For a current The Isle dedicated server, plan for the Evrima branch, not the retired Legacy branch. A small server for about 20–30 players generally needs 6–8 GB of RAM, two or three fast virtual CPU cores and at least 40 GB of free disk space. A 50–80-player world is better served by 10–12 GB of RAM and roughly 50–60 GB of fast storage, while a busy 80–100-player server should have 12–16 GB of RAM, three or four high-performance cores and 60 GB or more before backups.
Those figures are practical estimates from current hosting and community guides rather than a first-party specification. Actual usage changes with concurrent players, AI population, persistence, weather and how much map activity remains loaded. The rest of this guide explains the assumptions, installation requirements and sizing choices so you can avoid an underpowered server.
What are the current dedicated-server requirements for The Isle?
The supported setup for a new server is The Isle: Evrima, installed through Steam app 412680 with the -beta evrima branch. Current setup documentation describes Legacy as retired or effectively unjoinable for up-to-date clients. Installing the default branch can therefore leave you with a server that appears to run but cannot be joined by players on the current game client.
Use the following as planning ranges, not guarantees. They assume a properly configured Windows or Linux host, a fast SSD and a normal community server rather than a heavily scripted stress test.
| Peak concurrent players | RAM to provision | CPU planning | Storage planning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 20–30 | 6–8 GB | Two or three fast vCPUs | 40 GB minimum on Windows, with room for updates and backups |
| 50–80 | 10–12 GB | About three fast vCPUs | 50–60 GB is a sensible working target |
| 80–100 | 12–16 GB | Three or four fast vCPUs | 60 GB or more, plus separate backup capacity |
RE:NODE lists 6 GB for up to 20 players, 8 GB for 20–50, 10–12 GB for 50–80 and 12–14 GB for 80–100. Flux reports approximately 1.2–1.3 GB idle with AI enabled and publishes 6 GB, 10 GB and 16 GB tiers for 30, 60 and 100 players. GamezServers gives 8 GB for about 30 players, 12 GB for 50 or more and 16 GB near 100. The differences reflect different AI settings, operating-system overhead and safety margins.
How much RAM does a The Isle server need?
Allocate memory according to peak connected players and AI density, then leave enough unused capacity for the operating system, Steam updates and temporary save activity. A server can start with less memory than it needs and still look healthy in a short test; the failure appears later as stutter, slow saves, crashes or an operating-system out-of-memory event.
Small community servers
For a private group or a public server capped around 20–30 players, 6 GB is the lowest practical planning point in current provider estimates. Choose 8 GB if you expect frequent AI activity, large events or other services on the same machine. The extra memory is useful because connected-player count is not the only variable: AI entities and persistent world state also grow the working set.
Medium populations
A 50–80-player target belongs in the 10–12 GB range. Do not size to the average evening population; use the maximum number of slots you will advertise and account for spikes when several groups enter the same area. If the host also runs databases, monitoring, a web panel or voice services, those processes need memory outside the game allocation.
Large populations and 32 GB hosts
For 80–100 players, 12–16 GB is the published planning range. A physical host with 32 GB installed can be a sensible headroom-oriented choice, particularly when it will hold backups or more than one instance. Check the motherboard and operating system before buying: DDR generation, DIMM versus SO-DIMM form factor, ECC or registered-memory support and the board’s maximum capacity all have to match.
What CPU do I need for an Evrima dedicated server?
Prioritize sustained single-thread performance over a high core count. Current guidance describes the simulation as CPU-bound by one dominant thread; additional cores still help with networking, saves and asset work, but they cannot compensate for a slow main core.
Clock speed and architecture
Choose a recent processor with strong per-core performance and a cooling solution that can hold its advertised boost under continuous load. Two or three fast vCPUs are a reasonable small-server allocation, while three or four are appropriate for a 100-player target. Older IONOS guidance calls for at least four cores; treat that as a floor for the whole machine rather than proof that four slow cores will deliver the same result as fewer fast ones.
Shared virtual machines
Provider labels such as “four vCPU” do not reveal how much physical CPU time you receive. Noisy neighbors, aggressive overcommitment and throttling can make a nominally large virtual machine perform worse than a smaller allocation on a modern dedicated core. Ask whether cores are shared, what sustained frequency is typical and whether CPU limits apply during peak periods.
