Can I play The Sims 4 and Paralives without a dedicated GPU?

The fact that a game is CPU-heavy doesn’t mean the graphics card is unimportant. The CPU handles simulation and game logic, while the GPU still renders the world, characters, lighting, and effects. The 7600X’s integrated graphics can provide a display and may manage very light gaming, but a dedicated GPU will be needed for a better experience.

You can try running lighter games on the integrated graphics, especially at 720p with low detail settings and a capped frame rate. Some systems may experience stuttering or crashes depending on the game, but adding a dedicated GPU later is straightforward: connect the monitor to the new card and install its drivers.

If you want stronger gaming performance before buying a graphics card, an AMD Ryzen 5 8600G would be a better temporary option than the 7600X. Its integrated graphics are much more capable and can handle lighter games reasonably well. However, the 7600X is generally the stronger long-term CPU choice, and the 8600G has some platform limitations, including fewer PCIe lanes for a future graphics card. If the dedicated GPU will arrive soon, keeping the 7600X and using low settings temporarily is probably the better upgrade path.

The Ryzen 5 7600X does have integrated graphics, but they’re extremely basic—mainly intended for displaying a desktop and troubleshooting. The Sims 4 may run at low settings and reduced resolution, but don’t expect smooth 1080p performance. Paralives could be more demanding, so its performance is less certain. A dedicated GPU should make a substantial difference even if the game is CPU-heavy.