Before letting you know the Sims 4 System Requirements it is important to know what this game is all about.
What is the Sims 4 game?
The Sims 4 is a game that you can play on PC, Mac XBOX One, Playstation 4, Microsoft Windows, Macintosh Operating Systems, Classic Mac OS etc. It was initially launched in the year 2014 and has gone through regular updates since then. Developed by Redwood Shores Studios, it is a life simulation video game in which you can create your own little humans. Not just this, you can also build their homes and help them get jobs and live their lives. At the same time, it is also possible for you to torment them and make their life difficult.
As you play the game and create such humans, you actually create entire neighborhoods for such people.
Even though the game remains quite popular it seems to have got a lot of criticism too.
The Sims 4 System Requirements for Windows PC or Laptop:
As far as system requirements are concerned, here are some specifications that you need to have on your device to play this game:
Sims 4 Minimum System Requirements
- OPERATING SYSTEM: Windows 7 Service Pack 1, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, or Windows 10 (64-bit required)
- CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD Athlon 64 Dual-Core 4000
- RAM: 4 GB Memory
- HARD DRIVE: 15 GB of free storage required to install the game and 1 GB for additional content like custom content and saved games. (Extra space will be needed for latest version and expansion pack at least 1 GB for each pack other requirements will remain same)
- DISK DRIVE: You only need this if you have a hard copy of the game.
- VIDEO CARD: NVIDIA GeForce 6600, ATI Radeon X1300, or Intel GMA X4500 (128 MB of VRAM and support for Pixel Shader 3.0)
- DIRECTX: DX 9.0, 10, or 11 compatible
- ONLINE: For product activation a stable internet connection needed
- PERIPHERAL DEVICES: Keyboard and Mouse
Sims 4 Recommended System Requirements
These are the most recommended system requirements so that you can play Sims 4 smoothly:
- OPERATING SYSTEM: Windows 7 Service Pack 1, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, or Windows 10 (64-bit required)
- CPU: Intel Core i5 or AMD Athlon X4
- RAM: 8 GB Memory
- HARD DRIVE: 18 GB of free storage required to install the game and 1 GB for additional content like custom content and saved games. (Extra space will be needed for latest version and expansion pack at least 1 GB for each pack other requirements will remain same)
- DISK DRIVE: You only need this if you have a hard copy of the game.
- VIDEO CARD: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 or AMD Radeon 7950 HD
- DIRECTX: DX 9.0, 10, or 11 compatible
- ONLINE: For product activation a stable internet connection needed
- PERIPHERAL DEVICES: Keyboard and Mouse
Now, that you are aware of the recommended system requirements, it should be easier for you to choose a laptop for playing SIMS 4. There are many brands on the market including the likes of Acer, ASUS, MSI, Razer, Apple, and many more each boasting of being better than the other. To make things easier for you, I have listed some of the best gaming laptops for SIMS 4 that not only have a great display but also come with powerful processors, GPUs, and more than enough RAM and storage so as to help you get the ultimate gaming experience, no matter whether you want to ace SIMS 4 or any other gaming title.
The Sims 4 System Requirements for Mac
You can play Sims 4 on your Mac too and here are the system requirements in case you want to do so:
Minimum Mac Requirements for Sims 4
- OPERATING SYSTEM: Metal required. Mac OS® X 10.11 (El Capitan)
- CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4GHz Processor
- RAM: 4 GB Memory
- HARD DRIVE: 15 GB of free storage should be required to install the game on your mac and an additional 1 GB of space for your saved games and custom content.
- VIDEO CARD: NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT, ATI Radeon HD 2600 Pro or better at least 256 MB of VRAM needed.
- ONLINE: For product activation a stable internet connection needed
- PERIPHERAL DEVICES: Keyboard and Mouse
Recommended Mac Requirements for Sims 4
- OPERATING SYSTEM: Metal required. Mac OS® X 10.11 or later
- CPU: Intel Core i5 Processor or better
- RAM: 8 GB Memory
- HARD DRIVE: 18 GB of free storage should be required to install the game on your mac and additional 1 GB of space for you saved games and custom content.
- VIDEO CARD: NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT, ATI Radeon HD 2600 Pro or better at least 256 MB of VRAM needed.
