Ever since its release in 2014, The Sims 4 has remained at the forefront of life simulation games in the industry. A fitting entry into a legendary franchise created by EA, The Sims 4 introduces huge graphical overhauls and greater customization. It provides a wonderful escape from the dull monotony and relentless toils of daily life by allowing players to create and control an avatar to live out their fantasies.
Ever wanted to be a famous actor? Or a politician rousing the masses? Or even a world-class chef like Gordon Ramsay? Well, now you can. Beyond meeting objectives and the lifelike aspirations of the playable Sims, the game has moments of sheer beauty, humor, shock, and creative freedom. It’s a great way of escaping the reality and make your dreams come true in virtual world for as long as you want.
But to fully enjoy the game, you need a desktop computer or a capable laptop. For many of us who work nine to five and commute during work, buying a desktop computer is not the best option. So, we turn to laptops. A good laptop can allow you to play on the fly without having to worry about battery or heat from the system burning up your lap. It should also run the game at great graphical settings without a significant hit to your frame rate.
The focus of this article is to pick out the best laptops that provide excellent performance and great visual fidelity without being a bulky furnace. They should also be quite adept at all the other important functions that any good laptop should perform such as streaming, browsing, content creation, and text processing. Let’s discuss about what we should look for in a laptop while choosing it to play the Sims 4.
How to Select the Best Laptop for the Sims 4
When selecting laptops, it is important to make an informed decision as it is a great investment. As is the case with most gaming laptops, there are certain trade-offs that you need to make. For a more powerful system, you almost always have to opt for a bulky machine that typically runs hot under full load.
If you want great performance with good thermal solutions, then you might have to shell out a lot of money for premium construction. There is also a price premium for portability. A sleek and ultra-portable laptop with comparable performance to a relatively bulky gaming laptop will almost always cost hundreds of dollars more.
Therefore, it is important to weigh up your needs before making a decision. Whether you favor performance over portability, whether you’re on a tight budget, whether a good thermal solution matters to you – these are all questions you need to ask yourself when making this decision.
The Components You Need to Consider
However, there are some components and aspects of any laptop that you should put special emphasis on. Let’s see what they are.
Processor
The Sims 4 features vast, densely populated virtual worlds rendered with great attention to detail. This puts a lot of strain on the processor as it has to process a lot of instructions and complex calculations. While Intel is a trusted brand in the laptop scene, AMD has been steadily releasing their Ryzen processors which boast almost double the performance of their Intel counterparts for the same price. We would suggest an Intel Core i5 or an AMD Ryzen 5 4600H or above.
RAM
Random Access Memory (RAM) is where game assets such as textures and geometry are stored temporarily for the processor to use. Having a large enough memory allows these streams of data to be stored effectively without causing any issues to other computer functions that also require RAM. We think 8 GB of DDR4 Ram should be the minimum but if you can bump it up to 16 GB, then you’re set.
Graphics
Of course, the backbone of any good gaming system is the graphics processing unit (GPU). Responsible for processing and rendering the actual graphical output, your performance in video games depends on this component the most. We recommend a graphics card with a video memory of at least 2GB in order to properly render and load textures and other assets. If you’re looking for light gaming with low to medium settings, then Nvidia’s MX series is a good option. However, more graphically demanding titles will require at least a GeForce GTX 1650.
Storage
There is often a trade-off between capacity and performance when choosing your storage options. If you favor performance and hate loading screens, then you are better off with a 256 or 512 GB SSD that promises fast booting into the system and reduced load times. However, if you favor capacity, then opting for a 1TB hard drive with a 7200 RPM is the better option.
Battery
No one likes a laptop that dies on them unexpectedly or cannot handle even 3 hours of light gameplay. While high battery capacity is a must for power users, you should also look into the durability rating as battery degradation over time can drastically impact your laptop’s long term usability.
Portability
If portability is very important to you, then spending that extra dollar on a sleek and thin design might be a good option. Note that this will generally result in higher temperatures when under load.
Price
It’s best if you hit for a sweet spot that does not put a huge hole in your pocket. We suggest spending anywhere from around $600 to $1200.
