#computer specifications

[pen--pun]

Okay, I know very little about Computer Specifications so uhhhh

Is this good for small games? Maybe even medium games? Budget is 300

[alianoralacanta]

I have got Sims 2 Origin version successfully running, with little drama, on a computer with the following spec: - Windows 11 - i5, Generation 11, clock speed 3.2 GHz - 1 GB platter (old-style) drive capable of running at 9600 rpm - 16 GB memory - Nvidia GTX 1070 (There are other specs involved but none are relevant here)

As far as I can see, the important questions for The Sims 2 are below. Note that most of the above is also useful to consider for other Windows 3D games dating between 1999 (when all Windows games worldwide assumed a 32-bit environment; American games from as early as 1996 may apply) and 2007 (when games started to consider hyperthreading):

What version of The Sims 2 do you have? It’s easier with the Origin version, as you do not have to worry about incompatible DRM; the Origin DRM’s still getting updated for Windows 11. With this version, I run The Sims 2 on Windows 11, almost as if it was the Windows 7 or Windows XP computers I used to use. I have the CD/DVD version of Sims 2 as well, but do not use it because I know that both Safedisc and Securom are out of commission for all Microsoft operating systems. I wouldn’t normally recommend this, but you may need to consider some sort of DRM removal technique to get disk-based Sims 2 running on either Windows 11 or a new version of Windows 10. (The original unpatched Windows 10 might not need that, but I would strongly advise not doing so, if only because Windows 10 mostly stops getting security patches in 2025). The more legal option would be getting a fast computer (one that meets both the specs I’ve given and , sticking a virtual machine on it, installing your current operating system on that.  The 12th and 13th-gen i5s and i7s, with 32 GB/64GB of memory, can run Windows 7 and Sims 2 at an acceptable speed, if you give them enough space (try to allocate at least twice the space of your complete installation, including all mods, to the virtual machine). Windows XP is even easier to simulate, and Windows 98 will do. Virtual machines often require a fair bit of technical knowledge to set up (but are almost as easy to use as loading any other program), so your local computer expert should be consulted on the procedure. Expect to pay for 2-4 hours of that expert’s time if only Sims 2 and Windows are going on the virtual machine (including installation - exact speed depends on installation method and hard drive speed). The expert may also ask for proof you actually own a copy of the operating system you wish to install, but not necessarily. It goes without saying that if you have the disc version, you need to get a DVD drive. An internal DVD drive commits you to a Tower (Small Form Factor or Full) if you want a desktop and at least a 15.6″ for a laptop. Expect to pay less than £30 for a DVD drive, which can be fitted quickly by many computer experts. Most laptops don’t come with a DVD drive and some won’t let one be added at any price. You can get an external DVD drive instead, to plug into a USB port. This will not affect the gameplay but the cable is one more thing to fail and unless you plan to play Sims 2 on the move, an internal drive is likely to be more convenient. What is the clock speed of the processor? The guide above covers the type and generation of chip. However, Sims 2 can’t use multiple threads. The benefits of those elements chips will be felt more in browsing for new Sims 2 mods than in playing Sims 2 itself. However, Sims 2 benefits strongly from clock speed (that is, how fast each core can process). Downside: you’ll need to check each processor listed with each computer against a table that shows what each processor can do. Wikipedia has you covered if you put the processor’s company and type (e.g. “AMD Ryzen” or “Intel Core”). If an advert only shows company and type, without the exact processor name, put it aside; that might be precise enough for the average gamer, but not a power gamer like you! Check the clock speed is at least a match for your current computer to avoid disappointment. Upside: you can have The Sims 2 and other tasks like the internet open on your computer at the same time - The Sims 2 only ever uses one core, so you can use the other 3 (or 5, or 7) to browse the internet, download mods or any other multi-tasking you need your computer to do. Even running multiple Sims 2 sessions simultaneously. Does the computer have, or can it fit, a proper video card?

