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Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#1 Old 4th Sep 2020 at 5:08 PM

This user has the following games installed:

Sims 2, University, Nightlife, Open for Business, Pets, Seasons, Bon Voyage, Free Time, Apartment Life
Default Please help me with deciding on/buying a new computer
Hello wise and knowledgable people of MTS,

my laptop (that I couldn't really play TS2 on anyway) is dying and I'll need to get a new computer. Obviously I want one that can handle TS2 reasonably well in this day and age and as I tend to have tons of CC (around 20-30 GB or more), I also need something that can handle ALL the CC.

I'm not very computer-savvy, so I'm having a bit of a hard time figuring out what to get (and I don't want to spend lots of money on something that won't work for me after buying it).

Main questions:
- Laptop or desktop computer? Does it even matter anymore? I like the convenience of a laptop, but if a desktop computer would be significantly better for playing TS2 (as they used to be I think?), I could be swayed into buying a desktop computer instead.

- RAM. I heard how much CC you can have in your game depends on RAM, the more RAM, the more CC. So how much RAM do I need? Will 16 GB be enough?

- CPU: I read TS2 doesn't really play well with multiple cores, but that's what most computers have nowadays apparently. What do I need to get when it comes to CPU/cores to make sure TS2 runs smoothly?

- Graphic card: Some time ago, I remember people advising against Nvidia graphic cards as they wouldn't work with TS2 (and Win10?), but I get the impression that is not the case anymore? Can I get an NVidia card or would another card still be better? Any graphic cards you can recommed that are proven to still work really well with TS2 nowadays?

- Operating system. Man, I've heard so many horror stories about TS2 and Win10 and I'm quite worried about this, but are these worries still justified? Besides, what other options are there? Windows 8? Does Windows 8 work better with TS2 than Windows 10? Would it be worth it getting that instead? Or try to still get my hands on Windows 7 somehow after all?

-SSD: I've heard good things about running TS2 on SSD, so I'm considering getting a laptop/computer with a 1 TB SSD. Should help, right?

- Anything else I'm missing?

I would be very thankful for answers to these questions and if people could share their experiences on how they manage to play TS2 these days. Please share your set-up/system specs with me, especially if you have one that works really well with lots of CC.
Maybe someone can even recommend a laptop or computer that would fit my requirements?

Thank you in advance.
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Mad Poster
#2 Old 4th Sep 2020 at 6:46 PM Last edited by simmer22 : 5th Sep 2020 at 11:51 AM.
You have a lot more to work with if you go for a stationary, so if you don't absolutely need the convenience of a laptop, and have the space to put up one, you get a lot more for the money, and have more options if you go for a stationary.

RAM - more tends to be better, but TS2 can only use 4 GB of it, but there is texture memory and there are things like OS, background tasks, etc. Get minimum 8, 16-32 could come in handy, but more is rarely needed for TS2 unless you use other programs/games that need it.

CPU - most are dual/quad or more cores these days, but you can make TS2 run on one core if it turns out to be a problem, but make sure the cores qualify for the game requirements (little bit unsure how to figure out that one, maybe someone else can help with that?)

Nvidia can be a pain, but with some editing to Graphicrules the cards tend to eventually work fine. Same with other newer cards, it's more of a "what is this thing??? I'll use onboard graphic instead..." from the 12+ year old game. So far I think most people have gotten their cards to work up until the 2000 series. Pre-1000 seems relatively safe, 1000 series is somewhat safe but may require some editing and patience, 2000 and up can be a bit touch-and-go, but may not be completely impossible. I do suggest you look at which cards you're interested in, see if people have gotten them to work, and go from there.

SSDs are nice for running games from, because they give you a quick startup and load fast. There is some debate on whether it's a good idea to have "unstable" files there, like your Documents/TS2 location, though (Whether there's something to that debate depends who you ask, because modern SSDs are more stable, but are still potentially better for running programs than volatile storage, but you should leave plenty room on a SSD or their perforance can go down). HDDs are still preferred for moving files around. I have both types on my laptop, and this could be a working solution (you could for instance install the game files on the SSD and the saved game on the HDD). Ideally, take backups often to an external drive or elsewhere, because you never know when something goes boom and files get lost. usually when you least expect it, and when it's been too long since the last backup...

Power supply - Not on your list, but it can make or break a computer, so make sure it's strong enough to keep up with whatever you intend to put in there.

Fans or cooling system - same story as the power supply, and sometimes overlooked. whether you go for a stationary or a laptop, you want something that can adequately cool everything down. For laptops, some people go for the thinnest, lightest models (sometimes even cheapest), and wonder why they break so fast. Well - sometimes it's the somewhat heavy-duty models with a proper cooling system that last longer, though there are some thinner laptops that do perform well due to a better build or material choices (some newer components don't need much cooling, kind of the reason modern phones work - but some games would probably fry a moden phone, so there's that). You want something that doesn't fry the components, then you have to make sure the cooling system works.
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#3 Old 6th Sep 2020 at 7:03 PM
Quote: Originally posted by simmer22
You have a lot more to work with if you go for a stationary, so if you don't absolutely need the convenience of a laptop, and have the space to put up one, you get a lot more for the money, and have more options if you go for a stationary.