Top 10 Laptops for the Sims 4
10. Microsoft Surface Pro 6
Key Specifications:
• Intel Core i5 8th Gen
• 8 GB DDR4 RAM
• 256 GB SSD
• 12.3-inch PixelSense Display
• Up to 13.5 hours of video playback
• Intel UHD 620 Integrated Graphics
Why We Like It:
This laptop from Microsoft’s Surface line features premium construction and seamless integration with Windows software. If you’re looking for a portable laptop that you can perform your tasks in and get some good gaming on the side, then this is the best option for you. The processor is powerful enough for a game like The Sims 4 even though the integrated GPU leaves a lot to be desired. You can still have an acceptable performance on low to medium settings.
Pros
- Lightweight and portable.
- The display has accurate color reproduction.
- Good battery life.
- Fast processor.
Cons
- No discrete GPU.
9. Asus Vivobook 15
Key Specifications:
• AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
• 8GB DDR4 RAM
• 1 TB PCIE SSD
• 15.6 inch FHD display (1980 X 1020)
• AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 Graphics
Why We Like It:
The Asus Vivobook 15 is a solid, all-round laptop that offers a good balance of specs. The larger screen offers more space to enjoy the vast worlds of The Sims 4 and the integrated graphics solution is more than capable of handling the game at medium settings. However, it can be bulky for those who prefer ultraslim laptops. You can also expect super-fast loading times, thanks to the SSD, without having to sacrifice storage capacity.
Pros
- The integrated graphics solution is more powerful than Intel offerings.
- Fast and plentiful storage.
- Elegant black and grey color scheme.
Cons
- The processor could be more powerful.
- Runs hot under load.
8. Acer Aspire 5
Key Specifications:
• Intel Core i5 1035G1
• 15.6-inch FHD IPS Display
• NVIDIA GeForce MX350 Graphics.
• 8GB DDR4 RAM
• 512GB NVMe SSD
Why We Like It:
For a very competitive price, you are getting astonishingly good hardware with a good enough dedicated graphics card that can push out a respectable frame rate in Medium to High settings. This laptop also comes with the latest processor from Intel’s 10th generation which promises greater power efficiency and productivity performance. The only downside would be the storage as it tops out at 512 GB, even if it is blazing fast SSD
Pros
- Very fast processor.
- Bright and vibrant display.
- Capable dedicated graphics.
Cons
- The thermal solution could be better.
- Prone to Internet and Bluetooth connectivity issues.
7. Acer Swift 3
Key Specifications:
• AMD Ryzen 7 4700U Octa-core processor.
• 14 inch Full HD IPS display.
• 8GB LPDDR4 RAM.
• 512 GB NVMe SSD.
• Radeon RX Vega graphics.
• Fingerprint Reader.
Why We Like It:
You get a top of the line Ryzen processor with this laptop and it’s the best that you can get at this price range. Productivity is a breeze and the detailed textures in the Sims 4 truly get a chance to shine with this beast. On top of that, you have a very respectable integrated graphics solution that punches above its weight class to offer great performance at medium to high settings. If you’re looking for a great performer in an ultraslim chassis, then definitely pick this one up.
Pros
- A Class-leading processor at this price.
- Thin and ultraportable.
- Battery life is great.
Cons
- Gets hot quite easily.
6. Acer Predator Helios 300
Key Specifications:
• Intel Core i7 10750H
• NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
• 15.6 inch144 Hz FHD IPS display with 3ms response time.
• 16 GB Dual Channel DDR4 RAM
• 512 GB NVMe SSD.
• RGB keyboard.
Why We Like It:
The first pure gaming laptop in this list comes with a hefty price tag but the performance to justify it. It comes equipped with a 10th generation i7 processor and a very powerful RTX 2060 Graphics Card. This laptop can push out more than 60 fps in the most demanding titles using a combination of high and ultra settings. If you are serious about your gaming, then this is a great spec to have. The display is sharp and fluid, offering fast response times that is crucial for gamers. You can comfortably max out The Sims 4 with more than a 100 fps on this machine.
Pros
- Top-notch gaming performance for the price.
- Smooth and fast display.
- More than enough RAM for future-proofing.
Cons
- Might be bulky for some.
- Runs quite hot.
