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Sims 4 and Switchable Graphics: How To (Nvidia & AMD)

ewilson1114ewilson1114 Posts: 2,513 Member
edited September 2014 in PC - Technical Discussions
Many laptops now come equipped with two graphics cards-- an integrated card by Intel (which is weaker and used for everyday tasks such as web browsing and word processing) and a dedicated graphics card by Nvidia or AMD. The Sims 4, like the Sims 3, defaults to the integrated card, which causes poorer graphics and can cause some glitches (deformed baby). Here is a walkthrough for how to set your game to run using the Nvidia card.

@ceejay402 has kindly provided instructions for AMD cards in the second post!

Step one: Right click on the desktop and select NVIDIA Control Panel.

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Step 2: Once the program opens, select Manage 3D Settings

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Step 3: Next, click on Program Settings

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Step 4: Click on Add

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Step 5: In the pop-up, select The Sims 4 and click Add Selected Program.

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Step 6: Click on the dropdown next to the number 2. and select High-Performance NVIDIA Processor

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Step 7: Click on Apply.

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Step 8: Click on Desktop and then make sure that Display GPU Activity Icon in the Notification Center is checked.

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Step 9: Look at the bottom right screen of the taskbar. You should see a new icon there that is a black and gray square. You may need to click the little arrow to the left of the icons to find this icon. When the game is running, the icon will be colored as in the screenshot.

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To confirm that everything worked, run the game. When it is up, you can click the square icon and you should see The Sims 4 listed as a program using the Nvidia GPU.

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I hope this helps! Feel free to ask questions.

Post edited by ewilson1114 on

Comments

  • ceejay402ceejay402 Posts: 24,507 Member
    edited October 2015
    AMD dual Graphics

    1. Run the game save and exit.
    2. Right Click on desktop to select Configure Switchable Graphics
    15g9u37.png

    3. AMD Card Panel will open. Look for TS4.exe and select HIGH PERFORMANCE as graphic setting IMPORTANT - if you do not have the TS4.exe show up see my steps posted here http://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/776882/sims-4-and-switchable-graphics-how-to-nvidia-amd/p4
    212edlw.png

    4. Exit, restart game and make desired in game graphic settings save and exit again.

    IMPORTANT keep laptop plugged in while playing.
    Post edited by ceejay402 on
  • ewilson1114ewilson1114 Posts: 2,513 Member
    Absolutely ceejay! I was hoping you would want to. If you want to just edit that into your first post so its right at the top that would be perfect and I will change the title as soon as you've got it up :)
  • RoyWilliamsRoyWilliams Posts: 101 Member
    Good tip. Many, (probably most) processors come with integrated graphics on-board now. I wonder how many problems people are having with their game would be solved with this tip?
  • ewilson1114ewilson1114 Posts: 2,513 Member
    Good tip. Many, (probably most) processors come with integrated graphics on-board now. I wonder how many problems people are having with their game would be solved with this tip?

    Yeah I'd say most laptops that have a dedicated card also have an integrated chip because of the savings in battery life. Right now evidence points towards the deformed baby glitch being caused by integrated chips.

  • SimGuruMeatballSimGuruMeatball Posts: 314 Member
    It would be interesting to know if its related to outdated drivers for the Intel cards too.
    Art Director @ Maxis
    @SimGuruMeatball
  • ceejay402ceejay402 Posts: 24,507 Member
    It would be interesting to know if its related to outdated drivers for the Intel cards too.

    howdy, i had the same thought. can we bother you about other tech Qs :)

  • SimGuruMeatballSimGuruMeatball Posts: 314 Member
    I am not much of a tech person, but feel free to ask anyway :)
    Art Director @ Maxis
    @SimGuruMeatball
  • carenhottcarenhott Posts: 5 New Member
    ty so much ewilson!!!
  • blunote00blunote00 Posts: 18,476 Member
    edited September 2014
    It would be interesting to know if its related to outdated drivers for the Intel cards too.
    No that's not the issue and updating the drivers won't work. As techie as I am I have a maintenance night once a week. My everything is always up to date. It's the integrated cards with the issues.

