ARK Server Cluster: VPS hardware requirements

ARK: Survival Evolved is a multiplayer PC game distributed by Steam whose server software, called an ARK cluster, is compatible with Linux and can be hosted either on a VPS or on a personal computer. As of 2024 the hardware requirements are as follows:

• CPU: An ARK cluster requires about 1 CPU core for every map that it hosts, which is equivalent to 2 hyper-threading cores. In VPS parlance this translates to about 2 dedicated Ryzen or Epyc vCores per map. Be cautious with shared cores on a VPS, as they are often contended with other tenants on the same host, making them too weak. You’ll need dedicated cores. Additionally, I recommend avoiding Intel servers because cloud providers that offer Intel servers tend to use outdated Xeon chips due to their lower cost. The single-thread performance of these Xeons is often too weak, whereas Ryzen and Epyc CPUs have much stronger cores and are typically more recent acquisitions in virtualized environments.
• RAM: ARK needs about 4 to 8 GB of memory per map depending on the number of connected players: the more users are connected, the more memory it consumes. If unsure, reserve at least 6 GB per map.
• Disk: About 100 GB of storage for the ARK server plus 20 GB for each map. Opt for SSD or NVMe storage and avoid mechanical hard drives as they are too slow.
• Network: 100 Mbps has been reported to be enough, and luckily most VPSs offer faster networks with a speed of at least 1 Gbps.

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