Tech and Equipment

So you want to start a Youtube channel? Well great news! Here at the Sims Community we have got all the information you will need to get started! Each article will give a detailed guide into every aspect of simming on Youtube starting today with the equipment you will need.

PC or Laptop?

Being a youtuber myself I get a lot of questions regarding PC specs and how I get my game play to run so smoothly. This is one of the most important aspects of your setup, no PC/laptop no sims! Which brings me to my primary point, PC or laptop? In my opinion using a PC for this kind of thing is a much better option for various reasons. When you intend to record game play you need a moderately powerful system that is capable of running your game without a tone of lag and will record at a frame rate of at least 30 frames per second without skipping frames. Of course this is achievable with a laptop, however finding a laptop capable of this could cost you significantly more money and is more likely to overheat. Perhaps the biggest concern of using a laptop is when it breaks, unlike with a PC you cannot simply extract the broken component and replace it, you are more likely to have to replace the entire thing. If you have already made your mind up, its time to talk specs, the minimum required specifications to run The Sims 4 on PC and Mac can be found here and below are the specs that I currently have in my own computer:

Operating System – Windows 7 Ultimate
CPU – Intel Core i3 4130 @ 3.40GHz
Motherboard – ASUS H81M-E
Graphics Card – ATI ASUS R7 250X Series
4GB RAM

Recording Audio

Aside from your actual system, the next essential bit of kit you will need is a microphone! This is a controversial topic as there are so many different brands and at times they can be very pricey! But if you make the right choice first time round you can save yourself some pennies. Expensive microphones ARE NOT necessary. Yes they are good, but there are others out there that work the same if not better for a lot less money!

Pricey microphones like the Blue Yeti or Rode Podcaster are very popular in the simming/Youtube community. I know very little simmers who don’t use one of these, but it is not necessary as there are cheaper options like I have listed above which produce very clear audio needed for voice over! Nobody likes to sit through 25 minutes of muffled, echoed, crackly audio and so this is one of the most important aspects of your videos. If you would like to hear how the Floureon BM-800 sounds check out SourPatchSimmer, she uses this for her voice overs! And I use the Blue Snowball. In the reviews section for the Tonor mic someone has provided a sound test so you can hear the clarity for yourself.

That is all for today! I hope this helps all of you looking to embark on your own Youtube journeys, next time I will be advising you guys on screen capture and editing software!