Hardware Requirements

Because SquidServers runs Minecraft servers on your own computer, your hardware directly determines how many players your server can support and how smooth the experience will be. SquidServers has no built-in player caps, but your hardware sets the real limits.

What impacts server performance

Your system resources are the ceiling. Here is what you should look out for:

• CPU: Minecraft server software primarily uses a single CPU thread for processing game logic. A faster processor with higher clock speeds will handle more players and more complex worlds without lag spikes.
• RAM: Each Minecraft version, mod, and plugin uses memory. A vanilla 1.21.4 server with no mods should use 1-2 GB. Modded servers often use 4-8 GB or more.
• Storage: Your world size, player count, and how many chunks are loaded affect disk usage. Use an SSD if possible for faster chunk loading and world saves.
• Internet Upload Speed: Every player connected to the server uses upload bandwidth. More players means more bandwidth. A good wired connection is strongly recommended.

Recommended specs

Server Type	CPU	RAM	Storage	Upload Speed
Vanilla (1-5 players)	2+ cores	2 GB	SSD recommended	5+ Mbps
Vanilla (5-10 players)	4+ cores	4 GB	SSD	10+ Mbps
Vanilla (10-20 players)	4+ cores	8 GB	SSD	20+ Mbps
Modded (1-5 players)	4+ cores	8 GB	SSD	10+ Mbps
Modded (5-10 players)	6+ cores	12-16 GB	SSD	20+ Mbps

Caution

These are rough guidelines. Actual requirements vary based on the specific mods and plugins you use, the world size, and how many players are active at once. A single heavy modpack can easily require more RAM than a vanilla server with 20 players.

See Why does SquidServers recommend a maximum of 12GB of RAM? for details on why more RAM can actually hurt performance.