The Sims 4: PC and Mac System Requirements (Minimum and Recommended)
The Sims 4 is one of the most undemanding modern games: it was released back in 2014 and is perfectly optimized. The game will run on almost any laptop, even without a discrete graphics card. But if you want to play with all the additions, mods and large buildings, the requirements increase significantly. We analyze the official system requirements of The Sims 4 for PC and Mac, and also give real recommendations for hardware in 2025.
The Sims 4 Minimum System Requirements (PC)
Official minimum requirements from EA - the base game will run even on a very weak computer:
| Component | Requirement |
|---|---|
| operating system | Windows 10 (64-bit) |
| CPU | Intel Core i3-3220 3.3 GHz (2 cores, 4 threads) / AMD Ryzen 3 1200 3.1 GHz (4 cores) or better |
| RAM | 4 GB |
| Video card | 128 MB VRAM, Pixel Shader 3.0 support (NVIDIA GeForce 6600, ATI Radeon X1300, Intel GMA X4500 or better) |
| DirectX | Version 11 |
| Disk space | at least 25 GB + 1 GB for saves and mods |
| Internet | required to activate the game |
With these characteristics, the game will run on minimum settings in HD resolution, but loading times between locations will be long, and with add-ons, slowdowns are possible.
The Sims 4 Recommended System Requirements (PC)
| Component | Requirement |
|---|---|
| operating system | Windows 10/11 (64-bit) |
| CPU | Intel Core i5 (4 cores) / AMD Ryzen 5 or better |
| RAM | 8 GB |
| Video card | 1 GB VRAM: NVIDIA GTX 650 / AMD Radeon HD 7750 or better |
| DirectX | Version 11 |
| Disk space | 50 GB free space (SSD recommended) |
With this configuration, The Sims 4 can be played comfortably in Full HD at high settings, including several add-ons installed.
The Sims 4 System Requirements for Mac
| Component | Requirement |
|---|---|
| operating system | macOS X 10.11 (El Capitan) or later |
| CPU | Intel Core i5 (4 cores) or better |
| RAM | 8 GB |
| Video card | Intel HD and Iris Graphics HD 4000 series or later |
| Disk space | at least 50 GB + 1 GB for saves and mods |
The game runs perfectly on MacBook Air and MacBook Pro with Apple processors (M1/M2/M3/M4) and is one of the best simulation games for Mac.
How much does The Sims 4 weigh with all the extras?
The base game takes up about 26 GB, but taking into account all the released add-ons, game packs and catalogs, a full installation can take up more than 65-70 GB . If you plan to install mods and user-generated content (CC), add another 5-10 GB. Optimally - 100 GB of free space on an SSD: with a solid-state drive, location loads are reduced significantly.
Will The Sims 4 run on a weak laptop?
Yes. The game officially supports integrated Intel graphics (GMA X4500 and newer), so it will run on almost any office laptop from the last 10 years. Some tips for weak iron:
- reduce the quality of textures and lighting in the graphics settings;
- enable “Laptop Mode” - it reduces the load on the video chip;
- do not install too many add-ons at once - each DLC increases the load and loading time;
- store mods in moderation: thousands of CC files noticeably slow down the game.
What platforms is The Sims 4 available on?
- PC (Windows 10/11) - via EA app and Steam, base game is free;
- Mac - via EA app;
- PlayStation 4 / PlayStation 5 ;
- Xbox One / Xbox Series X|S .
On consoles, the system requirements are not relevant - the game is optimized for console hardware. An important nuance: mods and some cheat codes do not work on PS and Xbox, and enabling cheats disables receiving trophies and achievements.
Frequently asked questions
How much RAM does The Sims 4 need? Minimum 4 GB, comfortable - 8 GB. If you play with a lot of mods and add-ons, 16 GB is better.
Is internet required to play? Only for first activation and updates. Then you can play offline.
Does the game work on Windows 7? Officially, no, since 2019 the game requires 64-bit Windows 10. On outdated systems, only older versions of the game can be launched.
Do you need a video card? No, the game runs on integrated Intel graphics. A discrete card is only needed for high settings and a large number of DLCs.