Video games are awesome, aren't they? Never before has a form of entertainment been as diverse in terms of genre, production quality, platforms and scenarios you probably never would've experienced otherwise. There's so much to experience out there and honestly, we're just getting started on the possibilities in video games.
Sooner rather than later, we're going to be watching full scale movies in video games because it gives you a level of immersion like no other media platform could. You're actually a part of it.
One popular genre of games which keeps things a little more realistic are simulation games. Ever wanted to be a farmer? Bus conductor? Manage a whole city or amusement park? Or how about start a family from nothing, achieving all your wildest dreams and experiencing the real struggles of every day life? Well that last point was a bit drastic, but you get what we mean. If that sounds like something you'd be interested in, then oh boy, do we got the game for you.
It is none other than the critically acclaimed The Sims 4, the life simulation game where anything is possible. So what are the best laptops for Sims 4?
What is The Sims 4
You can do a lot in The Sims 4 these days with a variety of expansion packs and worlds available for you to experience. Start a family or by yourself, customize your character however you'd like, pick out their personality traits and ambitions and start building your household while managing your social life, career, family and everything in between.
It's a pretty fun concept that I've had the pleasure of playing for more than a couple of hours. With the added content from the numerous expansion packs, that's a lot more gameplay for your money. The expansions packs consist of content like new adventures and gameplay mechanics, 'Game Packs' which add new experiences like being a wizard or going on a jungle adventure, as well as 'Stuff Packs' which add in new clothes, furniture, hairstyles and more. There's a lot to dive into with Sims 4.
With that in mind, we're going to be highlighting some of the very best laptops for Sims 4 to get you well equipped to hopefully not burn your house down and kill your whole family. No seriously, it happens. But before that, let's get into the minimum and recommended system requirements to get a better understanding of what the best laptop for Sims 4 will look like.
Minimum System Specs
The above specs are the minimum system requirements you're going to need to look for in some of the best laptops for Sims 4. For the most part, the specs are pretty self explanatory, not needing too much power to run the game. But even though these are the minimum system requirements to run the game, it's probably not going to be a great experience if you've only got these meager specs. Sims 4 in 2021 will most definitely need a bit more power than these specs, but we've got you covered.
Operating System
The first thing we're going to talk about is going to be the right operating system for the best laptop for Sims 4. You're met with two choices mainly either equipped with; one of the three supported versions of Windows or MacOS X 10.11 or newer. Since Apple laptops are certainly pricier with lesser graphical performance (compared to a premium gaming laptop), we're not going to be showcasing any of these laptops. You're much better off using the latest Windows 10 operating system that most gamers favor due to its power potential, customizability and intuitiveness. Most newer laptops will be equipped with Windows 10, so that's really the operating system the best laptops to play Sims 4 should have.
Processor
The next few specs are pretty simple to match up to. You're going to need at least a dual-core processor like the Intel Core 2 Dup or AMD Athlon 64 dual-core 4000+ with a 1.8GHz base frequency. What this means is to play Sims 4, you don't necessarily need a super powered laptop to get the game started. Most of the latest processors we'll come across will not only meet the base frequency of a 1.8 GHz Intel Core processor, but will most probably be a quad-core to boost performance. To support your processor, you're going to need at least 4GB RAM and 15GB of free space on your storage.
Graphics Card
Lastly, the most important spec for any laptop to play video games, the graphics card. If you considered yourself a hardcore gamer, its best to find a gaming laptop with great specs all around. If you were more of a casual gamer who just wants to get into Sims 4 a couple of days a week, this will be less important. For casual gamers, I'd recommend looking for the best 2-in-1 laptops for Sims 4 to get more value out of your laptop, since you don't need a very powerful GPU.
Nonetheless, Sims 4 officially states that the game is going to need at least a NVIDIA GeForce 6660 with 128MB VRAM. These days, even integrated graphics cards will easily match up to this minimum system requirement. If you wanted a laptop for Sims 4 and casual gaming, you could opt for a cheaper, less powerful integrated graphics card like an AMD Radeon Vega, Intel UHD, Intel Iris Xe, etc.
