How Well This iMac Run The Sims 3?

[Teatoo]

3.06GHz Intel Core i3
4GB 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 2x2GB
500GB Serial ATA Drive
ATI Radeon HD 4670 256MB GDDR3 SDRAM

I'm a bit worried about the graphics card. It's not in the list of supported graphics cards and I'm wondering if it's not good enough. I'm looking to play the game on max settings.

[Metropolis Man]

You should be fine. I bought my Intel iMac last year and yours is a new model right? Mine runs the game great, so if anything yours will even be better.

[The Illuminator]

I completely agree with Metro. I'll think you won't have any lags on high and possibly on very high settings.

[Teatoo]

But the graphics card isn't in the supported list. Does this mean it won't work?

[The Illuminator]

Not all graphics cards are in the supported list... That doesn't necessarily mean it doesn't work.

[Teatoo]

Not all graphics cards are in the supported list... That doesn't necessarily mean it doesn't work.

Well what does it mean then?

[The Illuminator]

That EA does not guarantee that it will work.

[samoht04]

Mine wasn't either and I thought it was dodgy, turns out it was the mouse doing the playing up! 

[Slingsby]

If it's any comfort, my iMac 24 is driven by ...
CPU = 2.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
RAM = 2GB 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM
GPU = ATI Radeon HD 2600 256MB VRAM

That's a lower spec than Teatoo, and I have absolutely no problems with running the game at all.

[Happytime]

Teatoo,

I spent some time snooping, I wasn't aware Apple had refreshed the iMac line recently.

Technically, the ATI Radeon HD 4670 has better specs than Slingsby's ATI Radeon HD 2600 ... it's a newer chipset.

I REALLY think EA needs to update the The Sims™ 3 Minimum Hardware Requirements, because you're right ... reading there the HD 4670 in the Mac you are looking at is not listed as a Supported Video Card (but Slingsby's 2600 is).

And The Illuminator pegged it, when a software company provides a list of "supported" video cards, they are just listing the cards / graphics subsystems they are willing to provide technical support for. It's certainly NOT an all-inclusive list of the systems their software will work on, just a list of what they are willing to try and keep their software running on.

Most "graphics card issues" in games is newer software struggling with older / dated drivers trying to work with older / dated architecture. The iMac you are looking at is a "modern architecture" system (Core i3 / HD 4670), and the Sims3 is a pretty new software package.

I really can't see why the machine you've listed here wouldn't run the Sim3 at max settings, right out of the box ("supported video card" or not).

If your still a bit concerned, I'd head over to the Apple forums and just ask if anyone using that flavor of iMac's playing the Sim3. I'm sure you'll get at least one "oh, yeah, no problems."

Hope this helps, and I think you're smart to check this out. A computer's a big investment, and you want to do as much as you can to be sure it'll run the software you want to run on it before you buy it.

In this case, I think EA just needs to update its list of "Supported Cards."

  -- Happytime

[Teatoo]

Thanks a lot guys! (: You've been really helpful, I think we'll go ahead and get the iMac. ^_^

[Slingsby]

Thanks a lot guys! (: You've been really helpful, I think we'll go ahead and get the iMac. ^_^

Enjoy the best computing experience you will ever have.

Small tip ... don't fiddle with setting for the fun of it.  Just let it get on with doing things.  A Mac knows what it can do, and just sorts itself out.  And I recommend investing in the Time Capsule as well ... I know it costs, but EVERYTHING is backed up automatically all the time [every 15 minutes initially].  All your settings, applications, everything.  I lost my hard drive within a couple of months [these things happen].  When I plugged the replacement back in, the Time Capsule said "I see you have a new Mac, would you like to restore everything?"  It took an hour or so, but everything was safe.

[MomOfMany]

I am not a Mac user but what is a Time Capsule? Is it like an external harddrive?

[Metropolis Man]

I am not a Mac user but what is a Time Capsule? Is it like an external harddrive?

The application is Time Machine and it's quite extraordinary in how it accomplishes what it does. But, the bottom line is it's a backup program for your Mac that you use in conjunction with an external hard drive or online source.

[MomOfMany]

That is what I need. I always forget to but the stuff on my external hard drive. I will have to remember that when we are looking for a new computer. Maybe we will get a Mac.