Can’t Play The Sims 3 on Your PC or Mac?

Sims 3 is 100% compatible with Windows 7 32 and 64-bit. It has the same system requirements as Windows Vista which are posted below. [Sims 2 is also compatible with Windows 7]

The #1 reason The Sims 3 will not work on your computer is due to a lack of Graphics Processing Power. The following are the MINIMUM system requirements for The Sims 3

Windows XP users (all versions of XP)
• Windows XP (Service Pack 2)
• 2.0 GHz P4 processor or equivalent
• 1 GB RAM
• At least 6.5 GB of hard drive space with at least 1 GB additional space for custom content.
• 128 MB Video Card with support for Pixel Shader 2.0

Windows 7 and Vista users (all versions of 7 and Vista)
• Windows 7 (all flavors) or Windows Vista (Service Pack 1)
• 2.4 GHz P4 processor or equivalent
• 1.5 GB RAM
• At least 6.5 GB of hard drive space with at least 1 GB additional space for custom content
• 128 MB Video Card with support for Pixel Shader 2.0

Some of you may have paused at the above spec “128 MB Video Card with support for Pixel Shader 2.0”. Don’t worry, below are a list of video cards that are compatible with The Sims 3.

For nVidia video card owners: FX 5900, FX 5950, 2400, 2600, 2900, 3450, 3650, 3850, 3870, 4850, 4870 and all GeForce 6 series and above are compatible with The Sims 3

For ATI video card owners: 2400, 2600, 2900, 3450, 3650, 3850, 3870, 4850, 4870, Any 9500 and above card and any X300 and above cards are compatible with The Sims 3.

Intel, nVidia and ATI integrated/built-in video cards: Intel Extreme GMA X3x00/X300, ATI Xpress and higher, nVidia TurboCache and higher.

IMPORTANT! If your desktop or laptop has an integrated/built-in video card your MINIMUM System Requirements are higher:
• 2.6 GHz Pentium D CPU, or 1.8 GHz Core 2 Duo, or equivalent
• 1.5 GB RAM in Windows XP, 2 GB RAM in Windows 7 and Vista

Mac Minimum System Requirements:
• Mac OS X 10.5.7 Leopard or higher
• Intel Core Duo processor or equivalent
• 1 GB RAM
• 7.1GB of hard drive space
• ATI X1600 or Nvidia 7300 GT with 128 MB of video RAM or Intel Integrated GMA X3100

Supported nVidia Video Cards for the Mac: 7300, 7600, 8600, 8800, 9400M, 9600M GT, GT 120, GT 130

Supported ATI Video Cards for the Mac: X1600, X1900, 2400, 2600, 3870, 4850, 4870

Supported Intel Video Cards for the Mac: GMA X3×00 series, GMA 3-Series

Mac Owners Please Note! If you own a G3, G4 or G5 PowerPC AND/OR an integrated INtel GMA 950 series video card, The Sims 3 will NOT work with your system. You need to purchase a new Mac if you want to play The Sims 3.