How to tell when CPU is the bottleneck
Watch the main game-server thread and frame or tick timing rather than only total CPU percentage. One saturated core with other cores mostly idle indicates a simulation bottleneck. Lowering view or graphics settings on a player’s computer will not fix that condition; reducing AI density, lowering the slot cap or moving to a faster host does.
How much storage should an Evrima server have?
Storage capacity has two separate jobs: holding the server and its updates, and retaining logs, player data, configuration copies and backups. Use an NVMe SSD when possible, because save and update operations are sensitive to latency even when the total game directory is not large.
| Guidance | What it covers | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| About 40 GB free | Windows dedicated-server installation | The Isle Info Guide estimate for the install itself; not a complete backup budget |
| About 30 GB | Ubuntu server allocation | IONOS recommendation; leave additional room for logs and updates |
| At least 70 GB | Windows allocation | IONOS recommendation with more operational headroom than the install minimum |
| 40, 60, 80 or 100 GB NVMe | Increasing player tiers | YorkHost plan allocations, which illustrate tiering rather than a developer requirement |
A 1 TB NVMe drive is a practical physical-host upgrade when you need substantial room for several instances, local snapshots or long log retention. Keep backups on a different disk or machine when possible; a second copy on the same drive does not protect against drive failure.
Which operating system, ports and network settings are required?
Windows is the most commonly documented path, while Ubuntu is also used by hosting providers. Whichever platform you choose, permit the server executable through the host firewall and any upstream cloud firewall, and give the machine a stable local address so port forwarding does not change.
Ports
- UDP 7777: normal game traffic.
- TCP 10000: optional join-queue service.
- TCP 8888: RCON administration.
Only expose RCON to trusted administrator addresses. If the machine sits behind a home router, forward the game port to the server’s fixed local IP and check whether your internet provider uses carrier-grade NAT; inbound hosting may be impossible without a public address.
Authentication and listing
Current setup guides require Epic Online Services credentials for authentication and browser registration. A server can be running locally yet absent from the in-game browser if those credentials, registration settings or firewall rules are wrong.
How do I install the Evrima dedicated server with SteamCMD?
The download is free through SteamCMD, but installation still requires configuration and service management. The following sequence uses an anonymous login and the Evrima beta branch.
- Install SteamCMD and create a dedicated directory with write permission for the service account.
- Open a terminal in the SteamCMD directory and run:
steamcmd +login anonymous +app_update 412680 -beta evrima validate +quit - Start the server once so it creates its configuration and save directories, then stop it cleanly.
- Edit the generated
Game.iniwith the server name, password, player cap, AI and persistence settings you intend to use. Keep a pristine copy of the file so an update or mistaken edit can be reversed. - Enter the required Epic Online Services credentials and registration values from the current server documentation. Without successful authentication, the instance may not appear in the public browser.
- Allow UDP 7777 and, if used, TCP 10000 and TCP 8888 through the host firewall and any provider-level firewall. Test from outside the local network rather than relying only on a local connection.
- Run the server under a service manager or scheduled task that restarts it after a crash, and verify that saves complete before performing routine reboots.
SteamCMD updates can replace binaries while leaving configuration and save data in place, but you should still back up those directories before changing branches or validating files. Recheck the Evrima branch after major game updates because server behavior and configuration keys can change.
What should I provision for 100 players?
A 100-slot server should be treated as a high-load simulation, not as a client PC with extra memory. Start with 12–16 GB of RAM, three or four fast cores and at least 60 GB of NVMe space, then increase the margin if AI is dense or the machine hosts other services.
AI and slot-cap decisions
AI population can consume memory and CPU even when the player list is not full. Decide whether your advertised capacity means 100 human players with light AI or a lower human count with a busy ecosystem; those are different workloads. Test at the intended AI setting and peak slot count before opening the server publicly.
Physical versus managed capacity
On a physical host, install enough RAM for the game plus the operating system, monitoring and backup jobs. On a virtual host, confirm that the provider’s CPU allocation is sustained rather than burst-only and that storage is local NVMe rather than network storage with unpredictable latency.
Is self-hosting or managed hosting better?
