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PC Spec Recommendation Pls? :-)

Hey guys

I'm looking for a recommendation for a new laptop to run Sims 4 and a couple EPs too. I previously had a desktop set up at my parents, but since moving out I'm over on my Chromebook & having serious Sims withdrawals :s

I'm pretty clueless when it comes to PC spec etc, so was hoping some of you guys had some insight you'd be so kind as to offer me. I'm in the UK, just FYI and I'm looking for something that can run the game with decent graphics / doesn't crash / doesn't lag. But also I'm a student so, nothing crazy expensive! :#

Any help / tips / recomm's are welcomed & encouraged

THANK YOU
Nat :*

Comments

  • PlumbeebPlumbeeb Posts: 619 Member
    Hey there! I'm in the UK too, and I'd be happy to help you out as much as I can, but just a few more questions before I go looking around the web. :blush:
    • Are there any specific features that you need? (such as ports etc)
    • Aside from The Sims, do you play any other games? And if so, can you list a few?
    • What budget are you trying to stick to?
    Sims 4 Wish List:
    • > Option to toggle on/off random townie generation.
    • > Turn vacation worlds into residential worlds.
    • > Option to purchase separate worlds or a world pack.
    • > Sleepwear kit.
    • > Atomic age kit.
  • Nate_Whiplash1Nate_Whiplash1 Posts: 4,085 Member
    I would advise against getting a laptop. They run hot as it is, and TS4 works a CPU pretty hard, which will make it run even hotter. A desktop is a better bet
  • SimmerGeorgeSimmerGeorge Posts: 2,724 Member
    edited September 2020
    I would advise against getting a laptop. They run hot as it is, and TS4 works a CPU pretty hard, which will make it run even hotter. A desktop is a better bet

    And PC's are usually cheaper as well so unless you absolutely want a laptop I would recommend considering a PC.

    These are the official specs by EA:
    PC SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

    MINIMUM SPECS:

    OS: 64 Bit Required. Windows 7 (SP1), Windows 8, Windows 8.1, or Windows 10
    CPU: 1.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, AMD Athlon 64 Dual-Core 4000+ or equivalent (For computers using built-in graphics chipsets, the game requires 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 2.0 GHz AMD Turion 64 X2 TL-62 or equivalent)
    RAM: At least 4 GB RAM
    DISC DRIVE: DVD Rom Drive required for installation only
    HARD DRIVE: At least 15 GB of free space with at least 1 GB additional space for custom content and saved games
    VIDEO: 128 MB of Video RAM and support for Pixel Shader 3.0. Supported Video Cards: NVIDIA GeForce 6600 or better, ATI Radeon X1300 or better, Intel GMA X4500 or better
    DIRECTX: DirectX 9.0,10 and 11 Compatible
    INPUT: Keyboard and Mouse
    ONLINE REQUIREMENTS: Internet connection required for product activation.
    RECOMMENDED SPECS:

    OS: 64 Bit Windows 7, 8, 8.1, or 10
    PROCESSOR: Intel core i5 or faster, AMD Athlon X4
    VIDEO CARD: NVIDIA GTX 650 or better
    MEMORY: 4 GB RAM
    HARD DRIVE: 18 GB of Hard Drive space

    Personally I would recommend buying a PC with specs much much better than that in order to get the best performance. It all depends on which settings and resolution you want to run your game in and if you want to use your new PC for a few more years and maybe to play the Sims 5 if it gets released.
    Where's my Sims 5 squad at?
  • BabykittyjadeBabykittyjade Posts: 4,975 Member
    edited September 2020
    I agree. If you can get a desktop do it. And i learned from past experiences brand sometimes matter more than specs.
    10 of us can have the same specs with different PC's and some will get lag or other issues and some will run smooth.
    I'm sure there are better out there but msi is the best brand I have ever tried in a gaming PC and laptop. I wanted something that allowed me use endless cc and hq mod and retextures with 0 lag and fast loading. Well I found it because i have so much cc sometimes i think it might explode 😂😂😂 but it doesn't even lag. And I have every pack. Never crashed except twice from outdated mods. Not the computers fault.

    Current specs to the one I have is

    CPU: 3.6 GHz Intel Core i7-7700 (quad-core, 8MB cache, up to 4.2 GHz with Turbo Boost)
    Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 (8GB GDDR5X RAM)
    RAM: 16 GB DDR4 RAM (2400 MHz)
    Storage: 256GB M.2 SSD, 2TB HDD (7,200RPM)


    My msi laptop was equally amazing but I didn't put it to the full test. I gave it away because I'm a desktop girl for life.
    I don't know what your price range is but I highly suggest atleast saving for a decent gaming pc (or laptop if you still want that) if not MSI atleast avoid those common brands like del and hp. Bad experience with those. 😬😬😬
    And remember you get what you pay for. I learned the hard way. So be careful!
    I saved for a long time for mine.

