Windows 7, Integrated Graphics, Quad-Core CPU, and Sims 2

[Red_XIII]

I read the System Requirements page, but I still have three questions.

1. I plan on installing the base game, University, Nightlife, Pets, Ikea Home Stuff, and Teen Style Stuff. I'm also using Windows 7. Will I or should I run the game in compatibility mode?

2. I have integrated graphics that aren't listed on the System Requirements page. It is the AMD Radeon HD 6530D. How does the 6530D compare to other integrated graphics and video cards?

3. Will I need to tell the Sims 2 to use only one core of my CPU via task manager, if I have a quad-core CPU?

Computer specs for reference:
OS: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit, Service Pack 1
CPU: AMD A6-3620 APU with Radeon(tm) HD Graphics (4 CPUs), ~2.2GHz
RAM: 4GB
Graphics: AMD Radeon HD 6530D

[MattShizzle]

Integrated graphics cards aren't up to running the game - especially with all the EPs/Stuff packs you want to install. You will very likely damage your computer if you try. Windows 7 doesn't need to be run in compatability mode. No to #3. Get a decent graphics card in and you should be fine.

[Red_XIII]

Thanks for the reply, MattShizzle! Think I'd be fine with just the base game and Nightlife (or University, but not both), or would that also be a bad idea? (If it makes a difference, all settings would be on low - I always favor performance over graphics.)

Why is TS2 so resource demanding, anyway? A poorly written engine?

[MattShizzle]

You can try, but if the graphics start looking strange sometimes stop playing immediately and don't play again until you get a graphics card. I would just get the card though. There's a chance you could still damage your computer.

[whiterider]

You'll be able to play if you take Pets off the list - the earlier EPs can be played decently on integrated graphics, especially newer integrated graphics. Pets is more high-strain; you'll want to find some benchmarks and specifications for that IGP, and compare them to graphics cards which are supported for Pets to see if Pets is a realistic option for that IGP. Ordinarily I'd do so myself, but I'm struggling to find info on that chip, and tired.

[Red_XIII]

Whiterider, I've also had issues finding info about the 6530D, and it seems what little information there is conflicts with other information. One comparison claimed that it was as powerful as the Radeon HD 5670, but another said it was comparable to the 4000s series of the Radeon HD.

One website I've found has grouped dedicated and integrated IGPs into "tiers" so you can estimate their performance; link is here (http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-graphics-card-review,3107-7.html). This link claims that the 6530D would have similar performance to a Radeon HD 3670.

While the 3670 isn't on the System Requirements page, the 3600 is. I'm assuming 3670 would perform better than a 3600, since the 3600 supposedly able to handle all EPs and SPs smoothly, by proxy, I should expect decent performance from the 6530D.

Another poster on this forum has a 6530D, and apparently, he's able to play TS3 with it. I doubt his performance is that great, though. Seems like the 6530D isn't used in too many computers, which explains why information is so scarce.

[ellacharmed]

The System Requirement page only list Desktop models. We don't do laptop models for simplicity. But for comparison's sake, take a mobile version as the next row above the Desktop model (ie lower specs). Some even has specs that fit 2 rows above their Desktop counterpart.