Self-hosting gives you control over hardware, files and update timing, while managed hosting trades some control for a prepared panel, datacenter connectivity and routine maintenance. Compare offers using workload details rather than slot count alone.
| Decision factor | Self-hosted machine | Managed server |
|---|---|---|
| Peak players and AI | You choose the hardware and can upgrade it, but must test the workload. | Choose a tier whose advertised limits state how AI and CPU are measured. |
| Single-thread CPU | Inspect the exact processor and sustained cooling behavior. | Ask whether vCPUs are shared, pinned or throttled. |
| RAM headroom | Install additional modules if the motherboard supports them. | Confirm whether upgrades are possible without migrating the instance. |
| NVMe capacity | Reserve space for multiple snapshots and long logs. | Check the included disk, snapshot policy and overage charges. |
| Backups | You schedule and test restores yourself. | Verify frequency, retention, location and whether restores cost extra. |
| Operating system and region | You select Windows or Linux and your own network location. | Confirm the available OS image and a region close to most players. |
| Administration | You handle SteamCMD, firewalling, updates and recovery. | The provider may handle the panel and infrastructure while you manage game settings. |
Published tiers from RE:NODE and YorkHost demonstrate how providers map RAM, storage and player counts, but plan names and availability change. Request the exact CPU model, disk type, backup terms and datacenter location before committing.
How do I diagnose lag, crashes or a server that is not listed?
- Frequent crashes or out-of-memory errors: compare peak RAM use with the allocation, reduce AI or the slot cap temporarily, and check that another service is not consuming the host’s memory.
- Rubber-banding with one CPU core at 100%: move to a faster single-thread processor, reduce simulation load and check for CPU throttling.
- Server missing from the browser: verify Epic Online Services credentials, the Evrima branch, registration settings and firewall rules. Confirm that the external address and game port are reachable.
- Slow starts or saves: inspect disk latency and free capacity. Move the instance from a nearly full or network-backed disk to local NVMe and retain only the logs you actually need.
- Players lose progress after a restart: stop the process cleanly, verify write permissions for save directories and test a restore from a recent backup.
Are the Steam client requirements the same as server requirements?
No. Steam lists the playable client at 8 GB of RAM minimum, 16 GB recommended, a quad-core 3.0/3.4 GHz CPU and 25 GB of storage. Those figures describe rendering and running one player’s client; they do not specify the resources needed to simulate players, AI, persistence, weather and networking for an entire world.
Use the client figures only when checking a player’s computer. For a dedicated host, use the workload ranges in this article and validate them against the actual peak population and AI configuration you intend to run.
What is the practical buying checklist?
- Select the Evrima branch and confirm the installation uses app 412680 with
-beta evrima. - Set RAM from the peak player and AI workload, not the average population.
- Prioritize strong sustained single-thread CPU performance.
- Use NVMe storage and keep operational space beyond the bare installation.
- Confirm DDR type, form factor, ECC support and motherboard limits before a RAM upgrade.
- Reserve UDP 7777, optional TCP 10000 and RCON TCP 8888, with firewall rules tested externally.
- Arrange Epic Online Services authentication and browser registration before inviting players.
- Automate restarts, back up saves and configuration, and test that a restore actually works.
- Recheck sizing after major Evrima updates because simulation and asset loads can change.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I run the game client and the dedicated server on one computer?
You can, but both workloads compete for CPU time, memory and disk access. A machine that is adequate for a small server may become unstable when it also renders the game, especially during saves or large encounters; separate systems are safer for a public server.
How can I estimate memory before opening the server to everyone?
Run a closed test at the intended slot cap and AI settings, then observe peak rather than idle memory during travel, combat and a save cycle. Keep the test long enough to include your normal persistence and restart routines, because idle usage understates the requirement.
Will a dynamic home internet address prevent players from joining?
A changing public address can make a bookmark or DNS record stale even when the server is healthy. Use a stable address or a reputable dynamic-DNS arrangement, and remember that carrier-grade NAT may block inbound connections regardless of your local port-forwarding settings.
Should RCON be exposed to the public internet?
No. Restrict TCP 8888 to administrator addresses or an encrypted private network, use a strong credential and disable the service when you do not need remote administration. A game server can remain publicly reachable on its game port without making its control interface public.