10FWK2/8
One question.. how many fans have you got inside that case?
It might be beneficial to add a cpu cooler like this
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cooler-Master-Hyper-RR-212E-16PK-R1-Heatpipe/dp/B0068OI7T8/ref=sr_1_2?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1485134136&sr=1-2&keywords=cpu+cooler
I would need to check if it fits though.
16GB hyper X fury
MSI GTX 1080
MSI gaming M5 mobo
Evga 750 supernova
Corsair hydro h110i GT
Corsair obsidian 750D
500GB SSD
6TB Seagate Barracuda Pro
LG 34" ultra wide
#RagsToRiches
OK.. that good.
I did suggest the hyper 212 for your cooler however it will not fit.. This will and is better
https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Computers-Accessories/Cryorig-M9i-nur-für-Intel/B0177GTTB0/ref=sr_1_1?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1485136490&sr=1-1&keywords=Cryorig
I highly suggest getting that and getting your pc guy to install it for you while he has the pc.. The stock cooler is not very good and the sims 4 is known to heat up the cpu.
16GB hyper X fury
MSI GTX 1080
MSI gaming M5 mobo
Evga 750 supernova
Corsair hydro h110i GT
Corsair obsidian 750D
500GB SSD
6TB Seagate Barracuda Pro
LG 34" ultra wide
So will all that definitely fit in my case and allow me to play Sims 4 (and future proof it) and Sims 3 + all EPs and Mods/CC on the highest settings?
Also, the fan ...
Which fan will that replace? Because I have blue LED lights on the fans at the front and side of my computer that I love. If they need replacing I would like LED's still
#RagsToRiches
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01MZZJ1P0/ref=s9_acsd_simh_hd_bw_bT8Ocp_c_x_w?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-3&pf_rd_r=XTGV345V2PM7543GYPY0&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=70adc757-a0e1-5136-9873-0bf729c03126&pf_rd_i=430515031
Here is a motherboard compatible
https://www.amazon.co.uk/MSI-Z270-SLI-PLUS-Motherboard-x/dp/B01N5LSIYI/ref=sr_1_3?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1488232949&sr=1-3&keywords=z270
You can use the same ram as i linked before.
The cpu cooler as linked before.. will not change your case fan but add a cooler to your cpu
16GB hyper X fury
MSI GTX 1080
MSI gaming M5 mobo
Evga 750 supernova
Corsair hydro h110i GT
Corsair obsidian 750D
500GB SSD
6TB Seagate Barracuda Pro
LG 34" ultra wide
...out of curiosity, am I doing right by upgrading or is it cheaper to buy a new desktop with those/similar components? I looked at the receipt I got when my guy built my current pc and he charges "£35 an hour or part", (how long does it take for these things to be placed/installed/etc?) So with that on top of the components I'm wondering if i'm going with the cheaper/better option?
#RagsToRiches
Graphics card and ram is very easy and quick to install. Motherboard will take slightly longer as everything needs to be connected back up. Really shouldn't take much longer then 1 hour.
16GB hyper X fury
MSI GTX 1080
MSI gaming M5 mobo
Evga 750 supernova
Corsair hydro h110i GT
Corsair obsidian 750D
500GB SSD
6TB Seagate Barracuda Pro
LG 34" ultra wide