laptop recommendations [ Edited ]

[jennifer88665]

Hi,

I am playing sims 4 ( standard version , mac and pc version ) on origin now.

My current laptop is macbook air 2017 and I want to change a new laptop ( a better laptop).

Any recommendation? What laptop can run sims 4 really well ? 

Brand: I prefer Samsung but you can also recommend other brand

Location: United Kingdom

Budget : under or around 500 pounds 

Thanks 

[Bluebellflora]

@jennifer88665

This is the Mac forum. Moving your post to the PC forum. Apple don't make Samsung computers.

[puzzlezaddict]

@jennifer88665  This is the only Samsung laptop I'd recommend for Sims 4, at least for under £500.  It should be able to run the entire game, all packs included, on at medium-high or high graphics settings, and it has as good a processor and graphics chip as you'll find for £500 or less.

https://www.currys.co.uk/products/samsung-galaxy-book-15.6-laptop-intel-core-i5-256-gb-ssd-mystic-si...

There are quite a lot of laptops in this price range and this performance category, in fact too many to list.  But as examples, these are cheaper and have the same hardware, meaning they should run the game about as well as the Samsung:

https://www.currys.co.uk/products/lenovo-ideapad-3i-14-laptop-intel-core-i5-256-gb-ssd-blue-10228900...

https://www.currys.co.uk/products/hp-14sdq2512na-14-laptop-intel-core-i5-256-gb-ssd-silver-10222231....

https://www.currys.co.uk/products/acer-aspire-5-a51454-14-laptop-intel-core-i5-512-gb-ssd-silver-102...

The last one has twice the storage, if you think you'll need it.

I don't see any other Samsung laptops worth mentioning, which isn't surprising: their models tend to be somewhat more expensive than others with equivalent hardware, and the one from Currys is currently on sale.  But I'd be happy to look for other options if you have other criteria to narrow things down, for example screen size or weight.  For the non-Samsung laptops, I just checked one store because I wasn't sure you'd be interested in other laptops at all, and if so, what your preferences would be.

[jennifer88665]

@puzzlezaddict 

Thank you for your reply.

I also play sims 3. Can these laptop open sims 3 (64 bit version ) too ? 

Thanks 

[puzzlezaddict]

@jennifer88665  The 64-bit version of Sims 3 is Mac-only.  Windows can still run 32-bit apps, including Sims 3, so EA hasn't updated the Windows version yet.

The laptops I linked are right on the border of what hardware can run all Sims 3 packs together on high graphics settings.  I got a detailed report a year ago from someone with the same processor and graphics chip and who's played Sims 3 for years, and she said she noticed absolutely no performance issues on ultra settings with nine of 11 expansions installed, then need to turn down a couple of settings with the last two EPs.  So I can't promise that performance will be perfect, but it should be at least good enough.

The other consideration is that the next step up would be a gaming laptop, and that would push the price to around £650.  So if you'd prefer to stay around £500, I think this class of laptop is a good bet.  If you do need to make compromises to run all the packs together, those adjustments will likely be small and not particularly detrimental to gameplay, for example turning down tree detail or disabling wild horses when you don't actually intend to have your sims befriend one.

I do think if you're installing both Sims games, you'd be better off with 512 GB storage rather than the 256 in the Samsung.  But you can certainly fit both games and plenty of user content on a 256 GB drive; you'll just need to keep an eye on the computer's free space and adjust when necessary, like deleting old saves or offloading data to an external drive.

[jennifer88665]

@puzzlezaddict 

My current laptop is macbook air 2017 so i am using (64 bit version) sims 3 now.

If i buy the new window laptop ( which is not mac), it can only run 32 bit sims 3.

Can i download 32 bit sims 3 in origin ( as i choose the 64 bit sims 3 when i purchased sims 3)?

Do i need to contact the customer service for changing sims 3 from 64 bit version to 32 bit version)? 

Thanks 

[jennifer88665]

@puzzlezaddict 

Last question:

For the laptop that you have recommended for sims 4 , are they for the normal edition sims 4 or legacy edition sims 4?

Thanks 

[puzzlezaddict]

@jennifer88665  You should have both the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Sims 3 in your game library.  Purchasing the game grants the option to play either or both versions.  If you only see 64-bit in your game library, you'll need to contact EA support to request that the "entitlement," as it's called, for the 32-bit version be added to your account.  But that's free and won't affect the 64-bit version.

Your saves should work in either version, provided that you've installed all the same packs and that the save itself isn't using too much memory already.  But that's unlikely, and at the very least, you could save your sims and place them in a new save.

The laptops I've listed will all run the 64-bit (standard) version of Sims 4.

[jennifer88665]

@puzzlezaddict 

Thank you very much for your detailed reply.

Samsung laptop that you have recommended is out of stock. Do you have other recommendation for Samsung laptop( that can open sims 3 and sims 4 standard edition)? 

Someone told me intel core i7 is better than intel core i5 .Can you please recommend some intel core i7 laptop ? (no need to be samsung, Please recommend other brands)

[puzzlezaddict]

@jennifer88665  I checked half a dozen sites and found exactly one suitable Samsung laptop for £500 or less, which is the one I linked.  That's not surprising either.  Most Samsung laptops in this price range can only run Sims 4 on low settings or can't run it at all; the next-cheapest good option was over £700.

It's true that i7 processors are more powerful than i5s.  However, older i7s are not as good for gaming as the i5 in the laptops I linked.  Intel made some significant improvements in this (11th) generation, and the equivalent CPUs from the newer (12th) generation are not widely available yet.

Anyway, if that matters to you, I found exactly one 11th-gen i7 for £500:

https://www.currys.co.uk/products/lenovo-ideapad-3i-14-laptop-intel-core-i7-512-gb-ssd-blue-10228904...