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Every once in a while, each and every one of us needs a little getaway from the hardships of life. And what better way to do that than getting into the fantasy world of Sims? Whether you like to explore your creative side with home decorations or you’re more into developing characters, Sims 4 is your game of choice.
However, with so many different models available, finding the best laptop for Sims 4 can get a bit difficult. That’s exactly why we are here.
In this article, we’ll showcase some of the best laptops on the market with the best balance between price, performance, and build quality, among other things. Not only that, we’ll also guide you through the most important considerations you need to keep in mind before selecting the right option for you.
Did we spark your curiosity? Then, let’s explore.
Table of Contents
- Minimum & Recommended System Requirements
- Top 7 Laptops for Sims 4
- 1. Best Overall: MSI Thin GF63
- 2. Best 17″ Option for Sims 4: Acer Nitro 5
- 3. Best for Students: ASUS TUF Gaming F15
- 4. Cheapest Gaming Laptop for Sims 4: HP Victus
- 5. Best for Sims 4 + Streaming: ASUS ROG Strix G15
- 6. Great Option from Dell: Dell G15
- 7. Best Budget Gaming Laptop from Lenovo: Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3
- Buying Guide for Laptops for Sims 4 in 2023
- FAQs about Laptops For Sims 4
- Verdict
Minimum & Recommended System Requirements
Sims 4 has been around for nearly a decade now, and as you would expect, even an entry-level modern laptop should handle the game just fine. But since you will probably be using your laptop for other stuff as well, investing in a more capable device is worth considering. Moreover, with our recommended specs, you’ll be ready when they finally release the upcoming Sims 5.
As a bonus, our recommended specs are pretty good if you are also looking for a good laptop for Minecraft or a machine that can handle LoL easily.
Minimum | Recommended | |
---|---|---|
CPU | 11th Gen Intel Core i3 or AMD Ryzen 3 5000 series | 12th Gen Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 6000 series |
RAM | 8GB | 16GB |
Storage | 256GB SSD | 512GB SSD |
Display | 14-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) | 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) |
GPU | Integrated Intel Iris Xe or AMD equivalent | 4GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 |
Top 7 Laptops for Sims 4
Let’s unveil our favorite laptops that bring an enjoyable Sims 4 experience.
1. Best Overall: MSI Thin GF63



If there’s one laptop that Simmers would appreciate, it’s the MSI Thin GF63. With future-proof specs, fast display, and awesome portability, this is a great pick for Sims 4.
MSI brings a lot to the table: a 12th Gen. i7 and the latest RTX 4050 work great with much more demanding AAA titles, let alone Sims 4. Crashes and lags? You can forget about those.
I also like the Thin’s 15.6” display — it’s not the most color-accurate panel, but the contrast is awesome, so you’ll easily get transported to Magnolia Promenade or Willow Creek and enjoy the vivid scenes as your Sim gets a mini-panic attack because of the clogged toilet.
True to its name, MSI Thin is lightweight. At 4 lbs of weight, this is a pretty portable gaming laptop, bested only by the likes of ASUS ROG Zephyrus.
Plus, with around 7 hours of juice, your laptop’s Plumbob will stay super green for a long time — enough for your Sim to seduce their married neighbor, and for you to watch the chaos unfold.
The MSI’s chassis is quite sturdy, although it feels a little outdated. But frankly, with these specs for this price, I couldn’t care less about the looks.
Overall, MSI Thin GF63 is a great laptop for Sims 4 and most of the tasks you could think of — it gives one of the highest values for the simoleons you pay.
- What We Like
- Powerful performance
- Large, fast display
- Long battery life
- Lightweight
- Great value for money
- Sturdy build
- What We Don’t Like
- Outdated design
- Flat keyboard
2. Best 17″ Option for Sims 4: Acer Nitro 5
So you want to see that new Sims furniture in all its glory? Look no further than Acer Nitro 5 — it’s an excellent laptop for Sims 4 with a large display, powerful specs, and sleek gamer design.
Purring under the hood, we’ve got a 12th Gen. i5 and a great mid-range RTX 3050 GPU. This combo works well with any game you can think of — including the more demanding ones. When it comes to Sims 4, the specs glide through gameplay.
And then there’s the display. The everyday humdrum of Sims’ neighborhoods looks amazing on a gorgeous 17.3” panel with a high refresh rate and vivid, crisp colors. There’s just no comparison with other laptops — when it comes to Sims, bigger IS better.