    This is all just my personal opinion based on my past computer history. I'm sure there are plenty within price range that would work suitable. Especially if you don't use cc.
    Zombies, oh please oh please give us zombies!! :'(
  • SimmerGeorgeSimmerGeorge Posts: 2,724 Member
    @Babykittyjade Brand don't really play a big role in gaming PCs or even laptops sometimes since the GPUs and CPUs etc. are brands of their own. I have a no brand PC yet I run an Nvidia 1060 6GB card, someone with an hp PC might have the exact same card as me, cause HP doesn't make its own cards. Same goes for almost all components of a PC.
    It doesn't matter what brand it is, it's all about what hardware it has in it.
    Where's my Sims 5 squad at?
  • Nate_Whiplash1Nate_Whiplash1 Posts: 4,085 Member
    I have a $500 Dell desktop with a Core i5 9400--that's a respectable CPU, and even it works hard on TS4, running hot. I can't imagine what it would be like running a laptop in that same price range
  • RouensimsRouensims Posts: 4,858 Member
    I love playing on MacBook Pro because I can play sitting on the couch, lying down in bed, or hanging out in my car.
    Ooh Be Gah!! Whipna Choba-Dog? Whipna Choba-Dog!! :smiley:
  • BuildingTheSimsBuildingTheSims Posts: 92 Member
    edited September 2020
    ....poof.

  • BuildingTheSimsBuildingTheSims Posts: 92 Member
    edited September 2020
    I have a $500 Dell desktop with a Core i5 9400--that's a respectable CPU, and even it works hard on TS4, running hot. I can't imagine what it would be like running a laptop in that same price range


    Nowadays you can get a laptop with a gtx 1060 and 8gb ram , for little more than that. It’s not the same market it was 10 years ago. Also , those are decent specs for many games especially sims 4.

    I used to play play games much more demanding than sims 4 on a laptop that was $600 and it didn’t run hot, with any game. It’s the specs . Not the $ amount. Some expensive laptops don’t have better specs.
  • BuildingTheSimsBuildingTheSims Posts: 92 Member
    I agree. If you can get a desktop do it. And i learned from past experiences brand sometimes matter more than specs.
    10 of us can have the same specs with different PC's and some will get lag or other issues and some will run smooth.
    I'm sure there are better out there but msi is the best brand I have ever tried in a gaming PC and laptop. I wanted something that allowed me use endless cc and hq mod and retextures with 0 lag and fast loading. Well I found it because i have so much cc sometimes i think it might explode 😂😂😂 but it doesn't even lag. And I have every pack. Never crashed except twice from outdated mods. Not the computers fault.

    Current specs to the one I have is

    CPU: 3.6 GHz Intel Core i7-7700 (quad-core, 8MB cache, up to 4.2 GHz with Turbo Boost)
    Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 (8GB GDDR5X RAM)
    RAM: 16 GB DDR4 RAM (2400 MHz)
    Storage: 256GB M.2 SSD, 2TB HDD (7,200RPM)


    My msi laptop was equally amazing but I didn't put it to the full test. I gave it away because I'm a desktop girl for life.
    I don't know what your price range is but I highly suggest atleast saving for a decent gaming pc (or laptop if you still want that) if not MSI atleast avoid those common brands like del and hp. Bad experience with those. 😬😬😬
    And remember you get what you pay for. I learned the hard way. So be careful!
    I saved for a long time for mine.

    This is all just my personal opinion based on my past computer history. I'm sure there are plenty within price range that would work suitable. Especially if you don't use cc.

    I game on laptops and love using laptops instead. Everyones different @Babykittyjade . Theres pros and cons to each and gaming laptops can run games brilliantly depending on if the specs are alright for the game you're trying to play.

    Anyway , i dont know how i ended up on this thread :p
  • BuildingTheSimsBuildingTheSims Posts: 92 Member
    I also have owned MSI, I have a Razer too. A premier brand . And i now have an acer nitro. Guess what? My common brand Acer nitro games just as good as the premium brands that I have owned Msi & Razer :D<3
  • natjadebabenatjadebabe Posts: 148 Member
    Hi all - thank you so much for your replies I so appreciate it, it gave me a lot of food for thought.

    If any bodies interested, I went with an ASUS Laptop model FX505DT. For the specs, I got it for a decent price and it runs the game on ultra settings with absolutely no problems so far. I should mention that I've only got a handful of packs/eps, and I don't currently run the game with mods/cc!

    Laptops are more my pref, as I'm always moving around so for me, it's great! This is my first real investment into a computer and so pleased to finally be able to run sims again B)

    Thanks again everybody!!

    Happy simming <3
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