RAM - more tends to be better, but TS2 can only use 4 GB of it, but there is texture memory and there are things like OS, background tasks, etc. Get minimum 8, 16-32 could come in handy, but more is rarely needed for TS2 unless you use other programs/games that need it.

CPU - most are dual/quad or more cores these days, but you can make TS2 run on one core if it turns out to be a problem, but make sure the cores qualify for the game requirements (little bit unsure how to figure out that one, maybe someone else can help with that?)

Nvidia can be a pain, but with some editing to Graphicrules the cards tend to eventually work fine. Same with other newer cards, it's more of a "what is this thing??? I'll use onboard graphic instead..." from the 12+ year old game. So far I think most people have gotten their cards to work up until the 2000 series. Pre-1000 seems relatively safe, 1000 series is somewhat safe but may require some editing and patience, 2000 and up can be a bit touch-and-go, but may not be completely impossible. I do suggest you look at which cards you're interested in, see if people have gotten them to work, and go from there.

SSDs are nice for running games from, because they give you a quick startup and load fast. There is some debate on whether it's a good idea to have "unstable" files there, like your Documents/TS2 location, though (Whether there's something to that debate depends who you ask, because modern SSDs are more stable, but are still potentially better for running programs than volatile storage, but you should leave plenty room on a SSD or their perforance can go down). HDDs are still preferred for moving files around. I have both types on my laptop, and this could be a working solution (you could for instance install the game files on the SSD and the saved game on the HDD). Ideally, take backups often to an external drive or elsewhere, because you never know when something goes boom and files get lost. usually when you least expect it, and when it's been too long since the last backup...

Power supply - Not on your list, but it can make or break a computer, so make sure it's strong enough to keep up with whatever you intend to put in there.

Fans or cooling system - same story as the power supply, and sometimes overlooked. whether you go for a stationary or a laptop, you want something that can adequately cool everything down. For laptops, some people go for the thinnest, lightest models (sometimes even cheapest), and wonder why they break so fast. Well - sometimes it's the somewhat heavy-duty models with a proper cooling system that last longer, though there are some thinner laptops that do perform well due to a better build or material choices (some newer components don't need much cooling, kind of the reason modern phones work - but some games would probably fry a moden phone, so there's that). You want something that doesn't fry the components, then you have to make sure the cooling system works.


Thank you for your very in-depth answer. Some points in there that I hadn't even considered yet, like the fans/cooling system.

May I ask what your current computer set-up is at the moment? I'm not that often on MTS anymore these days, but I've often admired your pictures that I've seen in various threads and assumed you must have a very nicely working system. On the other hand, you also sound very experienced/knowledgable about potential computer and game troubles, so you've probably dealt with your fair share of issues as well :p
Mad Poster
#4 Old 7th Sep 2020 at 12:27 AM
Spoiler for long text.

Also, possibly processor speed 2.4 GHz or above (may or may not be a problem with modern processors that have overclocking/turbo/etc.?) according to minimum requirements for Vista (and above...), but not sure if lower speed + overclocking/turbo could be a problem after a while if you have to set the game to run on one core (one core is a trick that can help with stability in some cases).

Field Researcher
#5 Old 7th Sep 2020 at 12:57 PM
I am not very technical and can't help you with computer specs, but I am running my game on a 4 year old desktop with Windows 10. Win 10 is not my favourite Windows OS because of the forced updates and all the associated bloat. I also had to jump though some hoops to begin with to get the graphics right, and there was a period of about 8 months where I had to roll back the updates every time because my game wouldn't load, but they fixed that and now it loads my game very fast and is very stable, with almost no crashing. For the last 18 months or so. Touch wood!

Also, Win 10 loads SimPE much faster than any previous OS and it is very stable.
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#6 Old 11th Sep 2020 at 3:58 PM
Quote: Originally posted by simmer22
Spoiler for long text.

Also, possibly processor speed 2.4 GHz or above (may or may not be a problem with modern processors that have overclocking/turbo/etc.?) according to minimum requirements for Vista (and above...), but not sure if lower speed + overclocking/turbo could be a problem after a while if you have to set the game to run on one core (one core is a trick that can help with stability in some cases).



Thanks for sharing, but oh man, that all sounds awfully familiar. The trouble we go to to play this game in this day and age...

Processors is a thing I have hard time with as well and one of the ones I'm most worried about. I need to do some more research into this.

Quote: Originally posted by Aysarth
I am not very technical and can't help you with computer specs, but I am running my game on a 4 year old desktop with Windows 10. Win 10 is not my favourite Windows OS because of the forced updates and all the associated bloat. I also had to jump though some hoops to begin with to get the graphics right, and there was a period of about 8 months where I had to roll back the updates every time because my game wouldn't load, but they fixed that and now it loads my game very fast and is very stable, with almost no crashing. For the last 18 months or so. Touch wood!

