15 Best laptops for playing Sims 4 in 2023: From budget to high-end

There's nothing quite like losing a few hours of your life trying to make the perfect Sim family or building the perfect house in The Sims 4. However, the game can be quite demanding, especially with all the expansion and stuff packs that are available, making it challenging to run on weaker machines. Fear not, as I've put together this guide to help you find the best laptops for playing Sims 4!

From creating your own characters to designing intricate buildings, Sims 4 provides an immersive experience that needs a reliable machine to run smoothly. A laptop for playing Sims 4 should be powerful enough to handle high-quality graphics and provide a fast and lag-free gaming experience.

In this guide, I'll break down what you need to consider when buying a laptop for playing Sims 4, what specs to look for, and what features matter the most. Whether you're a casual player looking for a budget-friendly option or a serious simmer who wants to invest in a high-end machine, I've got you covered. So, let's dive in and find the best laptops for playing Sims 4 in 2021!

Processor

If you play a game like the Sims 4, which is very light on CPU resources, you'll need an entry-level processor. But if you play a game like Battlefield V, which is more demanding, you'll need a high-end processor.

Requirements

Sims 4 can take advantage of an average processor with no issues. I wouldn't go any lower than Intel Core i3-1005G1, and I'd recommend Intel Core i5-1135G7 for the best mid-range performance.

If you're a high-end player who wants to experience the game in all its glory (let's say Ultra Graphics), I'd suggest Ryzen 7 4700U.

Recommendations

Alright, what are my recommendations? There are a few options, but here are my top three:

• Intel Core i3-1005G1 – the bare minimum and for those on a budget
• Intel Core i5-1135G7 – an ideal option for gamers who want good performance at a low price
• Ryzen 7 4700U – for players who want the best performance and have deep pockets

Deciding on a graphics card

It is not surprising that Sims 4 is a game with low graphical demands. With that in mind, there are three sets of recommendations – minimum, recommend, and best. While there is no point in buying a high-end GPU just for playing Sims 4, it might make sense to purchase an excellent GPU for future-proofing for Sims 5.

Minimum graphics (under $1000)

For those on a budget, the best graphics card to get the job done is integrated graphics. These are already baked into a processor and will suffice for most games, including Sims 4. You can expect up to 60 FPS on high settings with the Full HD resolution. This recommendation applies to those with budgets of under $1000.

Recommended graphics ($1000 – $1600)

At this tier, I recommend getting an entry-level graphics card. Such a card's performance can't compare to high-end GPUs, but it is an acceptable trade-off considering the price and the sheer benefits in terms of future-proofing. GTX 1660 Ti will allow you to achieve 120 FPS on the highest settings. You'll be able to enjoy a high framerate and an excellent experience at this level.

Best graphics ($1600 and up)

This recommendation applies to those with budgets of over $1600. For Sims 4, you can invest in a higher-end GPU like RTX 3060. This card delivers excellent performance at 160 FPS on the highest settings, making it one of the best options for this game.

Does Sims 4 need a lot of RAM?

Once you are happy with the processor and graphics card, you need to make sure that no other component limits it.

The good news is – laptop RAM is very easy to get right since we don't need to care much about memory frequency or latency. In the laptop world, all of these secondary metrics sit in a very narrow range. Apart from enthusiast-grade gaming notebooks, every single one has a very similar memory setup, usually strongly tied to the processor and laptop's price bracket. The only spec that is worth your time to get it right is the total memory size. So let's talk about that.

Minimum (8 GB)

First of all, I should mention that you could get away buying an 8GB RAM laptop. Though that's acceptable in a single situation – you're on an uncomfortably tight budget, and you could upgrade the 8GB laptop with an extra RAM stick.

Recommended (16 GB)

If you aren't in this situation – stick with 16 GB. That's the sweet spot for gaming, work, and everything in-between. I might consider 32 GB to be more future-oriented than 16 GB, but if you don't particularly care whether you're ahead of the pack or not – 16 GB is still a considerable amount of memory for most.

Best (32 GB)

Let me ask you a couple of questions. Do you care about streaming your gameplay, keeping multiple games open, or using Chrome 100 tabs open? If that sounds like you – consider paying a premium for a 32GB model. Is there a benefit going beyond that? Sure, the more, the merrier, but it's not necessary by any standard, and I'd instead invest in other components, such as CPU or GPU.

Nailing down an SSD

Hi, I'm your sim expert – and yes, I have a diploma to back it up. I'm here to give you a quick crash course on picking the best laptop storage for playing Sims 4.

What kind of storage should I get?

You've got two options: SSD or HDD. And frankly, if you're not a laptop expert – there's no reason to be reading this. But if you are – go for an SSD, please. They're way faster, they're lighter, they don't need defragmentation, and they don't make as much noise.

Which size?

When picking the size of your SSD, there are two things to consider: whether you want the fastest or the most spacious storage. That's a personal preference – go with what you feel you need. You might be surprised how quickly you'll fill up even a 1 TB SSD, but at least with a larger drive, you'll be able to download your game patches in the background while gaming.

And when picking out recommendations – please remember that we've prioritized laptops with NVMe SSDs and expansion slots. That way, if you ever need more space, you can get it without breaking the bank.

Display

For the best laptop display for playing Sims 4, it's time to talk about the qualities of an IPS panel.

IPS panels offer wide viewing angles, deep blacks, and excellent color accuracy. But what about FHD? That's enough to satisfy most players. The problem is – not all IPS panels are created equal. [For a competitive player, TN panels can be unacceptable](Reddit thread on TN vs IPS). It's always best to research your options and make a wise decision.

Resolution

FHD is the bare minimum. Full HD is just fine for playing Sims 4. If you're not a hardcore competitive player – it's just not worth the price of admission. If you are on a tight budget – there are plenty of laptops that come with Full HD displays. You'll have to decide whether or not it's worth it to pay more for better visuals or better framerates.

Refresh rate

IPS panels don't require a high refresh rate, but TN panels do. IPS panels can often have slower response times, so TN panels are often the better choice for competitive players who require high framerates and fast response times.

Panel and image quality

For Sims 4, image quality isn't the most important metric. All you need is an IPS panel and you're good to go.

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Table of Best Laptops for {topic}

Laptop	Price (approx)

5 Best Laptops for Sims 4

Table of the Best Laptops for Sims 4

Laptop	Price (approx)
HP Omen 16
MSI WE76 11UK
Lenovo Legion 5 Pro
GIGABYTE AORUS 15 XE4
ASUS ROG Strix Scar