Recommended System Specs
Now that we've gone through the minimum requirements for Sims 4, let's take a look at what EA recommends, as well as our personal recommendations for what to look for out of the best laptops for Sims 4. Your dedicated Sims 4 laptop will need some pretty high-powered performance to run the game reliably. There are a lot of things to load up on Sims 4 and most times it can be a choppy experience if you don't have the right specs. Let's start things off going over what the best processor for Sims 4 in 2021 will look like.
Processor
The processor is the powerhouse of your laptop and is integral to getting anything you do on you laptop, done. It manages everything from open web browsers, documents, running the UI, and even plays a part in game performance. With a lower powered processor, you're going to more frequently run into slowdowns, lag, and system crashes as your laptop can't keep up. Since we are talking about Sims 4 and gaming laptops, it's only natural we'd recommend a gaming laptop for Sims 4.
A gaming laptop for Sims 4 will more than likely come with a powerful, reliable quad-core processor along with the rest of the supporting specs. But for reference, Sims 4 has recommended at least an Intel Core i5 processor or better to handle the game and all it has to offer. We're going to go a step further and recommend finding at least a 8th Generation Intel Core i5 processor. Anything lesser than a 8th Gen Intel Core processor like the 7th Gen Intel Core i7 7700HQ will not last as long as the newer, faster processors available now.
To today's standards, something like the intel Core i7-7700HQ is pretty outdated, so best future proof your laptop with a capable, new Intel Core i5 or Intel Core i7 processor.
RAM/Storage
Two other specs that the best laptops for Sims 4 will need to get the game running at the highest graphic settings smoothly will be its RAM and storage capacities. Similar to the minimum specs, Sims 4 again mentions having at least 4GB RAM to get you playing Sims 4. We're going to recommend finding a little extra RAM if it was in your budget like an 8GB RAM capacity or even 16GB RAM for those looking to get the best performance out of some of the best Sims 4 laptops. A little extra RAM will be very useful not only for Sims 4 and the numerous expansion packs, but also for everyday multi-tasking.
Speaking of expansion packs, since there are so many to get into, you're going to want to make sure your gaming laptop for Sims 4 comes with enough storage. For those reasons, it's best you find at least a 256 GB SSD storage capacity to not only accommodate the extra space from the expansion packs, but also for the rest of the stuff on your laptop. Just because we're finding the best laptop for Sims 4, doesn't mean that's all you're going to use the laptop for. Extra storage space like a 512 GB SSD or 1 TB SSD will also come in handy in the long run. Depending on your budget, it's best to find a laptop for playing Sims 4 with as much storage you can afford.
I've also mentioned finding an SSD storage as these are much faster, more reliable than the older HDD storage of yore. I've been playing Sims 4 for a couple of years now, and I can attest to just how long some of the load screens are. Not to mention if you've got a couple of the expansion packs loaded up, you might face issues in performance and load times as well. Expansion packs will not only take up valuable storage space, but will also make these Sims 4 laptops work that much harder.
Graphics Card
Graphically, Sims 4 really isn't too much to handle for most gaming laptops. But it can be beneficial to invest a little extra in the graphics card department to get the most value for money in the long run. Not to mention it'll be helpful if you decide to venture out and try other game genres, which most probably will need a little extra for its graphical performance. Sims 4 themselves recommend finding at least an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 or better. This is a pretty outdated, low-powered GPU which most of the latest gaming laptops will match up to, or overshoot quite easily.
With that in mind, there are so many different GPUs available and it can be quite intimidating for the inexperienced gamer. For the most part, let's make it simple and say you should find a laptop with a dedicated graphics card to ensure consistent performance in Sims 4. This could equate to plenty of GPUs like the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti, etc.
