Sims 4 system requirements

The minimum for Windows is a 64-bit Windows 10, an Intel Core i3-3220 or AMD Ryzen 3 1200 processor, 4 GB of RAM, and DirectX 11. The game needs 25 GB of free disk space. EA lists these values. Steam lists the same hardware.

The list is low. The Sims 4 came out on September 2, 2014, and the base game is free. This post gives the full list, explains the difference between the EA page and the Steam page, and tells you what the list does not say.

You read this on the LifeSim blog. LifeSim runs in a browser. We say at the end where it does not replace The Sims 4.

The table shows the EA values. Steam lists the same hardware, with storage values that are one gigabyte higher.

EA also lists a DVD-ROM drive for the installation, at the minimum level. You need the drive only for a disc. A download does not need it.

No. The numbers above are for the base game. Each pack has its own requirements.

The EA page says that the free version needs The Sims 4 and all game updates. It sends players to the requirements of each pack. The EA store lists 21 expansion packs, 12 game packs, and 6 kits on the page that we opened. We did not find a table of the total disk space for all of them. Plan for more than 50 GB if you install many packs.

That last number is a plan, not an EA value. EA gives no total. Check the page of each pack before you buy. For the install steps, read how to install Sims 4 packs.

Yes, for activation. EA says that both Windows and Mac need an internet connection for product activation. The Steam page lists broadband internet in the requirements for the Windows version.

The Steam page also says that you need an EA Account, a Steam account, and the EA app to play. Read is The Sims 4 free? for what the free base game includes.

We found no statement from EA about how long you can play offline after activation. Do not assume that you can play offline for a long time.

The EA list for Mac is old. The minimum is macOS 10.15 (Catalina) with Metal support, an Intel Core i3-3225, 4 GB of RAM, Intel HD 4000 graphics, and 25 GB of free disk space. The recommended list asks for an Intel Core i5 with 4 cores, 8 GB of RAM, and 50 GB of free disk space.

The list names Intel parts only. It does not name an Apple Silicon chip. The Steam page that we opened lists no Mac requirements. We cover the details in The Sims 4 on a Mac.

Compare four values with the table. Do it in this order.

1. Check that your Windows is the 64-bit version of Windows 10 or newer.
2. Check the RAM. 4 GB is the minimum. 8 GB is the recommended value.
3. Check the graphics card against the GTX 650 or HD 7750 class.
4. Check the free disk space. Keep more than the 26 GB minimum, so that updates fit.

If your computer is below the minimum, the game can run slowly or not start. EA sets these values as the lowest level at which the game works. They do not promise a smooth game.

A Steam Deck is a special case. Read The Sims 4 on Steam Deck for the rating and the settings.

The Sims 4 asks for much less than the newer life sims. The table shows the Windows minimum from each Steam page.

A computer that fails the inZOI list can still run The Sims 4. See inZOI system requirements and Paralives system requirements for the full lists. Read inZOI vs The Sims 4 to decide between the two.

You have two choices. You can upgrade the part that fails the list, or you can play a game with lower needs.

LifeSim runs in a browser. It needs no download. It is free to start. The Terms describe paid subscriptions and Lifebits, a virtual currency. You live one life in a real city, and you talk to the people there.

LifeSim does not replace The Sims 4. It has no Build Mode and no Create A Sim. Choose The Sims 4 for houses and families. Choose LifeSim when your computer cannot run a 3D game, or when you want to try a life sim at no cost. For more choices, read games like The Sims.

Both lists name 64-bit Windows 10 only. Neither page that we opened names Windows 11. Neither page names Windows 7 or Windows 8.

This does not mean that the game fails on other versions. It means that we found no statement. If you use Windows 11, ask EA help before you decide. If you use Windows 7 or 8, the listed requirement is not met.

The list is old. The Steam page gives the release date of September 2, 2014, and the processor in the minimum list is a part of that era. A new computer exceeds the list by a wide margin. The list matters most for old laptops and for budget computers.

Minimum is the lowest hardware on which EA says the game runs. Recommended is the hardware that EA expects for a good result. EA does not publish a frame rate for either level on the page that we opened.

The gap between the two levels is small. The memory goes from 4 GB to 8 GB. The video memory goes from 128 MB to 1 GB. The disk space doubles. If you buy new hardware for the game, buy to the recommended list, and add the space for packs.

Can my laptop run The Sims 4?

Compare the laptop with the table above. A laptop with a Core i5 or Ryzen 5, 8 GB of RAM, and a graphics chip at the level of the HD 7750 or higher meets the recommended list.

How much RAM does The Sims 4 need?

EA lists 4 GB at the minimum and 8 GB as the recommended value.

How much storage does The Sims 4 need?

EA lists 25 GB at the minimum and 50 GB as the recommended value, plus 1 GB for custom content and saves. Steam lists 26 GB and 51 GB.

Does The Sims 4 need a graphics card?

EA lists a graphics part with 128 MB of video memory and DirectX 11 at the minimum. The recommended list names a GTX 650 or an HD 7750.

Is The Sims 4 free?

The base game is free to download on Steam. Packs cost money. See the full answer.

• EA: The Sims 4 system requirements
• The Sims 4 on Steam
• inZOI on Steam
• Paralives on Steam
• EA: The Sims 4 store