Enshrouded

Enshrouded Server Requirements

Discover the RAM requirements for Enshrouded servers to optimize performance. Learn how much you truly need to enhance your gaming experience.

Shahrukh S
Shahrukh S

Shahrukh Sial is a Gaming Content Strategist at Sparked Host. He identifies his own strategic outlines through deep research to cover game guides, tips, and updates that help players improve their skills and enjoy a better gaming experience.

So you want to host an Enshrouded server for you and your friends. Maybe you're tired of relying on someone else's world, or you want a persistent server that runs 24/7. Either way, the first question everyone asks is: how much RAM do I actually need?

The short answer: it depends on how you host and how many people play. The long answer? That's what this guide is for.

The Baseline Numbers

An Enshrouded dedicated server needs 4 GB to 8 GB of dedicated RAM at minimum for the game server itself. The official developer recommendation from Keen Games is 16 GB of system RAM if you're self-hosting on your own local PC.

Why the gap? Because Enshrouded uses a fully voxel-based, destructible terrain system. Every block you break, every tunnel you dig, every building you place gets tracked by the server. That memory usage adds up fast, especially as your world gets older and more players explore farther out.

RAM Requirements by Player Count

If you're buying a server package from a dedicated host, you're paying for containerized RAM. The amount you need scales with concurrent players and world age:

Active Players Recommended RAM Best For
1 to 2 players 2 GB to 4 GB Solo or duo in a fresh, localized world
3 to 8 players 6 GB to 8 GB Standard friend group with one main base
9 to 16 players 8 GB to 12 GB Large groups or public servers with heavy building
Endgame or modded 12 GB to 16 GB Long-running worlds with massive builds and multiple bases

The key thing beginners miss: world age matters. A fresh world with minimal exploration runs fine on less RAM. A world that's been active for weeks with players spread across multiple biomes and huge custom structures needs significantly more.

Self-Hosting vs. Renting: Why the Numbers Differ

This is where a lot of confusion comes from. You'll see people say 6 GB is enough, while others insist on 16 GB. Both can be right depending on your setup.

Self-Hosting on Your Own PC (16 GB Minimum)

When you run the server on your own machine, that RAM has to cover everything:

  • The Enshrouded server process

  • Your operating system (Windows or Linux)

  • Background tasks and services

  • If you play on the same machine, the game client too

Keen Games recommends 16 GB system RAM for a dedicated server machine. If you plan to play Enshrouded on the same PC you're hosting from, 32 GB is strongly advised. I've tried running both on 16 GB. It works until someone loads a new biome, then everything stutters or crashes.

Renting a Game Server (6 GB to 8 GB Average)

Rented servers only allocate raw memory to the game process. No operating system overhead, no background apps, no client running alongside.

The base Enshrouded server idle process consumes roughly 4.4 GB of RAM. Each active player adds approximately 100 MB on top of that. So an 8-player server sits around 5.2 GB when full, giving you headroom for world growth.

The Real Bottleneck: CPU Single-Core Speed

Here's what most beginners get wrong. They max out RAM and wonder why players still lag.

Enshrouded is incredibly sensitive to single-core CPU performance. The voxel physics, biome generation, and player movement all hammer one CPU core hard. If your players experience rubber-banding, lag spikes during combat, or delayed block updates while RAM usage looks fine, your processor is the problem.

For smooth gameplay, look for:

  • Clock speed: 3.2 GHz to 3.7 GHz or higher

  • Single-core performance: Prioritize fewer fast cores over many slow cores

  • Avoid: Budget server CPUs with lots of cores but low per-core speed

RAM prevents crashes. CPU prevents lag. You need both.

Storage and Bandwidth: Don't Forget These

Beginners focus on RAM and CPU but overlook two other requirements:

Storage: Enshrouded worlds grow large. A mature world with extensive exploration can hit 10 GB to 20 GB in save files. Use an SSD, not a mechanical hard drive. World saves happen frequently, and SSDs handle the constant read/write without stuttering.

Bandwidth: Each connected player uses roughly 50 to 100 kbps upstream. For 8 players, you need roughly 1 Mbps upload speed minimum. More is better, especially during peak activity when multiple players load new chunks simultaneously.

Quick Recommendations by Use Case

  • Solo or duo, self-hosted on old PC: 8 GB RAM, decent dual-core CPU, SSD. Accept that you'll restart occasionally.

  • Friend group of 4 to 6, rented server: 6 GB to 8 GB RAM, 3.5 GHz+ CPU, SSD storage. Smooth experience for most gameplay.

  • Public server or large group of 10+: 12 GB to 16 GB RAM, 4.0 GHz+ CPU, NVMe SSD. Budget for growth.

  • Playing and hosting on same machine: 32 GB RAM, 6-core CPU at 3.7 GHz+, dedicated SSD for server files. This is the "do it right" setup.

Common Beginner Mistakes

Buying RAM without checking CPU: A 16 GB server with a 2.5 GHz CPU will lag worse than an 8 GB server with a 3.8 GHz CPU.

Ignoring world backups: Voxel worlds corrupt occasionally. Automated daily backups save weeks of progress.

Starting too small and migrating later: Moving an active world to a bigger server works, but it's a hassle. Start with 20% more RAM than you think you need.

Hosting on WiFi: Ethernet only. WiFi adds latency that voxel games punish harshly.

Final Verdict

For most beginners, 8 GB of dedicated server RAM hits the sweet spot for 4 to 6 friends. If you're self-hosting on your own PC, 16 GB system RAM minimum (32 GB preferred). And no matter what, prioritize single-core CPU speed over core count.

The voxel world will grow. Your player count might grow. Give yourself headroom, or you'll be rebuilding from lag and crashes instead of enjoying the game.