While this may be slightly confusing, not to worry as we'll ensure that Sims 4 will run reliably with even if it doesn't feature a dedicated graphics card. If your budget was tight however, you could get away with a integrated GPU like the Intel HD, Intel UHD graphics, etc. Actually, no, never get an Intel HD GPU if you wanted to use your laptop for gaming. There are many newer, more powerful integrated GPUs so stay clear of the Intel HD graphics unit. Just a bit of advice.
Since we will be going to some of the best gaming laptops around, you shouldn't have too much to worry about in regards to the overall spec sheet. The best gaming laptops, in most cases, are affordable without sacrificing performance in any spec. That's good news for those looking for some cheap laptops for Sims 4 and are limited in choice.
Now that we've gone through the major specs the best laptop for Sims 4 need to run the game, let's check out some extra features that'll cement your laptop's value.
Features To Look For
Battery Life
If you were the type of gamer to take things on the go, you're going to need a capable battery life that lasts you at least the whole day. Laptop battery life ranges greatly depending on the budget, type of laptop, and in most cases how big the laptop actually is.
To simplify things, we're going to recommend at least 7 hours of average battery life to make sure your laptop can last you as you manage your Sims, going on adventures all day. Since gaming is a pretty intensive task, you're going to want to keep your charger on standby. Otherwise though, anything over 7 hours of battery life should be good enough to be considered one of the best laptops for Sims 4.
Backlit Keyboard
A backlit keyboard in many cases are life savers for those who prefer a dark, dingy room to game in. I know I do. It's just something about the dark room, brightly lit screen that appeals to me that I just can't explain. If you can relate, this means you're going to want to look for a laptop with a backlit keyboard to make things that much easier to manage in dark, poorly lit environments.
Luckily for you, a backlit keyboard is a stable for many gaming laptop brands so it shouldn't be too hard to find. It'll be useful for typing and controlling games in the dark, and also adds greatly to the laptop's aesthetics.
Cooling Capabilities
Last up is a pretty optional feature to look for, but is pretty handy if you do have it. Many gaming laptop brands equip their beastly performers with the proper cooling tech, fans, cooling components, etc. for heat management. This is very important, especially for a gaming laptop since playing games like Sims 4 over an extended period of time can heat up any laptop to almost unbearable levels. To counteract this, it's best to check if your laptop comes with any on-board cooling capabilities before purchasing.
Now that we've gone through almost everything you need to know to run Sims 4, let's get straight into the search for the best laptops for Sims 4!
Best Laptops For Sims 4
1. Acer Nitro 5
Our first laptop we're featuring as your Sims 4 machine is going to be a well balanced, attractively priced option, the Acer Nitro 5. The Acer Nitro 5 is well known in the gaming community thanks to its affordability and uncompromising spec sheet. It's not the best and certainly not comparable to a premium gaming laptop, but it'll be good enough to get Sims 4 looking sleek. The first thing you'll notice on the laptop is going to be the 15.6-inch Full HD with a resolution of 1920 x 1080. Nothing special about the display, but a very capable screen to get some gaming done on thanks to the narrow bezels.
For its performance, the Acer Nitro 5 utilizes a 9th Gen quad-core Intel Core i5-9300H processor. Even though it's an Core i5 processor, it has a max frequency of 4.1GHz which should be more than capable of handling Sims 4 and its antics. To support the processor, the gaming laptop comes with 8GB RAM and a 256 GB storage on an SSD. And being a gaming laptop, of course the laptop comes with a dependable GPU. The laptop comes with a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 GPU with 4GB GDDR5 VRAM which definitely is sufficient to handle the low barrier to entry of Sims 4. It should also be more than capable of running more intensive, newer games so that's a great deal right there.
The Acer Nitro 5 has a few more tricks up its sleeve to complete the great package here. Some of these features include a red backlit keyboard, Windows 10 Home, Acer Cool Boost with dual-fans and twin exhaust ports, 1 available hard drive bay, 1x USB 3.1 Type-C, 2x USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports, HDMI port, Waves MaxxAudio and up to 8 hours of battery life. Overall, this stellar gaming laptop gets you a lot for the money considering the super affordable price tag. It might be a bit "basic", but it'll run Sims 4 like a dream.