Some motherboards have a video card that can easily handle The Sims 2. I would advise not to gamble. Especially since not all the motherboard cooling issues with onboard chips of yesteryear are resolved for all current designs. Most if not all modern desktop motherboards for towers have a full PCI-E motherboard slot. Excellent. Now check no other cards will be in the way of either end (RAM slots are particularly likely to be a problem, due to some RAM cards now being aesthetic rather than just functional). Nvdia no longer sells a desktop video card that is incapable of running The Sims 2. However, new video cards are expensive and there are many, many second-hand video cards that fit in that motherboard slot that won’t run Sims 2 very well. In particular, don’t touch the Nvdia 8000 series with a 10-foot bargepole. Better a 6000 or 7000 series - or, if it fits, the card you already use - than an 8000-series. An ATI Radeon after 5500 will work as well. For mobile, your options are much more limited. It’s not just a question of what mobile video card you should get (but check if it can outperform the desktop cards quoted above), you must also consider the airflow of the laptop you will use. Get the laptop with the best airflow you can that meets the other criteria. Computer salespeople are likely to give you a strange look, but a laptop specialist will understand and know what to look for. Note: the very best video cards attached to Windows 7 machines may fit into PCI-E slots and thus allow you to avoid the uncertainty and expense. Ask a computer expert, and ideally let that expert see your card, before committing to that path. Also be aware that your card in this instance is likely to be a bit of a bottleneck if you play games designed to push computers built in the last 10 years. (If your browser and The Sims 2 are the toughest programs you will use, this will never be an issue). Check in particular if your video card has drivers for the operating system you want to use (if your card is out of support, it might not). If you get the chance to test drive the computer before committing, the best way to test the graphics is to get your Sims to set something on fire. Preferably a nice inferno with a dozen things on fire and several Sims on the lot to track (with some high-poly clothing or hair if possible), while time crosses an in-game hour boundary. Video systems that aren’t good enough for Sims 2 often slow down when trying to process fire in ways that can be hidden in standard gameplay. How fast is the hard drive? If the computer has an SSD or M.2 hard drive, and it’s at least 100 GB more than you would need for The Sims 2 plus your entire mod folder, you don’t need any other number; the SSD/M.2 will be fast enough. The slowest one’s about four times faster than the quickest consumer platter drive. Stick the operating system and The Sims 2 on it, put everything else on some other drive if needed to keep at least 50 GB clear on the SSD/M.2. If these include many other programs or frequently-accessed, get an(other) SSD, if you specifically need a backup/archive drive instead, a platter drive is OK. If the only drive in the computer is a platter drive, you have two options: 1) Find out the drive speed. The Sims 2 should not be played on any platter drive slower than 7200 rpm. Avoid anything faster than 9600 rpm because it’s apt to sound like a plane is taking off. 2) Get the computer anyway and get an M.2 or SSD drive to go with it. For the sake of your patience, install Windows onto that drive, then install The Sims 2 there as well. Continue to use the original drive for backup purposes. In the case of option 2, get a drive from a company you recognise. Samsung has an excellent reputation for its SSD drives Check SSD physical size and accessories before purchase. Most are 2.5″ (perfect for laptops). If you want it for a desktop, either check there’s a mounting kit with it, or buy one (they’re quite common and cheap). Get a computer expert to fit it and (if you want) clone the data you want onto the drive. Is there enough memory? Please, please, please do not attempt to run Windows 11 on less than 16 GB. I tried and it literally took 20 minutes to start the computer - even before installing anything on it. Get at least 16 GB. If all you plan to do is Sims 2 and internet, that’s all you’ll need. However, if you also like to play the latest games, get 32 GB or even 64 GB. You can’t get memory for these computers that’s too slow for The Sims 2. However, you can get memory too fast for the motherboard, so check with the manual or your local computer expert before purchase. Bonus after purchase: Have you installed the 3 GB patch? 8 GB isn’t enough to run Windows 11 at a decent pace, let alone anything on top of it. The leftover from 16 GB is more than The Sims 2 can use. By default, it can only use 2 GB. However, the 3 GB patch is stable enough that I would advise any Simmer running it on a Windows 10/11 machine with more than 8 GB of memory to install it. You put this on after you’ve installed the game and all its official expansion packs. Mods can be added and removed freely after this without impeding the function of the 3 GB patch. Bonus after purchase: Did you get a new monitor or video card?

