Your server's hardware determines how many players you can host, how fast chunks load, and whether your TPS stays stable. But not all hardware is equal: a server with 16 GB RAM on an old CPU performs worse than a server with 8 GB on a modern processor.
CPU: the most important component
Minecraft runs mostly on a single thread. That means clock speed and IPC (instructions per clock) matter more than the number of cores. A Ryzen 9 7950X at 5.7 GHz significantly outperforms a Xeon E5-2670 at 2.6 GHz, even if the Xeon has more cores.
At HostValues, we use AMD Ryzen 9 7950X processors: currently the best available for game servers.
RAM per scenario
| Scenario | RAM |
|---|---|
| Vanilla, 1-5 players | 2 GB |
| Paper/Spigot, 5-15 players, basic plugins | 3-4 GB |
| Paper, 15-30 players, many plugins | 4-6 GB |
| Paper, 30-50 players, heavy plugins | 6-8 GB |
| Light modpack (20-50 mods) | 4-6 GB |
| Medium modpack (100-200 mods) | 6-8 GB |
| Heavy modpack (ATM10, 300+ mods) | 10-12 GB |
| Proxy (Velocity/BungeeCord) | 512 MB - 1 GB |
Storage: NVMe makes a difference
Minecraft constantly reads and writes chunks. The difference between storage types:
- NVMe SSD: 3000-7000 MB/s. Chunks load instantly, backups complete in seconds. The best choice.
- SATA SSD: 500 MB/s. Good enough for most servers, noticeably slower with large worlds.
- HDD: 100-200 MB/s. Unacceptable for Minecraft. Chunks load slowly, auto-saves cause lag spikes.
All HostValues servers run on NVMe.
Network
Minecraft uses surprisingly little bandwidth: 50-100 Kbps per player. But latency (ping) is crucial. Choose a server in the same region as your players. A server in Amsterdam gives European players 5-15 ms ping.
Java 25 and memory usage
Minecraft 26.x requires Java 25. Newer Java versions are more efficient with memory and garbage collection. Always use the Aikar flags for optimal JVM configuration.
How much does it cost?
At HostValues, Minecraft servers start at the Iron plan (2 GB) for 2.80 EUR per month. For most small to medium servers, the Gold plan (4 GB, 5.60 EUR) is the sweet spot. Modded servers start at the Diamond plan (6 GB, 8.40 EUR).
Is more RAM always better?
Up to a point. Too much RAM can actually be detrimental if the garbage collector takes longer to manage it. Do not allocate more than your server uses plus 20% headroom. Monitor memory usage with Spark.
How many players can I host on 4 GB?
On Paper with basic plugins: comfortably 15-20 players. With view distance at 8 and simulation distance at 6, you can push toward 25. With heavy plugins (Dynmap, many custom scripts), you are closer to 10-15.
Do I need a dedicated server or is shared hosting enough?
Game hosting from a reliable provider (with guaranteed RAM and modern CPU) performs comparably to a dedicated server for most Minecraft servers. Dedicated becomes necessary only at 100+ concurrent players or multiple servers on one machine.
Check out Minecraft hosting at HostValues with Ryzen 9 hardware and NVMe storage.