2. ASUS TUF Gaming
The next laptop we're featuring is going to be another great, mid-range gaming laptop with a lot to offer for the price. It does take things up a notch in terms of built-in features and better specs compared to the earlier Acer Nitro laptop, but it does come with a higher price. Regardless, the ASUS TUF Gaming laptop comes to impress, starting off with the 15.6-inch Full HD display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080, as well as a speedy 144Hz refresh rate. This high refresh rate means that everything that moves on screen, will look much, much smoother. It's a great add on feature that I think many gamers will be able to take advantage of.
Under the hood the ASUS TUF Gaming features a solid lineup of specs, starting off with the 9th Gen Intel Core i7-9750H. This quad-core processor may seem a little dated, but comes packing up to 4.5GHz max frequency making it more than capable of handling Sims 4. Uninterrupted gaming sessions? Yes please. To support the processor, the laptop comes with 8 gigs of RAM and a sizable 512 GB storage capacity. In terms of its graphical performance, we're met with a familiar setup with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 GPU, which comes with 4GB dedicated GDDR5 VRAM.
The ASUS TUF has a few more features in its arsenal to entice buyers including RGB backlit-keys, dual-fan setup with anti-dust technology, Windows 10 Home, Wi-Fi 5 support, 2x USB 3.1, 1x USB 2.0, HDMI 2.0, DTS Headphone: X, and up to 8 hours of battery life. Overall, the ASUS TUF gaming laptop offers gamers a lot in terms of performance and a great feature set. It is a little pricier, but its well worth the money to ensure great performance in Sims 4 and many more games.
3. HP Laptop 15
Taking a step away from the standard 'gaming' laptop genre, the next laptop we're featuring comes packing with just the right specs at a super affordable price point. The HP Laptop 15 may seem as generic as a 'laptop' can be, but that doesn't change the fact it has some pretty great performance regardless. The first spec we're going to talk about is going to be the 15.6-inch HD BrightView display with an 82% screen-to-body ratio. While the HD display may seem a little lackluster, considering the overall specs and features you get at this price, it's an acceptable exchange. This is the best option for gamers looking for something a little more low-key than standard gaming oriented laptops. Add in the price and this makes for a great budget laptop for Sims 4.
For its performance, the HP Laptop 15 relies on an AMD Ryzen 3 3200U processor, a dual core processor with a 2.6GHz base clock speed, maxing out at 3.5GHz. Compared to some of the other laptops on the list, this is a little under powered, but considering the difference of niches, it's to be warranted. Still a decently powered processor though. Where the HP Laptop 15 makes up for the low-tiered processor is with the supporting specs, featuring an 8GB RAM capacity and 256 GB storage capacity. For its graphical performance, the laptop comes with an integrated AMD Radeon Vega 3 GPU. It's definitely underpowered compared to the other gaming optimized discrete GPUs we've seen so far, but it should be more than capable of running Sims 4 at medium-high graphic settings.
The HP Laptop has a few more features that make it standout including; digital media card reader, Windows 10 Home, numeric keypad, dual mic setup for call clarity, HP Fast charge (0-50% in 45 minutes, and up to 10.75 hours of battery. While the HP Laptop 15 is pretty limited in terms of raw performance, it's still got a lot to offer casual gamers. This laptop is best suited for those looking for a smaller footprint, a simple, minimalist look on a budget. The price really does add in a lot of perspective considering what you do get for the money.
4. Acer Predator Helios 300
Now, getting back to the heavy hitters of the gaming laptop industry with a powerhouse performer with a price to match. Our next laptop is going to be the Acer Predator Helios 300, which by the design we can pretty much assume this was built for the serious gamer. The beastly gaming laptop comes with a striking blue accents on the WASD, arrow key and Predator Sense key and rear logo. The gamer aesthetics along with the towering 17.3-inch Full HD IPS display lets you take full advantage of the beauty of the Sims world and all it has to offer. The display also comes with a 144Hz refresh rate, making everything you do in game much smoother without missing any of the action. Not much action in Sims 4, but you get what I mean.