Acer revamped Nitro’s design and switched the signature red hues for full RGB multizone backlight and more polished, almost elegant gamer design. I quite like the new-and-improved Nitro, since this one works well for classrooms too.
The main concern with Nitro 5 is the RAM. 8GB RAM will work great for Sims, though I’d upgrade it to 16GB asap for all the other tasks and games.
5 hours of battery life is still good for gaming machines, but the laptop does weigh around 6.5 lbs. This is understandable for a 17” laptop, but it’s worth noting.
Still, Acer Nitro 5 is a very capable laptop for Sims 4 and the one that will give you lots of zoomed-in, great fun at a pretty affordable price.
- What We Like
- Large, fast display
- Strong performance
- Sleek gamer design
- Great keyboard
- Reasonable price
- Lots of ports
- What We Don’t Like
- 8GB RAM
- Heavy
3. Best for Students: ASUS TUF Gaming F15



If you want something more portable than Nitro 5 and don’t mind slightly smaller screen, then ASUS TUF Gaming F15 is an amazing alternative and a great laptop for Sims 4.
Similarly to the Nitro 5, ASUS TUF sports a 12th Gen. i5 and the RTX 3050, which are a great pick for both Sims and more demanding AAA titles.
Unlike Nitro, TUF already comes with 16GB RAM, which is awesome for most tasks and games. In short, you can expect very fast boot times, no lags, and amazing multitasking capabilities.
You won’t be able scrutinize every detail of your newly-renovated house, but a 15.6” display is still great size for Sims 4. TUF’s display also brings a high refresh rate, crispy visuals and enjoyable viewing experience.
What I love about ASUS TUF is its portability. With roughly 4.8 lbs of weight and 7 hours of juice, TUF could be one of the most portable mid-range gaming laptops, period. As such, it’s a great pick for commuters and students.
To be fair, I wouldn’t mind a slightly better cooling system. Sure, high-end specs take their toll, but better fans would have been great. So I’d get a cooling pad.
While the keyboard itself is quite comfy, I do feel like the trackpad is a little spongy.
However, by no means do these take away from the great laptop for Sims that is ASUS TUF. It’s a sleek, portable, and powerful machine that gives great ROI.
- What We Like
- Great specs
- Long battery life
- Relatively lightweight
- Gorgeous display
- Sleek design
- Comfy keyboard
- What We Don’t Like
- Can get hot
- Spongy trackpad
4. Cheapest Gaming Laptop for Sims 4: HP Victus
Maybe you need a laptop just for Sims 4 and not much else. If that’s the case, then HP Victus makes perfect sense, since it’s the cheapest machine that will run the game really well.
How well? Well, the 12th Gen. i5 coupled with GTX 1650 won’t run the AAA titles at super-crazy fps, but the combo is awesome for Sims 4.
The one thing I’d do to further boost performance is upgrade the existing RAM to 16GB.
HP Victus also comes with a nice 15.6” display that’s elevated so you can focus completely on building the neighborhood and fulfilling your Sims’ whims. Seriously, though, I love Victus’ panel as it’s crispy, clean and vivid.
That being said, if you bump on the desk, you will notice some screen wobble. It’s not too serious, but it can get annoying.
On the portability side, Victus is the middle-of-the-road laptop. At 5 hours of battery life and around 5 lbs of weight, it’s far from the worst of the gaming laptops, but it’s also not among the best. However, for this price, I’d say it’s pretty solid.
To sum up, HP Victus is a laptop for Sims 4 that comes in at an unbeatable price — and offers pretty solid specs for it. It will serve you a good number of years and great many rounds of Sims and similar games.
- What We Like
- Solid performance
- Beautiful, elevated panel
- Compact, elegant design
- Very comfy, full-size keyboard
- Relatively portable
- Good ports selection
- What We Don’t Like
- Integrated, low-end GPU
- Screen wobble
5. Best for Sims 4 + Streaming: ASUS ROG Strix G15
So you want to share your Sims escapades with the world? ASUS ROG Strix G15 is one laptop for Sims 4 that will help you launch your darlings into digital stardom.
To start with, a newer Ryzen 7 and an RTX 3060 make sure that the gameplay runs lag-free and smooth; it’s also a future-proof combo that will work great with the upcoming Sims 5.
Add to that 16GB of super-fast DDR5 RAM, and you’ll have no problem with streaming all the content to your fellow Simmers.