    Will occasionally provide tech support on this forum or over on Answer HQ. ▬ At my age, competence is a turn on! (©¿©)
    DO NOT - PM me tech ?s/issues. ▬ DO create a thread in it's respective Technical Forum. Vacation goes by way too fast!
    US Links ► (TS3), Help for all things Sims (Answer HQ).
  • blunote00blunote00 Posts: 18,476 Member
    Absolutely ceejay! I was hoping you would want to. If you want to just edit that into your first post so its right at the top that would be perfect and I will change the title as soon as you've got it up :)
    Awesome! ceejay is my AMD/ATI queen. Why she loves'em I'll never know but I love her for it. :D
    Nvidia chick for life! :p*hugs & junk*

    Will occasionally provide tech support on this forum or over on Answer HQ. ▬ At my age, competence is a turn on! (©¿©)
    DO NOT - PM me tech ?s/issues. ▬ DO create a thread in it's respective Technical Forum. Vacation goes by way too fast!
    US Links ► (TS3), Help for all things Sims (Answer HQ).
  • chesterbigbirdchesterbigbird Posts: 8,581 Member
    Great thread Guys :)
    i7 6700K
    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


  • ElmawaElmawa Posts: 2,281 Member
    Bump! thank you so much for this, it's exactly what I came here looking for. Hope it fixes my deformed baby issue. lol, now my sims have to have another just to see! I aged that freaky thing up ASAP!
  • wolfkomoki1wolfkomoki1 Posts: 5,053 Member
    Thank you! *BookMarks*
    6JSxk49.png?1
  • MrDensilterMrDensilter Posts: 4 New Member
    very helpful guys!! great job!! *Cheers
  • wolfkomoki1wolfkomoki1 Posts: 5,053 Member
    Yay normal babies!!!!
    6JSxk49.png?1
  • SimsweetieSimsweetie Posts: 562 Member
    I did everything as instructed and am still having the deformed baby issue - and yes I checked, TS4 is definitely running off of my Nvida, not intel.
  • wolfkomoki1wolfkomoki1 Posts: 5,053 Member
    edited September 2014
    This made sims 2 stop flashing. Thank you.
    6JSxk49.png?1
  • ewilson1114ewilson1114 Posts: 2,513 Member
    Simsweetie wrote: »
    I did everything as instructed and am still having the deformed baby issue - and yes I checked, TS4 is definitely running off of my Nvida, not intel.

    Sorry it didn't fix it! What Nvidia card do you have and what driver version do you have installed?
  • ceejay402ceejay402 Posts: 24,507 Member
    Simsweetie wrote: »
    I did everything as instructed and am still having the deformed baby issue - and yes I checked, TS4 is definitely running off of my Nvida, not intel.

    sorry to hear that @Simsweetie its possible you could need to update your drivers. can i ask you post issue on the deformed baby threads since blu and ewilson are keeping the all info there

    http://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/776288/deformed-baby-bug-thread-linked-to-sims-4-bug-thread/p1

    thanks and good luck
  • ceejay402ceejay402 Posts: 24,507 Member
    Simsweetie wrote: »
    I did everything as instructed and am still having the deformed baby issue - and yes I checked, TS4 is definitely running off of my Nvida, not intel.

    Sorry it didn't fix it! What Nvidia card do you have and what driver version do you have installed?
    sorry im just seeing this :)
  • NimbleNimble Posts: 33 Member
    edited September 2014
    I have a laptop & a GeForce 660M graphics card, I've updated drivers and Nvidia is not recognizing Sims 4 at all. It's not on the 3D Manager list and I'm not sure how to find it. Fixed it!
    Post edited by Nimble on
  • hqsoares2hqsoares2 Posts: 19 Member
    It would be interesting to know if its related to outdated drivers for the Intel cards too.

    :( I have the same problem with babies.
    My video card is a AMD Radeon 8730M, all drivers are updated as well as the game. Furthermore my notebook is not using the integrated graphics on-board because I configured for high performance and I'm playing on High graphics settings without any problem or FPS drop.
  • NimbleNimble Posts: 33 Member
    I made the switch, the game is definitely running on my Nvidia card, but I checked and my baby is still creepy. Do I need to adjust anything in my settings?
  • ewilson1114ewilson1114 Posts: 2,513 Member
    Nimble wrote: »
    I made the switch, the game is definitely running on my Nvidia card, but I checked and my baby is still creepy. Do I need to adjust anything in my settings?


    Could you post a screenshot of your settings in the nvidia control panel and then also your in game settings?
  • NimbleNimble Posts: 33 Member
    I'm a fairly new member, how do I attach an image?
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