For its performance, the Acer Predator Helios 300 brings killer specs to fully optimize your Sims 4 experience. The laptop comes with a 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10750H which has 6-cores, a 2.6GHz base clock speed, maxing out at a formidable 5.0GHz. To support the processor, the Predator Helios 300 comes with a staggering 16GB RAM capacity and a sizable 1TB SSD. Nothing much to worry about here thanks to the heavy hitting specs. But that's not all, as the Predator Helios 300 also features a powerful NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 GPU which comes equipped with 6 gigs of GDDR6 VRAM. A truly premium GPU that will get even the latest, intensive games a run for its money.
But that's not all folks, the Predator Helios 300 has a few more tricks up its sleeve. Some of these include Wi-Fi 6 support, RGB-enabled backlit keys, HD audio stereo speakers, a full array of ports, and up to 5.5 hours of battery power. Like I said earlier, this a premium, high-performance gaming laptop, and with that comes a hefty price tag. Depending on your budget and what you're looking for, this could be the best option for you. For gamers who want a reliable gaming laptop with great performance that'll last more than a few years, this is the right laptop for you.
5. Razer Blade 15
The final entry to the list of the best laptop for Sims 4 is going to be another heavy hitting flagship gaming laptop, the Razer Blade 15. Razer has long been known for their premium gaming gear and the latest Razer Blade 15 is no exception. Starting things off, the laptop comes with a 15.6-inch Full HD Thin Bezel display and a 144Hz refresh rate. But where the Razer laptop lineup always shines is with the sleek matte black look contrasted by the Razer Chroma RGB lighting on both the keyboard and the rear panel logo. That added to the relatively sleek form factor makes it a stunningly attractive laptop. I've always thought of Razer as the gaming equivalent of Apple, and it shows here with the quality.
The Razer Blade 15 isn't just all looks and no substance, featuring some of the better internals that we've seen so far. Starring as the main act in the show, the Razer Blade 15 comes with a 10th Generation Intel Core i7 processor similar to the one we saw on the Predator Helios 300 above. The processor comes with a base frequency of 2.6GHz and Max clock speed of 5.0GHz. Now that's a lot of GHz. The laptop also features a 16GB RAM capacity and accompanying 512GB SSD storage capacity. To top things off, the Razer Blade 15 also comes with probably the best GPU we've seen so far, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q. This GPU comes with the NVIDIA Turing architecture and 8 gigs of GDDR6 VRAM. What this means is that Sims 4 is gonna look mighty fine with a powerful GPU backing things up.
The laptop also features a few more great extras to complete the package including a CNC Aluminum build, measuring in at just 0.78" thin & 4.63lbs weight, Wi-Fi 6 support, Thunderbolt 3, USB Type-A, USB Type-C and HDMI ports, Razer Chrome backlit keys, and up to 9 hours of battery performance. The Razer Blade 15 is a overall fantastic gaming laptop well suited for even casual gamers thanks to the minimalist, striking aesthetics. It does come in at a higher price point than some of the laptops on the list, but that makes it a worthy investment for users looking to take their gaming to the next level.
Conclusion
Phew, and that's all folks. That's five of the very best laptops for Sims 4 to get you well equipped in managing your Sims and the world they live in. To be honest, the game's concept is a bit morbid when you take into account you're pretty much God, controlling each any everything your Sims do. But that's off topic. All the laptops we've showcased today are all capable in their own rights and are well suited for Sims 4. It's a matter of what your budget is and what else you're looking to do with the laptop to make a decision.
But we're going to need to pick just one as the very best laptop for Sims 4. Without further ado, our winner today is going to be the ASUS TUF Gaming!
We chose the TUF gaming beast mainly as it's the best combination of both worlds, great performing specs and a reasonable price tag. The daunting gamer aesthetic, military tested build-quality, reliable performance and affordability all makes this a formidable companion to get you started in Sims 4. It's not the very best, but it's not the worst. Something which I'm sure many of us can relate.
