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As one of the most popular and unifying gaming franchises of all time, here’s what we think about the best laptop for Sims 4. We’re going to be offering options that are portable enough for you to hear Simlish on-the-go, while powerful enough to cut through any performance issues you might face with lower-budget laptops. The game has been a certified smash hit since its release, and you can read about why in our Sims 4 review.
Generally speaking, these laptops fall in the budget to mid-range category, so you can expect to spend around $800. If that’s outside your budget, then you may want to find a cheaper option amongst our picks of the best budget gaming laptop.
Best laptop for Sims 4
Sims 4 is a game especially well suited to laptop gaming. Because it doesn’t require the precise accuracy and precision of other games, you can play it anywhere from the comfort of your own bed to the discomfort of a long-haul flight.
One thing you’ll need for that, however, is a laptop suited to playing the game. Unfortunately, this doesn’t include Chromebooks, though most other laptops should be able to run Sims 4. Sims 4 system requirements are pretty low, meaning you should find our selection of laptops nice and affordable. However, the more powerful your computer the more smoothly it will run, and the more likely it will be able to handle future releases. That’s why we’ve found the best gaming laptops to help you narrow down your choices.
1. Acer Nitro 5: Best laptop for Sims 4
Acer Nitro 5
Display Size
17.3″
Resolution
1920 x 1080
RAM
8 GB DDR4
GPU
RTX 3050
CPU
12th Gen Intel i5
- Great for more graphically demanding games too
- Reasonable price
- High refresh rate
- Quite bland design
- The screen could be better
The Acer Nitro 5 is our pick for the best laptop for Sims 4, this is because of its great versatility. First of all, it is a gaming laptop, one that brings with it an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 and 12th Gen Intel i5 process. This makes it more than capable of handling Sims 4 on the highest settings with no issues at all. Take a look at WePC’s Acer Nitro 5 review to get a more detailed breakdown of the laptop’s performance.
Whilst this is overkill for those who know Sims will be the most taxing thing they’ll be asking of their laptop, for many of us, it makes more sense to buy a laptop that is capable of playing more demanding games. The Acer Nitro is our pick for that reason.
It would be nice to see a longer battery life but this will always be a weakness in gaming laptops as their high-spec GPUs devour power.
Its build quality is high and the display is crisp as we’ve come to expect from a reputable brand like Acer. The built-in speakers are high quality as well. This coupled with its screen size of 17.3 inches, the largest on this list, makes it perfect to watch a movie on.
2. Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3i Gen 7: Best gaming laptop for Sims 4
Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3i Gen 7
Display Size
15.6″
Resolution
1920 x 1080
RAM
8GB
GPU
RTX 3050
CPU
Core i5
- Excellent battery life
- Doesn’t ‘look’ like a gaming laptop
- Comfortable keyboard
- 8GB of RAM may not be enough for most people
The IdeaPad Gaming 3i is another great all-round laptop and an especially good gaming laptop. Our resident laptop expert Aaron recommended this laptop because you can get a respectable FPS without breaking the bank, thanks to the RTX 3050 GPU. While not boasting the highest specs imaginable it doesn’t come too far off, all while costing a fraction of the price of the top-end of gaming laptops. To be paying under $1k for an RTX 3050 Ti, 12th-gen Intel i7 processor and 120Hz refresh rate is a nice treat.
The specs ensure it will handle Sims 4 with no problem at all, and the high storage space means you can install every expansion pack under the sun, and still have plenty of space for your other computing needs. For a gaming laptop, the IdeaPad Gaming 3i also performs really well for battery life, lasting up to 4 hours playing 4K video.
If 4K has pricked your ears, consider our selection of the best 4K gaming laptops if you want to take Sims 4 to the next level. Furthermore, its understated, tasteful look makes it a great choice for those who also need to bring their laptop to class or work.
Though firmly a budget pick, the Lenovo IdeaPad series has been very popular since launch. If you can spend a little more though, our laptop expert recommends looking at the Lenovo Legion Pro series for a more premium pick. You can also delve into our guide explaining the best Lenovo gaming laptops.
3. ThinkBook 15 Gen 4: Best cheap laptop that can run Sims 4
ThinkBook 15 Gen 4
Screen Size
15.6-inch
GPU
Integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics
Processor
12th Gen Intel i5
Storage
512GB
- 4K display
- Loads of ports
- Sleek design
- Optimal multi-tasking
- Customised SD card reader slot
- Expensive
- Battery life
The ThinkBook 15 Gen 4 is a deluxe device. What’s especially impressive is the amount of return you get on its very reasonable price – we’ve also been seeing it reguarly discounted, sometimes over 50% on Amazon. It’s a very capable and fast device with a 12th Gen Intel i5 processor and generous 512 GB of storage – ideal for mutlitasking.
The display is crisp and flicker free, measuring over 15 inches which is a great size for watching films and video editing. Since it’s is not a gaming laptop the GPU will struggle with more graphically demanding games, but should handle Sims 4 without a hitch – generally anything with a higher RAM like 16GB is a good start if you want to play games like Sims 4.