I also love the G15’s display. ROG Strix lineup has hi-res, high-quality panels that are also very color-accurate, so they’re awesome for video editing. Plus, if you happen to play shooters or eSports, you’ll love the refresh rate of 300Hz.
Surprisingly, Strix also sports great battery life. I generally get around 7 hours, which is impressive for a laptop this powerful. The machine weighs 5 lbs, which I find acceptable, but might not work for everyone.
Strix G15 does get hot every now and then, so I’d get a cooling pad, especially when streaming gameplay.
With great RAM and 1TB of storage, super-powerful specs, and an amazing display, ROG Strix G15 is among the most powerful, gorgeous laptops for Sims 4 you can get.
- What We Like
- Powerful performance
- Hi-res, color-accurate display
- Beautiful gamer design
- Fast DDR5 RAM
- Lots of storage
- Great keyboard and trackpad
- What We Don’t Like
- Can get hot
- Pricey
6. Great Option from Dell: Dell G15
Alienware’s younger brother proves to be an amazing pick for Sims 4. Great GPU, fast RAM, and a LED display are just a few things you get to enjoy.
Dell G15 comes with a strong Ryzen 7 processor and a very capable RTX 3050 Ti, which falls somewhere between 3050 and 3060. How does it work with Sims 4? Like magic — I got no lag or stutter, even with more demanding projects and loads of items.
I also love that Dell decided to include DDR5 RAM, which is the newer and faster generation. Granted, you get 8GB, and these will work awesome with Sims, but if you want to pull G15’s maximum, I’d upgrade to 16GB.
The machine packs a 15.6” hi-res display with antireflective coating, which works well for movies and games.
I find it interesting that portability suffered on this one. A 5-hours battery and close to 6 lbs of weight are no picnic if you’re often out and about. So, in case you want a more portable laptop, I’d check out MSI Thin or maybe ASUS TUF instead.
But if you want a unique design that mimics spaceship-chassis of its much more expensive sibling Alienware, Dell G15 is the one for you. This Sims 4 laptop is a future-proof solution that will last a good number of years.
- What We Like
- Strong performance
- Great display
- Upgradable DDR5 RAM
- Reasonable price
- Solid battery life
- Unique design
- What We Don’t Like
- On the heavy side
- 8GB RAM
7. Best Budget Gaming Laptop from Lenovo: Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3



Lenovo is probably the most famous budget-gaming laptop brand. The IdeaPad Gaming 3 is a Sims 4 laptop that offers amazing performance, beautiful display and great design — for a very affordable price.
The thing with Lenovo is that it always prioritizes performance. For this price, a newer Ryzen 5 and an RTX 3050 in IdeaPad Gaming 3 are an awesome combo. You’ll get Sims 4 performance on par with much more expensive machines.
Similarly to Dell G15, IdeaPad comes with a DDR5 RAM, which I really like on this machine. I’d upgrade the RAM to 16GB, which will work wonders for gameplay and tasks.
Plus, Lenovo’s designs are something else. Whether it’s IdeaPads or Lenovo Legion, or even ThinkPads, Lenovo pulls effortless elegance with sturdy and compact build. IdeaPad Gaming 3 is no different.
As for the display, your Sims will be cavorting on a 15.6” FHD panel with a fast refresh rate and great contrast. Needless to say, the visuals are both precise and fun to look at.
Like most gaming laptops, IdeaPad Gaming 3 is somewhere in the middle in terms of portability, though not bad at all. With 5 hours of battery life and 5 lbs of weight, this is still acceptable, though I’d bring a charger if you’re going to an office or campus.
Overall, IdeaPad Gaming 3 is one of the best budget laptops for Sims 4 you can buy. This future-proof, elegant machine is worth every simoleon you’ll spend on it.
Watch our Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 Review
This YouTube review was created by the Not Just Laptops team. The specs may slightly differ from the laptop in the article.
- What We Like
- Great specs for the price
- Beautiful display
- Elegant, sleek design
- Affordable
- Very comfy keyboard
- Sturdy build
- What We Don’t Like
- 8GB RAM
- Middling battery life
Buying Guide for Laptops for Sims 4 in 2023
Here are a few important things to consider before buying a new laptop to play Sims 4:
1. Get a Good CPU/GPU Combo
Sims 4 is not a resource-intensive game, mainly because it’s been around for nearly a decade. So logically, even an entry-level gaming laptop shouldn’t have trouble running the game. But that doesn’t mean you should pick the cheapest laptop with the lowest specs. After all, you’ll probably be using it for other more demanding games and applications.