There’s no obligation to get a new monitor with the new computer - converters are cheap if your current monitor needs one. However, if you did get a monitor and it’s a widescreen, get a widescreen patch for The Sims 2 and install it. This will help you get resolution options that make sense. The same is needed for a new video card - even if you kept your old monitor, it’s possible your video card may be able to drive it at a resolution The Sims 2 did not anticipate needing to use. I believe multiple patches of this type exist for The Sims 2; experiment and find out which works for you. Bonus after purchase: Check your video card settings After you install the video card, make sure you go into the video driver control panel and check the following (note that you can set this per application, and the Origin version of The Sims 2 may be controllable via the Origin entry if The Sims 2 itself does not show there): Ambient Occlusion - Turn off Antialiasing FXAA - Turn off Antialiasing - Application-controlled. This is because The Sims 2 has some antialiasing and Nvidia’s in particular clashes. Power management mode - Optimal power (if in any doubt about your system’s cooling, especially important on laptops that are used while travelling) V-sync - Application-controlled. Again, Sims 2 can handle this and the video card driver may be a hindrance. Check anything else your widescreen patch tells you to check as well.

Finally, I strongly recommend you launch the Origin version of Sims 2 from its executable, not any other method. This skips the program’s propensity to try sending stuff to the internet that it does not need to send. It’s not like there’ll be any new updates for the Sims 2 coming from EA!

So You Need To Buy A Computer But You Don't Know What Specs Are Good These Days

Hi.

This is literally my job.

Lots of people are buying computers for school right now or are replacing computers as their five-year-old college laptop craps out so here's the standard specs you should be looking for in a (windows) computer purchase in August 2023.

PROCESSOR

Intel i5 (no older than 10th Gen)

Ryzen 7

You can get away with a Ryzen 5 but an intel i3 should be an absolute last resort. You want at least an intel i5 or a Ryzen 7 processor. The current generation of intel processors is 13, but anything 10 or newer is perfectly fine. DO NOT get a higher performance line with an older generation; a 13th gen i5 is better than an 8th gen i7. (Unfortunately I don't know enough about ryzens to tell you which generation is the earliest you should get, but staying within 3 generations is a good rule of thumb)

RAM

8GB absolute minimum

If you don't have at least 8GB RAM on a modern computer it's going to be very, very slow. Ideally you want a computer with at least 16GB, and it's a good idea to get a computer that will let you add or swap RAM down the line (nearly all desktops will let you do this, for laptops you need to check the specs for Memory and see how many slots there are and how many slots are available; laptops with soldered RAM cannot have the memory upgraded - this is common in very slim laptops)

STORAGE

256GB SSD

Computers mostly come with SSDs these days; SSDs are faster than HDDs but typically have lower storage for the same price. That being said: SSDs are coming down in price and if you're installing your own drive you can easily upgrade the size for a low cost. Unfortunately that doesn't do anything for you for the initial purchase.

A lot of cheaper laptops will have a 128GB SSD and, because a lot of stuff is stored in the cloud these days, that can be functional. I still recommend getting a bit more storage than that because it's nice if you can store your music and documents and photos on your device instead of on the cloud. You want to be able to access your files even if you don't have internet access.

But don't get a computer with a big HDD instead of getting a computer with a small SSD. The difference in speed is noticeable.

SCREEN (laptop specific)

Personally I find that touchscreens have a negative impact on battery life and are easier to fuck up than standard screens. They are also harder to replace if they get broken. I do not recommend getting a touch screen unless you absolutely have to.