Another good selling point is an extensive list of ports which include HDMI, a 4-in-1 card reader, ethernet, and USB type C. The build is really solid, meaning you can take it on the go with confidence. One small downside is that the off-center track pad can be aesthetically unsatisfying for some. To be honest, it might be worth getting a separate mouse – lots of people have pointed out on Reddit how it’s much easier to play Sims 4 with a mouse anyway, especially in Build mode.
4. Lenovo IdeaPad 3: Best laptop for Sims 4 under $500
Lenovo IdeaPad 3
Display Size
15.6″
Resolution
1366 x 768
RAM
8GB
GPU
Intel UHD Graphics
CPU
Intel Core i3-1115G4
- Affordable
- Great keyboard
- Good build quality
- Okay battery life
We’re keen to emphasise that this laptop is very good value. While there are of course compromises that have been made to get the price this low, it’s still an incredible amount of performance per dollar. Finding a cheap laptop that can run Sims 4 for under $500 is a fantastic option, and you’d really struggle to find anything that’s going to work as well as this for the price.
256GB of storage will be fine for Sims 4 and other basic computer needs, though you will eat it up if you work extensively with high-quality video or pictures. The battery life is one of the longest on this list, despite the far smaller price tag, meaning you can play on the go for longer.
As we’ve mentioned Sims 4 is a low-intensity game in terms of demands in CPU and graphics, meaning that the IdeaPad 3 will handle it fine, though it won’t be on the highest settings possible. Furthermore, if you’re hoping to play triple-A games on your laptop, you will need to spend a bit more money.
5. MacBook Air M2: Best MacBook for Sims 4
MacBook Air M2
Screen Size
13.6-inch
GPU
Apple M2 10-core
Processor
Apple M2
Storage
512GB
- Impressive battery life
- Amazing screen
- Super powerful
- Very expensive
- Notch may not be to everyone’s liking
Apple is known for its exceptional quality laptops, and as long as you have Mac OS X 10.11 or later, you should be able to run Sims 4 no problem. While this MacBook Air doesn’t feature on our best laptops under $1000, it still offers great value for money.
It has a sleek and appealing appearance. This exterior prowess is reflected in the hardware on the inside, with the brand-new Apple M2 processing chip giving excellent results in terms of speed and overall performance. If you’re looking for a cheaper Apple product, go for a laptop with an M1 chip or older.
It will handle Sims 4 on the highest settings, making the graphics pop, though isn’t designed for more intense gaming. However, it excels as a device for work or studying, as MacBooks always have. This is thanks to its, crisp display, well-built and satisfying-to-use keyboard and high-quality speakers and features. A MacBook Pro should run Sims 4 pretty well. As trackpads go, Apple makes a pretty good one – so you won’t need to worry about getting a separate mouse unless that’s your personal preference.
6. ASUS ROG Strix G16: Best QHD gaming laptop for Sims 4
ASUS ROG Strix G16 (RTX 4070)
CPU
Intel Core i9-13980HX
GPU
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070
RAM
32GB DDR5
SSD
1TB NVMe
Display
16-inch 16:10 QHD 240Hz
- High refresh rate
- QHD panel looks fantastic
- Incredibly high range specs
- Weighty
- Expensive
- Overkill for Sims 4
The ASUS ROG Strix G16 in question is powered by an RTX 4070 and an Intel Core i9-13980HX. Performance is going to run smooth and there’s little chance you’ll be left wanting more out of your frame rates and textures.
With DDR5 memory and a 1TB NVMe SSD, loading times will fold beneath your processing capabilities and efficiency. With such a monster of a processor too, you can expect the game to have virtually no latency or lag.
Can my laptop run Sims 4?
Sims 4 has a very modest set of system requirements. With simple graphics and gameplay, it really is impressive how engaging a game they have made, showing how getting the basics right is often the most important thing.
Sims 4 Minimum System Requirements on PC
- Processor: Intel Core i3-3220 or AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 6600, ATI Radeon X1300, Intel GMA X4500, or better
- Memory: 4 GB RAM
- SSD: 25GB available space
- OS: Windows 10 64-bit
All the laptops on our list exceed these minimum requirements, meaning you can be confident the game will run smoothly.
Can the MacBook Pro run Sims 4?
Running Sims 4 on a MacBook Pro should actually be pretty good, as long as you’ve got Mac OS X 10.11 or later and 18GB of hard drive space. I’ve been playing Sims 4 on my 2021 Macbook Pro which was an M1 chip. The graphics look great and and the game runs smooth like butter. After getting my Sim to have twins and other stuff like, I noticed my laptop getting a little warm, but nothing to be alarmed about. The laptop wasn’t wheezing, and I could play for a good four hours without any issues.
Best Laptop for Sims 4 FAQs
Is Sims 4 free on laptop?
Yes – Sims 4 was made free to install and play on all compatible devices in October 2022.
Can I play Sims 4 on Chromebook?
No – unfortunately despite their great amount of computing power for a very budget friendly cost, the Chrome operating system that a Chromebook runs is incompatible with Sims.
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