Cheap gaming laptop recommendation please - Sims 4

[ElectricSoup]

I am being badgered for a gaming laptop for Christmas by my two cost centres. I know little of gaming, and lost track of PC specifications around the time the 486 processor went obsolete and the naming got all confusing.

Can anyone recommend please a gaming laptop, for not very much money, which will happily run the Sims 4 game? I hoping for something south of £300, the further south the better.

Cheers.

[DoctorX]

This might help when you’re looking:

Here are the The Sims 4: Island Living System Requirements (Minimum)

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E4300 or AMD Athlon 64 X2 4000+ (2.0 GHz Dual Core required if using integrated graphics)
CPU SPEED: Info
RAM: 2 GB
OS: Windows XP
VIDEO CARD: NVIDIA GeForce 6600 or ATI Radeon X1300 or Intel GMA X4500
PIXEL SHADER: 3.0
VERTEX SHADER: 3.0
SOUND CARD: Yes
FREE DISK SPACE: 10 GB
DEDICATED VIDEO RAM: 128 MB

The Sims 4: Island Living Recommended Requirements

CPU: Intel Core i5-750 or AMD Athlon X4
CPU SPEED: Info
RAM: 4 GB
OS: 64 Bit Windows 7,8, or 8.1
VIDEO CARD: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 or better
PIXEL SHADER: 5.0
VERTEX SHADER: 5.0
SOUND CARD: Yes
FREE DISK SPACE: 10 GB
DEDICATED VIDEO RAM: 1024 MB

[ElectricSoup]

Thanks Doc, I had seen that myself, and that's where my confusion started. For example, how do I know if something has a "better" video card than a GTX 640 Turbo Fandango Whizz Bang whatever? I have no idea which ones are better or worse. Or a better or equivalent processor? I've no Idea if an i5 is better than an ATX7450 Titanium X DSG or some such letter soup.

Can you name any laptops in the cheapo price range which match these requirements by any chance?

Cheers.

[DoctorX]

Sorry, don’t know of anything specific although some knowledgeable types on here might be able to help. That sort of budget and a gaming laptop is a tough ask, even second hand. I don’t think that game is particularly demanding but if you get something that just about manages it, it may prove frustrating in the future when your child wants to play something else. You may be able to get a cheap laptop (or chromebook?) in budget for homework etc and something else to play the game on (console/handheld)?

[gr1340]

ElectricSoup said:

Thanks Doc, I had seen that myself, and that's where my confusion started. For example, how do I know if something has a "better" video card than a GTX 640 Turbo Fandango Whizz Bang whatever? I have no idea which ones are better or worse. Or a better or equivalent processor? I've no Idea if an i5 is better than an ATX7450 Titanium X DSG or some such letter soup.

Can you name any laptops in the cheapo price range which match these requirements by any chance?

Cheers.

Try this website, you input the specs and it will let you know if you can run it:
https://www.pcgamebenchmark.com/

[grumbledoak]

The refurb laptops on Amazon at under £300 should do it. I got an HP Elitebook for mine.

Look for Intel i5, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD.