I have purchased this game hoping that it will run at least a little bit smoother than the full version of Sims 2, since it said LAPTOP FRIENDLY. How WRONG was I. Here is a list of points why you should not buy this over the original Sims 2:
1. By "Laptop Friendly" EA means only ONE thing: you play it in a separate window (NOT full screen) to give you the ability to check your emails, etc. without quitting the game. By the way, FULL SCREEN MODE IS NOT AN OPTION. And I checked numerous forums - not possible unless you want to mess with your computer a bit. Playing in a window ruins the atmosphere of the game.
2. IT DOES NOT RUN SMOOTHER than the Sims 2. I used to play Sims 2 with: "University Life" , "Night Life" , "Open For Business" , "Family Fun Stuff" and "Glamour Life Stuff" Expansion Packs on the same machine, and it worked at least the same or maybe even better.
3. REDUCED AMOUNT OF STUFF. even the initial and original SIms 2 had more stuff than this. There are no mods or additional stuff you can download (like the Sims 2), except the official stuff pack (which has only 5 pieces of furniture).
To conclude, I am very disappointed with this game. I should have bought the original SIms 2.