A lot of college students especially tend to look for the biggest laptop screen possible; don't do that. It's a pain in the ass to carry a 17" laptop around campus and with the way that everything is so thin these days it's easier to damage a 17" screen than a 14" screen.

On the other end of that: laptops with 13" screens tend to be very slim devices that are glued shut and impossible to work on or upgrade.

Your best bet (for both functionality and price) is either a 14" or a 15.6" screen. If you absolutely positively need to have a 10-key keyboard on your laptop, get the 15.6". If you need something portable more than you need 10-key, get a 14"

FORM FACTOR (desktop specific)

If you purchase an all-in-one desktop computer I will begin manifesting in your house physically. All-in-ones take away every advantage desktops have in terms of upgradeability and maintenance; they are expensive and difficult to repair and usually not worth the cost of disassembling to upgrade.

There are about four standard sizes of desktop PC: All-in-One (the size of a monitor with no other footprint), Tower (Big! probably at least two feet long in two directions), Small Form Factor Tower (Very moderate - about the size of a large shoebox), and Mini/Micro/Tiny (Small! about the size of a small hardcover book).

If you are concerned about space you are much better off getting a MicroPC and a bracket to put it on your monitor than you are getting an all-in-one. This will be about a million percent easier to work on than an all-in-one and this way if your monitor dies your computer is still functional.

Small form factor towers and towers are the easiest to work on and upgrade; if you need a burly graphics card you need to get a full size tower, but for everything else a small form factor tower will be fine. Most of our business sales are SFF towers and MicroPCs, the only time we get something larger is if we have to put a $700 graphics card in it. SFF towers will accept small graphics cards and can handle upgrades to the power supply; MicroPCs can only have the RAM and SSD upgraded and don't have room for any other components or their own internal power supply.

WARRANTY

Most desktops come with either a 1 or 3 year warranty; either of these is fine and if you want to upgrade a 1 year to a 3 year that is also fine. I've generally found that if something is going to do a warranty failure on desktop it's going to do it the first year, so you don't get a hell of a lot of added mileage out of an extended warranty but it doesn't hurt and sometimes pays off to do a 3-year.

Laptops are a different story. Laptops mostly come with a 1-year warranty and what I recommend everyone does for every laptop that will allow it is to upgrade that to the longest warranty you can get with added drop/damage protection. The most common question our customers have about laptops is if we can replace a screen and the answer is usually "yes, but it's going to be expensive." If you're purchasing a low-end laptop, the parts and labor for replacing a screen can easily cost more than half the price of a new laptop. HOWEVER, the way that most screens get broken is by getting dropped. So if you have a warranty with drop protection, you just send that sucker back to the factory and they fix it for you.

So, if it is at all possible, check if the manufacturer of a laptop you're looking at has a warranty option with drop protection. Then, within 30 days (though ideally on the first day you get it) of owning your laptop, go to the manufacturer site, register your serial number, and upgrade the warranty. If you can't afford a 3-year upgrade at once set a reminder for yourself to annually renew. But get that drop protection, especially if you are a college student or if you've got kids.

And never, ever put pens or pencils on your laptop keyboard. I've seen people ruin thousand dollar, brand-new laptops that they can't afford to fix because they closed the screen on a ten cent pencil. Keep liquids away from them too.

LIFESPAN

There's a reasonable chance that any computer you buy today will still be able to turn on and run a program or two in ten years. That does not mean that it is "functional."

At my office we estimate that the functional lifespan of desktops is 5-7 years and the functional lifespan of laptops is 3-5 years. Laptops get more wear and tear than desktops and desktops are easier to upgrade to keep them running. At 5 years for desktops and 3 years for laptops you should look at upgrading the RAM in the device and possibly consider replacing the SSD with a new (possibly larger) model, because SSDs and HDDs don't last forever.