- ONLINE: For product activation a stable internet connection needed.
- PERIPHERAL DEVICES: Keyboard and Mouse
Please note: The free storage space may vary depending upon the version and DLC’s you’ve. For all expansions, you must have 50 – 80 GB of free storage in your hard drive.
Can my computer run The Sims 4?
One of the most common questions being asked is, “Can my computer run the Sims 4 or can I play Sims 4 fast on my computer?”
This clearly indicates that The Sims 4 is quite popular and there are more and more people trying to join the club almost in a daily basis. It seems to be the precise reasons people want to check if they can play The Sims 4 on their computer.
Even though I have already mentioned the minimum requirements above, I would like to reiterate that the minimum requirements are pretty low and almost all computers actually suffice in them.
- All that you need is that your PC should have at least an Intel GMA X4500 or a Radeon X1300 or a GeForce 6600.
- As far as CPU requirement is concerned, what you need is a Core 2 Duo E4300 or an Athlon 64 X2 4000+.
- Moreover, on low graphics, you need just 2 GB of RAM to run The Sims 4.
Recommended Settings
- Even though there are minimum requirements, the most recommended settings are a little bit different and these are the settings that should be preferred to play the game smoothly with all its features working properly.
- You should have your video card at the GeForce GTX 650 and the CPU at an Intel Core i5-750/AMD Athlon X4
- It is also recommended to have up to 4 GB of RAM.
The Sims is not something new in the world of gaming. As a matter of fact, the SIMS Franchise has already completed its two decades and there are no indications yet of its slowing down.
It is worth noting that The Sims 4 was the best-selling PC game in both 2014 and 2015. Moreover, now it can boast of having six complete expansion packs.
This is a game that is quite entertaining for most players whether they want to build a complete neighborhood with beautiful houses or those who want to create a maze of hedges where people can get lost. Like a couple of other games, The Sims 4 requires minimum system requirements but the good thing is that most systems qualify. It must be noted that the minimum system requirements for this game are lower than what are required for Minecraft, which is another popular game.
What Does Passing the Minimum System Requirements Mean?
It simply implies that your PC will be able to run the game in a frame-rate that is can be easily played in or that you can play the game in at least low graphic settings. When it comes to The Sims 4, meeting these requirements is quite easy and if you don’t then you might not be able to play the game smoothly or end up with a video card error.
When it comes to GPU, GeForce 6600 is not one of the most powerful ones. As a matter of fact, it is ranked at no. 299 and can run just about 30% of the games that currently exist. The good thing, however, is that it can run The Sims 4 smoothly.
As far as CPU is concerned, things happen to be quite similar. All that you need is a Core 2 Duo E4300 or Athlon 64 X2 4000+. What it practically means is that almost any desktop or laptop is equipped to run The Sims 4.
When do you need the recommended requirements?
Playing the game at low graphics is possible with the minimum requirements. However, if you want to install prehistoric mods or if you want to play with the graphics turned completely on, then your PC should adhere to the recommended requirements or settings. In this case also, the requirements are pretty low and met by most systems. The least you need to have is a GeForce GTX 650 alongside a Core i5-750 or Athlon X4.
Having said that, I would like to mention here that the initial install size is close to 10 GB but you will need more space if you want to install other expansion packs.
It is also possible that you might be experiencing certain lags when playing Sims 4. You can check out some of the best ways for Sims 4 Simulation lag fixing here.
How Big is Sims 4?
One of the most common questions being asked is – How big is Sims 4?
The most straightforward answer to this question is that it is BIG!
Having said that, the size of your download depends upon the base game as well as the packs that you install. As a matter of fact, 25 GB for The Sims 4 is quite normal. There are so many assets and installs that you need at least this much of space to play the game well. And there is absolutely nothing that you can do to prevent this. If you want to install the latest packs, then you do need good amount of space.
Conclusion
The Sims 4 System Requirements are easily met by most systems (both in the case of minimum and recommended settings). This is why it seems to be getting more and more popular with each passing day.
Abdullah Tariq, the founder of this site, is a passionate gamer and loves sharing his knowledge about gaming hardware and accessories. He is also a software engineer whose ultimate goal is to develop gripping titles.