Hardware Sizing Overview
Palworld is one of the most resource-intensive dedicated server workloads in modern game hosting. Creature AI simulation, real-time physics collisions, large multi-tier base automation, and Unreal Engine 5 garbage collection place substantial demands on server hardware.
Undersizing CPU clock speeds or RAM ceilings is the leading cause of tick-rate degradation (rubberbanding) and unexpected container crashes.
CPU Sizing: Clock Speed Over Core Count
Palworld's core game loop runs primarily on a single simulation thread:
- Processor Architecture: Modern AMD Ryzen processors (Ryzen 7000 / 9000 series, 7950X / 9950X) with high single-core turbo frequencies (4.5 GHz+) deliver superior tick stability compared to high-core-count, low-clock enterprise server CPUs.
- Recommended vCPUs:
- 4 to 8 players: 2–4 vCPUs
- 10 to 20 players: 4–6 vCPUs
- 32 players (full capacity): 6–8 vCPUs
Allocating more than 8 vCPUs provides minimal return because the primary simulation thread remains the execution bottleneck.
RAM Allocations & Memory Leak Headroom
Because Palworld experiences memory growth over prolonged runtimes, always provision headroom above baseline consumption:
| Player Count | Initial Boot Memory | 24-Hour Memory Ceiling | Recommended Warden Memory Allocation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Players | ~3.5 GB | ~8–10 GB | 8–12 GB |
| 8–12 Players | ~5.5 GB | ~12–14 GB | 16 GB |
| 16–24 Players | ~8.0 GB | ~16–20 GB | 24 GB |
| 32 Players | ~11.0 GB | ~24–28 GB | 32 GB |
Pair your memory allocation with automated restart schedules (every 6 to 8 hours) to prevent Out of Memory (OOM Exit 137) container kills.
Storage & NVMe Performance
- Server Installation: ~8 GB for SteamCMD server binaries.
- Save Game Growth: Fresh worlds start at ~50 MB, growing to 2–8 GB over months of active exploration, building, and breeding.
- Storage Type: Fast NVMe storage is critical. World auto-saving writes multi-gigabyte
Level.savarchives; slow SATA SSDs or HDDs cause noticeable tick freezes during save intervals. - Allocation: Budget at least 30 to 50 GB of NVMe storage to accommodate world data, player profiles, and local backup snapshots.
Bandwidth & Network Throughput
- Per Active Player: Approximately 50 to 150 Kbps upload.
- 32 Active Players: Peak outbound bandwidth is approximately 5 to 8 Mbps.
- Port Protocol: High-quality unmetered UDP connectivity with low jitter.