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Which Intel NUC for Sims 4?

G

gene0915

n00b
Joined
Dec 8, 2012
Messages
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My wife and oldest daughter share an aging PC. The specs are as follows:

Q9450 CPU
4 gigs of RAM
NVidia 8800GT GPU
Windows 7 64bit
24" monitor for now but might hook it up to a 32" TV (720p)

The most demanding games they play on it are Spore (yes, the ancient alien creating game) and The Sims 4. They don't play anything else. Mainly it's used for web browsing, Skype, Word/Excel for homework.

I want to get a mini PC and was looking at the following:

NUC5i5RYH (will install 4 gigs of RAM(maybe 8) and a 120 gig 2.5" SSD). HD 6000

NUC5i3RYH (will install 4 gigs of RAM(maybe 8) and a 120 gig 2.5" SSD). HD 5500

OR..... should I wait a little longer and go with the NUC5i7RYH? (which comes with HD 6100).

I was also eyeing the HP Pavilion Mini Desktop 300-030 (replace the 1TB platter drive with an SSD?) (HD 4400)

So out of all those choices above..... in your opinion, which would be the best value? For Spore, I really don't worry about the GPU not being able to keep up since the game is so old but my wife currently plays Sims 4 at "high" gfx settings and if the details need to be turned down, she won't like that much. :) I mean, if the 5500 can handle Sims 4 on high, I'm fine with picking the NUC5i3RYH. This PC will never be used for playing Crysis 5 or anything like that.

Side notes...... I thought I read something recently that talked about the NUCs having problems with shutting down and staying powered off. True? And how is the noise from the fan? (Loud? Hardly noticeable?)

BONUS ROUND :)

For my YOUNGEST daughter..... I was thinking about getting her an Asus Chromebox. The ONLY thing she does is watch videos on YouTube. Safe to assume the Chromebox can handle that with ease?
 
Can't quite determine best value until we see pricing, though I don't think Sims 4 would play fluidly (60FPS) on High, even with the HD 6100. What I would do for that is to go with some SFF case that can take a GTX 750 Ti. Do a Core i3 with that card and they'll be set.

For the Youtuber, how big of a screen would she get, and does she already have it? Sounds to me that a cheap tablet would do the trick for around $100 with your choice of Android or Windows 8.1 Bing.
 
Definitely agree with wondering what the price will be on the NUC5i7RYH.

As of now, the NUC5i5RYH is coming in around $400, the NUC5i3RYH at $300 and the HP (roughly) at $450. I think $400 is my sweet spot. Unless the performance on the NUC5i7RYH, with it's 6100 video, is out of this world amazing, I'll probably go with the NUC5i3RYH......mainly because I can't seem to find the NUC5i5RYH anywhere. (Well, anywhere I'd feel comfortable ordering from.)

I found some videos of the Sims 4 running with Intel HD 5500, being pushed by an i5-5200U and was pleased with the results. I know the NUC5i3RYH only has an i3-5010U but looking at a comparison between those processors, .... things should be ABOUT the same (fps wise).... plus, Newegg has the NUC5i3RYH in stock. I'm afraid that when the NUC5i7RYH DOES drop, it will be probably 4-6 months before it's actually in the retail chain.

As for the little Youtuber, I was going to hook her Chromebox up to a 19" 4:3 monitor (yes, 4:3 :) ) because it has built in speakers.
 
Why not an Alienware Alpha?

At $500, the price is right, and the starter rig includes a nice *desktop* i3 and potent graphics... And it's not too much larger than a NUC in the grand scheme of things.
 
The i7 nuc will also have an operating frequency a lot higher than the i5 nuc, but for the gaming price point the alpha is a pretty damn good price, and it comes complete at that price rather than piecemeal like the nuc needing memory, storage and os.
 
Sims 4 is a horrible resource guzzling piece of crap (just like Sims 3). There is no integrated gpu in existence that has enough performance to keep Sims 4 running at a decent frame rate with any graphics settings that don't look horrible, so I'd forget the NUC right away. You'll need a decent discrete gpu.

As a reference, Sims 4 won't even run smoothly on my gf's i7 3770K + R9 290X (and 16 GB ram), on her 1920x1200 display.
 
I shot the Alpha down early on because I've seen a few people bitch about the loud fan noise and it doesn't have a 3.5mm audio jack for external speakers.
 
backfeed said:
Sims 4 is a horrible resource guzzling piece of crap (just like Sims 3). There is no integrated gpu in existence that has enough performance to keep Sims 4 running at a decent frame rate with any graphics settings that don't look horrible, so I'd forget the NUC right away. You'll need a decent discrete gpu.

As a reference, Sims 4 won't even run smoothly on my gf's i7 3770K + R9 290X (and 16 GB ram), on her 1920x1200 display.
Click to expand...

On her Q9450/8800GT setup, the fps averages AROUND 35 with the gfx options set to high and she is happy with that performance. If she's OK with it, so am I.
 
gene0915 said:
On her Q9450/8800GT setup, the fps averages AROUND 35 with the gfx options set to high and she is happy with that performance. If she's OK with it, so am I.
Click to expand...

But the problem is, it's okay TODAY. What happens when you try to play The Sims 5 tomorrow, and it's not enough? You pay an extra $400+ for a new system to replace that stupid NUC you bought, that's what.