6. Asus TUF Gaming A15
Key Specifications:
• AMD Ryzen 5 4600H
• 15.6 inch 144hz FHD IPS display
• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650
• 8GB DDR4 RAM
• 512 GB NVMe SSD
Why We Like It:
This laptop comes under 1000 dollars and features a very compelling hardware suite for that price. The processor is extremely powerful and regularly trades blows with higher-priced i7 processors while the graphics card is plenty capable. You can enjoy a smooth experience with great detail in The Sims 4. You might have to lower settings for more demanding games though.
Pros
- Great performance for the price.
- SSD is lightning fast.
- Visually appealing design.
Cons
- The display has bad color reproduction.
- Runs very hot and loud.
4. Lenovo Legion 5
Key Specifications:
• AMD Ryzen 7 4800H
• NVIDIA GTX 1650.
• 8GB DDR4 RAM.
• 512GB SSD
• 15.6-inch 120Hz FHD IPS Display
Why We Like It:
This is an extremely well built and durable laptop that will last you three to five years. It is built with the power user in mind. Inside this build, you have the best processor on the market right now so you can expect to crush numbers in your productivity tasks. Such a processor is more than capable of handling the Sims 4 with all the details cranked up to ultra. The graphics card, while not the best in this range, is sufficient enough for smooth gameplay
Pros
- Superior cooling performance compared to Asus TUF Gaming A15.
- Top of the line processor.
- Great feeling keyboard.
Cons
- Slightly pricey for the hardware.
3. Dell G5 15 SE
Key Specifications:
• AMD Ryzen 5 4600H
• AMD Radeon RX 5600
• 256 GB SSD
• 8 GB DDR4 RAM
• 15.6-inch FHD IPS Display.
Why We Like It:
This is the first purely AMD system as you get a discrete AMD RDNA graphics card in this laptop. It is the best performing GPU that you can get under 1000 dollars with performance on par with a GTX 1660 Ti. Expect buttery-smooth gameplay with all the details maxed out and even more performance in intensive areas thanks to AMD Smartshift which redirects more power to the GPU when needed. The processor used, while midrange, trades blows with a 10th generation core i7.
Pros
- Best in class GPU for the price.
- AMD Smart Shift technology can boost performance when needed.
- Brilliant display.
Cons
- The design is a bit backdated.
- The cooling solution can be better.
2. acer Nitro 5
Key Specifications:
• Intel Core i7 9750H
• NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
• 15.6-inch FHD 144hz IPS display
• 16GB Dual Channel DDR4 RAM
• 256 GB NVMe SSD
Why We Like It:
This laptop is a great all-around package deal as it comes in a medium-sized chassis, features great cooling, is powered by a high end RTX 2060 graphics card, and comes with a fast and responsive display. All of this at an affordable price just under 1000 dollars. This is the best “bang for buck” gaming laptop for The Sims 4.
Pros
- Best performance for the price.
- Tactile keyboard.
- Great cooling solution.
Cons
- Not the latest Intel processor.
- The storage capacity is small.
1. Asus ROG Zephyrus G15
Key Specifications:
• AMD Ryzen 7 4800HS
• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti
• 16 GB DDR4 RAM
• 1TB NVMe SSD
• 15.6 inch FHD 144hz IPS Display
Why We Like It:
It is difficult to find an ultra slim laptop that performs just as good as a bulky gaming laptop without burning itself to the ground. Asus’s offering features a well-designed chassis with premium materials while being portable and fit for commuting. Under the hood, there is serious processing horsepower with the ultra-high-end AMD processor for ultra slim laptops. The GPU used is also plenty powerful for most modern AAA games. All of this results in a buttery smooth experience on The Sims 4 while you’re out and about doing your daily work. To put the cherry on top, you also get a super-fast 1 TB SSD which is unheard of in such a form factor.
Pros
- Best performance in an ultra slim chassis.
- Blazing fast SSD storage.
- Sleek and minimalist design with premium construction.
Cons
- Not the best GPU at this price range.
- Can have overheating issues.
Bottom Line
The best option for you depends on your specific needs and use cases. While The Sims 4 is not a graphically demanding game, it pays to have good hardware that can run the game at its mesmerizing best. We hope this list makes your next choice easier.