After getting my new laptop and installing Sims 4, I've noticed a rather unique issue as far as my game goes that I did not have on my last computer. I can confirm that my new computer is both rated past recommended settings and is a better computer than my previous one. The game itself is running smoothly except for one large and annoying hiccup. Anytime I close my laptop lid, go into Sleep Mode, even just switch windows, or speed up the simulation speed to full, the game's UI appears to be speeding up the animations, the ones that aren't meant to be sped up. Stereo music is playing at super speed even paused, the different flashing indicators such as the red glow warning you when an event is ending soon has at least doubled in speed, and even the plumbob on the loading screen is going faster than it should.
If I go without letting my computer go into Sleep Mode, don't switch windows, and never speed my game up, it doesn't happen. But avoiding those just aren't very realistic, as I do need to get up from my computer, I do need to switch to my browser to check challenge rules or keep records or just look up how to do a career, and I definitely can't just never speed up my game, because it will do that automatically when my household is asleep or at a Rabbithole (assuming it's still called that, I've played for too long).
I never noticed this until one of the newer patches, and I have a friend who has been playing for a while and is also suffering this issue. I do not have any mods or scripts running, have not installed any CC, and I recently bought City Living, but have had this issue before that purchase as well. Normally I could ignore it if I tried, but it also slowly makes my game start hiccuping, menus taking longer to open, actions not running right, and ultimately, begins freezing, and finally just crashes. Seeing as the 2017 challenges are starting, and this year I have the time to participate, issues like these are a serious wrench in anything I do.