The NUC is a stupid idea for anyone who plays demanding games, because the otherwise fairly capable HD 6000 or HD 6100 GPUs are constrained by the pathetic cooling and the software-enforced 15w TDP, which throttles performance. Speaking of pathetic cooling, I've heard that the fan is audible during gaming, so it's no better deal than the Alpha.

You want cheap, relatively small, quiet, and upgradable? How about the Fractal Design Node 304? SPCR gave it a thumbs-up, and they're particularly demanding about easy access and low noise.

Fans on low are inaudible from the front, at one foot away, and have enough airflow to cool a decent GPU. You can pick up case + full ATX PSU + mobo + Core i3 either 54 watt or 35 watt processor for $300, which is the same price as the NUC. It leaves you room for a two-slot cooler GPU (GTX 750, 750 Ti, perhaps?), if you ever decide the HD 4400 graphics are not powerful enough.

The i5 NUC is slower than a Core i3 3.7 GHz, which is clocked slightly faster the the 54w part I linked above. The Haswell HD 4600 graphics is also the same performance-wise in Thief as the Broadwell NUC, because the NUC's newer architecture is hindered by the stupid tiny case and 15w TDP:

http://techreport.com/review/27798/intel-broadwell-powered-nuc-mini-pc-reviewed/4

This is a 750 Ti decimating that same game at 1080p Ultra. If you are savvy, you can find one of these for $120. The fastest DESKTOP-CLASS integrated graphics in existence was running the same game at 720p normal, at 25fps.

http://www.digitalstormonline.com/unlocked/thief-video-card-benchmarks-nvidia-and-amd-idnum184/

So yeah, start with integrated graphics,. but LEAVE YOURSELF AN UPGRADE PATH, because I guarantee you the CPU performance of a Core i3 will be enough to drive new games for several years, but she will definitely get tired of what the integrated GPU can do (even if you wait for the 28w parts to ship). And a $100 discrete GPU will run miles around whatever the latest integrated graphics is, and is a whole lot less expensive than buying a whole new system just to get a better IGP.
 
Last edited:
defaultluser, thanks for the input, greatly appreciated! (Not to leave anyone else out so thanks to you all! :) )

I totally understand what you're saying and know where you're coming from BUT..... since I built this PC for them, the only games that have ever been played on this PC (no lie) are:

Dungeon Master
Theme Hospital
Roller coaster Tycoon
The Sims 2, 3 and 4
and a few of those "ship simulator" games

I'm not toooooo worried about what games may grace this future build but I'm confident to say it won't be Crysis 10. Even if The Sims 5 is in the cards.....I'm fairly confident a NUC type box will be able to play it at an acceptable frame rate for the Mrs and my oldest daughter. This PC will spend 80% of it's time doing Skype/internet/Facebook/Office suite type tasks.

Would I use or game on a NUC? HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL no! But for a small, out of the way PC that won't spend a lot of time playing games...... I'm really liking the small form factor of a NUC type box. I checked out the Fractal Design Node case and it looks nice but another reason I'm looking for a small footprint PC is my wife is tired of a bulky mid-tower laying on the floor. She loves the idea of the NUC being VESA mount capable. I showed her the Fractal box and she was all, "So instead of the big tower, we'll have a slightly smaller, shoe-box tower to deal with."
 
gene0915 said:
defaultluser, thanks for the input, greatly appreciated! (Not to leave anyone else out so thanks to you all! :) )

I totally understand what you're saying and know where you're coming from BUT..... since I built this PC for them, the only games that have ever been played on this PC (no lie) are:

Dungeon Master
Theme Hospital
Roller coaster Tycoon
The Sims 2, 3 and 4
and a few of those "ship simulator" games

I'm not toooooo worried about what games may grace this future build but I'm confident to say it won't be Crysis 10. Even if The Sims 5 is in the cards.....I'm fairly confident a NUC type box will be able to play it at an acceptable frame rate for the Mrs and my oldest daughter. This PC will spend 80% of it's time doing Skype/internet/Facebook/Office suite type tasks.

Would I use or game on a NUC? HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL no! But for a small, out of the way PC that won't spend a lot of time playing games...... I'm really liking the small form factor of a NUC type box. I checked out the Fractal Design Node case and it looks nice but another reason I'm looking for a small footprint PC is my wife is tired of a bulky mid-tower laying on the floor. She loves the idea of the NUC being VESA mount capable. I showed her the Fractal box and she was all, "So instead of the big tower, we'll have a slightly smaller, shoe-box tower to deal with."
Click to expand...

Fair enough. The Node 304 is a bit large, and has trouble passing the Wife Test :D

This is the only other recommendation I can make, but otherwise I guess you need the NUC.

http://www.silentpcreview.com/Silverstone_ML05_m-ITX_HTPC_case
 
Wizzard said:
Why not an Alienware Alpha?

At $500, the price is right, and the starter rig includes a nice *desktop* i3 and potent graphics... And it's not too much larger than a NUC in the grand scheme of things.
Click to expand...

Actually, that's a fantastic idea!

gene0915 said:
I shot the Alpha down early on because I've seen a few people bitch about the loud fan noise and it doesn't have a 3.5mm audio jack for external speakers.
Click to expand...

If you end up using a 32" TV, audio will go through the HDMI cable.

You can also easily add an output with a cheap $15 USB sound card. In fact, some of these cheap USB soundcards may put out better quality audio than built-in soundcards.

For the noise, just stick it either behind the monitor, or underneath the desk. Sound becomes attenuated if you don't have line of sight.
 
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