COST

This means that you should think of your computers as an annual investment rather than as a one-time purchase. It is more worthwhile to pay $700 for a laptop that will work well for five years than it is to pay $300 for a laptop that will be outdated and slow in one year (which is what will happen if you get an 8th gen i3 with 8GB RAM). If you are going to get a $300 laptop try to get specs as close as possible to the minimums I've laid out here.

If you have to compromise on these specs, the one that is least fixable is the processor. If you get a laptop with an i3 processor you aren't going to be able to upgrade it even if you can add more RAM or a bigger SSD. If you have to get lower specs in order to afford the device put your money into the processor and make sure that the computer has available slots for upgrade and that neither the RAM nor the SSD is soldered to the motherboard. (one easy way to check this is to search "[computer model] RAM upgrade" on youtube and see if anyone has made a video showing what the inside of the laptop looks like and how much effort it takes to replace parts)

Computers are expensive right now. This is frustrating, because historically consumer computer prices have been on a downward trend but since 2020 that trend has been all over the place. Desktop computers are quite expensive at the moment (August 2023) and decent laptops are extremely variably priced.

If you are looking for a decent, upgradeable laptop that will last you a few years, here are a couple of options that you can purchase in August 2023 that have good prices for their specs:

14" Lenovo - $670 - 11th-gen i5, 16GB RAM, and 512GB SSD

15.6" HP - $540 - 11th-gen i5, 16GB RAM, and 256GB SSD

14" Dell - $710 - 12th-gen i5, 16GB RAM, and 256GB SSD

If you are looking for a decent, affordable desktop that will last you a few years, here are a couple of options that you can purchase in August 2023 that have good prices for their specs:

SFF HP - $620 - 10th-gen i5, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD

SFF Lenovo - $560 - Ryzen 7 5000 series, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD

Dell Tower - $800 - 10th-gen i7, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD

If I were going to buy any of these I'd probably get the HP laptop or the Dell Tower. The HP Laptop is actually a really good price for what it is.

Anyway happy computering.

[captain-krow-drozdov]

Danny Is An Alternate Version Of Ra's Al Ghul And Flash Already Called Dibs On Adopting Him

Danny In All His Sleep Deprived Slightly Scuffed Up From A Fight Glory Is On His Way To Clockworks Tower To Hopefully Get A Nap And Maybe Some Homework Done When A Natural Portal Opens Up In Front Of Him And Proceeds To Unceremoniously Drop Him In The DC Verse Just Outside Of Central City Before Promptly Closing Leaving A Tired Danny Behind In A Run Down Abandoned Parking Lot.

It's Times Like This When Danny Regrets Putting Off Learning How To Make His Own Portals, Cause Now He Is Very Much Stuck For The Foreseeable Future And He Has No Idea Where Or When He Is. Luckily For Him However Central City Isn't Too Far Away, Unlucky For Him However Is That Once In The City He Realizes This Isn't His Dimension. He's Pretty Sure He'd Remember Something Called The Justice League.

So What Do You Do When Supernatural Bullshit Fails You? You Fall Back On Your Mad Scientist Roots And You Make A Portal Gun. So That's Exactly What Danny Plans To Do.

Unfortunately Staying Alive And Building Questionably Safe Portal Technology Requires Money And Supplies, So He Ends Up Wandering From City To City Doing Odd Jobs/Fixing Up Busted Tech For Cash Or Unwanted Electronics For His "Operation: Get Home" Needs. This Obviously Ends In A Few Superhero Encounter Shenanigans.

Though He Always Ends Up Back Near Central City, Both On The Off Chance The Natural Portal Will Open Up Again And Because Out Of All The Superheroes That Apparently Exist In This Universe The Speedsters Are His Favorite (Red Robin Is Solidly His Second Favorite Ever Since The Gotham Vigilante Gave Him A Large Coffee Filled With Enough Caffeine To Kill A Man).

Unbeknownst To Danny However Is That Every Hero/Vigilante He Has Encountered Has Come To At Least One Of The Following Conclusions; 1. Run Away Meta Who Is In Desperate Need Of A Good Meal/Adoption Bait. 2. Possibly Red Robin/Tim Drake Clone 3. A Good Kid But Could Possibly Be A Future Rouge If Left Unsupervised. 4. Did Bats Get A New Kid And Why Is He Here?