Also, Win 10 loads SimPE much faster than any previous OS and it is very stable.


I'm glad to hear they fixed some issues with Windows 10 by now! After hearing so many horror stories about Win 10 from simmers and not liking Win 10 very much in general (I have to use it at work), this also an issue I feel conflicted about. (Also didn't know about SimPE loading faster on Win 10, that's cool to hear.)


If anyone else has some experiences and input to share, please do so, I'd be very grateful!
Mad Poster
#7 Old 11th Sep 2020 at 5:00 PM
Win 10 does put some sticks in the wheels, but it's not completely impossible to play the game. If you go for the UC (instead of the CD version), the updated UC has the SecuRom and a few other things removed for better compatibility with Win10, and is fully patched (so they say, anyway).

The CD version could potentially be a bit more troublesome (since it still has SecuRom), but there are some fixes to get that to work.

SecuRom (the copy protection used from Bon Voyage and out in TS2) caused a compatibility issue with Win10, which is why EA/Origin removed it from the UC.
Lab Assistant
#8 Old 11th Sep 2020 at 10:42 PM
I can't say much about specs either, but I play in an old PC with Windows 10, 4GB of RAM, 2.53GHz processor. I don't have any problem running the game other than the typical lag in big lots with many sims. Except... once my game crashed when I went to the neighborhood while saving. It only happened once because now I always use the just "save" button and then go to the hood. That doesn't give me any problems.
I guess better specs would reduce the lag in big lots, and load the game faster. I don't use a lot of CC so my game loads pretty fast.

Installing the game (unless UC) is a pain, yes. But you should only have to do that once. Same with the Graphics Rules things and the 4GB patch.
Mad Poster
#9 Old 16th Sep 2020 at 4:58 AM
I'm still playing on my 8 year old Windows 7 laptop and it's got a dedicated graphics card so I was able to install UC and load that with tons of CC and tons of Mods without lagging even in live play.I use a few prgrams to manage computer modes and have a program to put my computer into a gaming mode that forces it to use the dedicated card instead of the internal one while in gaming mode so my games can be run as windows and still be run from the dedicated graphic card.
I didn't have a choice on what type of computer to buy because a desktop would required buying other stuff costing thousands in cash I didn't have and would be a major issue when I went to move out on my own as I'd likely be driving hundreds of miles if not more to relocate.I went with a laptop for that reason.
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#10 Old 21st Sep 2020 at 7:47 PM
Quote: Originally posted by simmer22
Win 10 does put some sticks in the wheels, but it's not completely impossible to play the game. If you go for the UC (instead of the CD version), the updated UC has the SecuRom and a few other things removed for better compatibility with Win10, and is fully patched (so they say, anyway).

The CD version could potentially be a bit more troublesome (since it still has SecuRom), but there are some fixes to get that to work.

SecuRom (the copy protection used from Bon Voyage and out in TS2) caused a compatibility issue with Win10, which is why EA/Origin removed it from the UC.

Quote: Originally posted by Borja20
I can't say much about specs either, but I play in an old PC with Windows 10, 4GB of RAM, 2.53GHz processor. I don't have any problem running the game other than the typical lag in big lots with many sims. Except... once my game crashed when I went to the neighborhood while saving. It only happened once because now I always use the just "save" button and then go to the hood. That doesn't give me any problems.
I guess better specs would reduce the lag in big lots, and load the game faster. I don't use a lot of CC so my game loads pretty fast.

Installing the game (unless UC) is a pain, yes. But you should only have to do that once. Same with the Graphics Rules things and the 4GB patch.

Since my base game disks don't seem to work anymore and EA apparently doesn't give the UC out anymore if you ask them/provide them with a valid registration code (they used to do that for a while apparently), I have obtained a version of the Ultimate Collection by "other means". I assume SecuRom should be no problem when using such a version I've tried installing it on my old laptop to test it, and it seems to work fine (apart from my laptop not being capable of running the game without killing itself), and without any of that launcher nonsense and so on.

Quote: Originally posted by TadOlson
I'm still playing on my 8 year old Windows 7 laptop and it's got a dedicated graphics card so I was able to install UC and load that with tons of CC and tons of Mods without lagging even in live play.I use a few prgrams to manage computer modes and have a program to put my computer into a gaming mode that forces it to use the dedicated card instead of the internal one while in gaming mode so my games can be run as windows and still be run from the dedicated graphic card.
I didn't have a choice on what type of computer to buy because a desktop would required buying other stuff costing thousands in cash I didn't have and would be a major issue when I went to move out on my own as I'd likely be driving hundreds of miles if not more to relocate.I went with a laptop for that reason.

Glad to hear it worked so well for you even on a laptop. But Win 7 seems to have been the last Windows to work really well with TS2 anyway. The last time I was able to really play TS2 I played on a Win 7 desktop and never had any issues at all. Unfortunately I'll probably have to go for a laptop this time though since I don't really have space for a desktop computer nowadays. My small desk is already crammed full with my work laptop, monitors, papers and so on.
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