Can I Run Sims4 University?

[LolaLikesC4]

I am not sure this is the right place to post this... but can anyone tell me if my cr@ppy (albeit loyal) laptop can run Sims4 University? I tried to figure it out but realized I'm a hopeless doof. 

Any help is appreciated x

[puzzlezaddict · Accepted solution]

@LolaLikesC4  If you're happy with how your laptop runs the game now, with all your current packs, then Discover University should also be fine.  It's not especially demanding by the standards of the newer expansions and shouldn't add much stress to your game.  The extra features will use more memory for sure, but unless you're already noticing lag or other performance issues, I wouldn't worry too much.

I'd hold off on Eco Lifestyle for now though.  It does definitely require more resources to run, plus there are a lot of bugs and other issues that stress the game engine.  Until those are ironed out, you'd probably only be asking for trouble.

By the way, if you're going to keep this laptop for a while longer, you may want to look into adding more memory.  It probably has a 4 GB stick and a 2 GB stick, and you could replace the latter with a compatible 8 GB module for around $35 U.S.  That would help performance in Sims 4 as well as in regular use, especially while you're multitasking.  The exact specs you'd want for the new RAM depends on what you already have installed, so check your manual.

As for the old dxdiag, you probably had your files transferred from the old computer to the new one at some point.  If you searched for "dxdiag," you'd have found the old one.

[CarbonCarl]

@LolaLikesC4 You should be able to run the base game no problem, any additional content may need a little more power.

The only issue I see could be windows XP. If you can get it to start on there then you should be fine performance wise.

Recommended specs:
https://help.ea.com/en-gb/help/the-sims/the-sims-4/the-sims-4-system-requirements/

[puzzlezaddict]

@LolaLikesC4  Unfortunately, you won't be able to run Origin on your computer, which means you won't be able to install Sims 4 at all, much less run it.  Origin no longer supports Windows XP at all.

Your computer could likely be updated to Windows 7, although Windows 10 might be a stretch.  Your graphics card is in fact supported by Sims 4, and while there is a newer driver for both versions of Windows, it's still a few years old.  The computer's other hardware might not support the update.  So if you did update to Windows 7, you could probably play on low or low-medium settings, but there's no guarantee it would work.

[LolaLikesC4]

i find it weird that it says I have Windows XP when I know for a fact that I have had windows 10 since I bought the laptop about 3 years ago. 

I decided to take a screenshot of the specs instead, it clearly shows that I am running windows 10 as far as I can tell? 

[puzzlezaddict]

@LolaLikesC4  This screenshot is from a completely different computer.  The dxdiag is actually dated 2011, which I thought might be due to some weirdness on an old computer that hadn't been getting updates and maybe also wasn't syncing properly... or something.  Did you find that dxdiag somewhere else?  Whatever the case, it's not at all related to the laptop that your recent screenshot comes from.

At any rate, to answer your original question, yes, this laptop, with Windows 10, an i5-7200U, and 6 GB memory, should be able to run the Sims 4 base game and Discover University.  There's no graphics card listed, and if the laptop doesn't happen to have a 940MX or similar, you may need to play on low-medium settings.  Still, the game should run.

For best performance, make sure the laptop can cool itself properly while playing though—rest it on a hard surface, not on your lap or on blankets—and don't run any other apps alongside the game.

[LolaLikesC4]

No clue about the old dxdiag. It seems to be the info of my previous laptop because I recognize its name. The dxdiag came from my current laptop so the only explanation is ghosts are doing it. 

I managed to find the graphics card info and it says I have Nvidia GeForce 940MX so I guess the short answer is that University and basegame SHOULD run.

However, I have all the expansion packs, sans Eco Lifestyle and University, do you think it would still be able to run after all that? If not then I would rather hold off on purchasing it right now until I get a better laptop 

Really appreciate all the help x

[puzzlezaddict · Accepted solution]

@LolaLikesC4  If you're happy with how your laptop runs the game now, with all your current packs, then Discover University should also be fine.  It's not especially demanding by the standards of the newer expansions and shouldn't add much stress to your game.  The extra features will use more memory for sure, but unless you're already noticing lag or other performance issues, I wouldn't worry too much.

I'd hold off on Eco Lifestyle for now though.  It does definitely require more resources to run, plus there are a lot of bugs and other issues that stress the game engine.  Until those are ironed out, you'd probably only be asking for trouble.

By the way, if you're going to keep this laptop for a while longer, you may want to look into adding more memory.  It probably has a 4 GB stick and a 2 GB stick, and you could replace the latter with a compatible 8 GB module for around $35 U.S.  That would help performance in Sims 4 as well as in regular use, especially while you're multitasking.  The exact specs you'd want for the new RAM depends on what you already have installed, so check your manual.

As for the old dxdiag, you probably had your files transferred from the old computer to the new one at some point.  If you searched for "dxdiag," you'd have found the old one.

[LolaLikesC4]

Thanks so much! This was all very helpful  I will go ahead and buy University then. There's minimal lag, definitely more than before but it's not a dealbreaker rn and thanks for the tip about adding more memory!