That being said, we recommend choosing a laptop featuring the later generations of Intel Core i5 or an equivalent from AMD. These are the best CPUs if you’re looking for a balance between budget and performance.
As for the GPU, you could get by with a capable integrated graphics card like the Intel Iris Xe. But if you want your computer to handle modern AAA titles too, we recommend picking something with a dedicated GPU. As you’ll see from our list, there are some great budget options with dedicated GPUs.
2. Consider the RAM and Storage
To run Sims 4 and basic computing tasks, even 8GB RAM is enough. But having more RAM is always a good idea, especially if you want your laptop to run smoothly for several years. That’s why we recommend going for at least 16GB RAM as the optimal amount for most users.
In terms of storage, it depends on how much you really need. Just make sure you pick something with an SSD rather than the traditional HDD for an improved overall performance of your computer.
3. Choose Your Display Carefully
The best gaming laptops are equipped with super high-resolution (up to 4K) and high refresh rate panels (up to 480Hz). But those would be overkill if you only want to play Sims 4 and other older titles.
So, in terms of resolution, an FHD panel is more than enough for most users. Of course, we won’t discourage going for a higher-resolution display, but you’ll have to be ready to dig a little deeper into your pockets.
As for the size, it’s totally up to you. While a larger screen (17–18 inches) provides a better viewing experience, going for a smaller (14–15 inches) display is worth considering if you need a more portable option.
4. Think About Battery Life and Portability
If you are a student or someone whose lifestyle requires moving a lot, considering battery life and portability is essential. As a general rule of thumb, gaming laptops are on the heavier side (up to 8 lbs) and drain the battery much quicker than regular laptops.
So if you care about portability, you might want to check out the MSI Thin as the number one pick from our list, or the ASUS TUF Gaming F15 as our recommended option for students.
5. Set Your Budget
Pricing on gaming laptops can range from budget entry-level models to high-end, super-expensive gaming machines.
So one of the most important factors to consider before starting your research is defining your budget. After you decide how much you’re willing to spend on a new laptop, finding the most suitable option for you becomes easier.
FAQs about Laptops For Sims 4
What laptops work best when it comes to running Sims 4?
To run Sims 4 smoothly, you don’t need the most powerful gaming machine money can buy. But you’ll still need a laptop with decent specs.
That’s why we recommend choosing a laptop with a mid-range CPU like the Intel Core i5 combined with a dedicated GPU like the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050. This combo would easily run Sims 4 and other older titles at max settings.
How much VRAM is optimal for Sims 4 gaming?
The official site of the game publisher (Electronic Arts) claims that even 128MB VRAM is enough to run Sims 4, but the graphics quality and performance will be very limited.
As an optimal amount for Sims 4, we recommend at least 4GB VRAM as this configuration can handle a massive volume of image data and texture while running the game. As soon as you add expansion packs like pets, hair color, and crowd content to Sims 4, there is a lot of additional work to be done by the Video RAM.
What is the most basic GPU that you can opt for an unhindered Sims 4 experience?
Although the game can be played with an integrated GPU, for an unhindered Sims 4 experience, we recommend going for at least the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 GPU. This GPU is currently one of the most affordable pieces of hardware you can find in an entry-level gaming laptop, but it still smokes any integrated GPU.
Can Sims 4 be played on a MacBook?
Yes, Sims 4 can be played on any modern MacBook. The macOS is compatible with the game, which you can download from the app store or from the official Electronic Arts page.
Verdict
While most modern laptops can and should run the game easily, there are still some important factors you need to be careful about. That’s why we felt like putting together a list of the best laptops for playing Sims 4 available today.
After all, finding great value for money should always be one of your top priorities. And that’s exactly what we tried to do here.
If you’re still having second thoughts about some models, let’s rewind a bit:
- As the best combination of specs for a reasonable price, we couldn’t think of anything better than the MSI Thin GF63.
- If you’re looking for the cheapest option with decent performance capabilities, we recommend the HP Victus.
- Finally, as an ideal option for students, we singled out the ASUS TUF Gaming F15. It’s powerful, durable, and relatively portable for a gaming laptop.
If you want to learn more about laptops before deciding what to pick, perhaps our comprehensive laptop buying guide could help. Finally, if you are a student, checking out our favorite picks for gaming and school is also a good idea.
And now over to you, which Sims 4 laptop do you have your heart set on? Let us know in the comment section below.