All Flash Knows Is That He Saw The Kid First And Therefore Has Dibs. Suck It Bruce.

Fast-forward A Few Months And Danny Gets Hurt During A Rogue Attack While Trying To Help Some Civilians Get To Safety (Old Hero Habits Die Hard (Ha Die Hard) And All That Jazz) And He Nopes Out Once Everyone Is Safe And When The Paramedics Are Busy With Other People Unaware He Left A Blood Sample Behind.

One DNA Test Brought To You By Paranoid Bat Concerns Of A Possible Red Robin Clone Later And They Find Out That Dannys DNA Matches One Ra's Al Ghul.

They Now Think Danny Is An Escaped Ra's Al Ghul Clone.

Memes For The Vibes:

[nightly-nightcat]

Can we see night cat playing with some glowsticks, please?

day 190 - enrichment for her

[yuwuta]

katsuki might be a little rough, brash to those who don’t know him, he might bluff with fake threats but even then it’s all talk and much milder when directed at you than at his friends. because katsuki is kind, he’s reasonable, he’s gentle, he’s a lover through and through. he doesn’t even ever really get mad at you, and when you’re mad at him, he doesn’t let that be either. the only time he’s mean is when he’s being nice to you; when he’s being so gentle and willing and willing and willing to be kind to you even amongst your frustration that it feels smothering, almost as if you’re undeserving of his rationality and patience. he doesn’t think so, and he won’t change his mind on it, either. he loves you and you’re precious to him so you’re going to have to get used to it and get over it because he won’t stop

[starcorvid]

take a deep breath in

[londonfoginacup]

(reference)

[chocodile]

A handful of Neopets themed stickers I'll be selling at Anthro Weekend Utah along with the big Neopets print!

The aesthetics were inspired by old avatars and webring banners from the early aughts.

[lovely-hikari-cosplay]

Hi y’all 👋🏾

—-

Here’s a SUPER SHORT animation test for Lockette’s Basix (Magic Winx) which is a companion piece/update to this post

—-

I really wanted to post my process along side this in a single post but Tumblr said no 🙅🏾‍♀️ So I’ll make a separate post for it later today!

[poorlydrawninstarsandtime]

"WHY ARE YOU REFERRING TO YOUR FEET AS 'DOGS', ISABEAU. STOP IT."

[id in alt]

[bluuscreen]

commissions update june 2025 — ★

normal style — ★

cartoony style —♥︎

hiya! decided to once again update my comm sheets ♥︎ feels right to do it every few months with some fresh art

[link to artistree, where you can request a commission!]

you don’t need an account, and we can message on the site itself ♥︎ easy peasy! there’s also some extra options not shown in the post, like custom character emojis, minecraft skins, and dimly lit paintings of bathrooms :D

commissions are my only form of income since i’m physically disabled and don’t have a drivers license, so commissioning me, sending in a tip on ko-fi, or even just sharing this post is greatly appreciated! ╰(*´︶`*)╯♡ [especially since i really want a new computer to be able to play minecraft with my friends without living in a slideshow…]

[skyrim-forever]

2023

2024

BUT ONE DAY IN 20-EVENTUALLY

[star-lights-up]

friends au cherik in which they never break up but have loud arguments that drive their friends crazy

(click for better quality)

[bumblingbabooshka]

I need every non-Human Star Trek character to start talking about their countries and hometowns NOW!! Tuvok definitely roots for his local sports team internally even though they suck and are horrible. He's gonna watch the game and he's gonna be frustrated with their performance every time.

Vulcans posting shit like this ☝️is commonplace in my mind

[artbytesslyn]

i am often reminded that i might be making the only solarpunk media that makes you wanna rip your eyeballs out

[soundleer]

ts fun as hell, more whiteboard doodles yee