Dedicated Server for Enshrouded: Hardware Requirements and Best Hosting Options 2026
Enshrouded has quickly become one of the most popular survival action RPGs, blending base building, exploration, and combat in a vast, voxel-based world. Hosting your own dedicated Enshrouded server gives you full control over game settings, invites, and performance. This guide covers the official minimum and recommended hardware requirements, RAM usage per player count, CPU core recommendations, storage requirements, the best hosting providers, and a quick setup walkthrough.
Official Hardware Requirements for Enshrouded Servers
Keen Games GmbH publishes the official server files on Steam, and the requirements are relatively modest compared to games like ARK. However, as Enshrouded world is fully destructible and persistent, server-side physics and world-state calculations add ongoing CPU and RAM pressure.
Minimum Requirements
- CPU: 4 cores @ 2.5 GHz (Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 3 equivalent)
- RAM: 8 GB
- Storage: 15 GB available space (SSD recommended)
- OS: Windows Server 2019+ or Ubuntu 22.04+/Debian 12
- Network: 50 Mbps upload, stable connection
Recommended Requirements
- CPU: 6 cores @ 3.5+ GHz (Intel Core i7 or AMD Ryzen 5/7)
- RAM: 16+ GB
- Storage: 30 GB NVMe SSD
- OS: Linux (Ubuntu 22.04 LTS or Debian 12)
- Network: 100+ Mbps upload, low latency
RAM Requirements per Player Count
Enshrouded servers dynamically allocate memory based on the number of connected players and the size of the built area (the voxel-based world modifications). Here is a breakdown based on real-world testing data.
| Player Count | Base RAM (Idle) | Moderate Building | Heavy Building/Exploration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-2 players | 4 GB | 6 GB | 8 GB |
| 3-4 players | 6 GB | 8 GB | 10 GB |
| 5-8 players | 8 GB | 10 GB | 12 GB |
| 9-12 players | 10 GB | 12 GB | 16 GB |
| 13-16 players (max) | 12 GB | 16 GB | 20-24 GB |
The critical insight is that Enshrouded base RAM is low, but as players explore and modify terrain, memory usage climbs significantly. Each modified voxel and placed building piece adds to the persistent world state that must remain in memory. For a 4-player dedicated server, 8 GB is the safe minimum. For a full 16-player server with active building, budget 16-24 GB.
CPU Core Recommendations
Enshrouded server process benefits from both clock speed and multiple cores. While the engine uses Unreal Engine 4 (similar to many survival games), the voxel physics system adds parallel workload that can utilize additional cores.
| Player Count | Minimum Cores | Recommended Cores | Preferred CPU Series |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-4 players | 4 cores | 4 cores @ 3.5+ GHz | Intel Xeon E / AMD EPYC 4th Gen |
| 5-8 players | 4 cores | 6 cores @ 3.5+ GHz | Intel i7-12700 / AMD Ryzen 5 7600 |
| 9-16 players | 6 cores | 8 cores @ 3.5+ GHz | Intel i9-13900 / AMD Ryzen 9 7900 |
Avoid older Xeon E5-2600 series processors with low clock speeds. Enshrouded server tick rate suffers below 3.0 GHz, causing noticeable lag during combat and physics events.
Storage Recommendations
NVMe SSD storage is strongly recommended for Enshrouded. The game auto-saves the world state frequently (every 30 seconds by default), and with a heavily modified world, save files can reach 500 MB to 2 GB. Slow storage causes noticeable save-stutter.
- Minimum: 15 GB SSD (SATA is acceptable for small servers with 1-4 players)
- Recommended: 30-50 GB NVMe SSD (allows for world growth and backups)
- For active servers: 100+ GB NVMe SSD with daily automated backups to separate storage
Recommended Hosting Providers for Enshrouded
Not all dedicated server providers are optimized for Enshrouded. Look for hosts that offer fast single-threaded CPU performance, NVMe storage, and flexible RAM configurations. For a comprehensive comparison of dedicated server specs and pricing, compare dedicated server providers on our comparison table.
1. Nitrado
Nitrado offers dedicated Enshrouded servers with instant setup. Their servers use Intel Xeon Gold processors with NVMe storage. Plans start at 8 GB RAM and scale up to 32 GB. Nitrado provides a custom Enshrouded web interface for server configuration.
2. Host Havoc
Host Havoc supports Enshrouded with plans featuring dedicated CPU resources and NVMe SSDs. They offer 8-32 GB RAM configurations, DDoS protection, and a 7-day money-back guarantee. Their support team is responsive and knowledgeable about Enshrouded configuration.
3. GTX Gaming
GTX Gaming provides budget-friendly Enshrouded server hosting with Intel Xeon E-2300 series processors and up to 64 GB RAM. They offer one-click Enshrouded server installation and a web-based file manager for advanced configuration.
4. Survival Servers
Survival Servers add Enshrouded to their library of supported survival games. They offer Intel i7/i9 processors with NVMe storage, 8-32 GB RAM options, and a control panel with mod integration support.
Before choosing a plan, see the best gaming server specs on our comparison page to find the right hardware for your player count.
Quick Setup Walkthrough
- Select your hosting plan — Choose a plan with at least 8 GB RAM and 4 CPU cores for a small group, or 16+ GB RAM and 6+ cores for larger communities.
- Install Enshrouded Dedicated Server — Most providers offer one-click installation. If self-hosting, download the dedicated server tool via SteamCMD:
app_update 2857200 validate - Configure server settings — Edit the
enshrouded_server.jsonfile to set your server name, password, max players, and game mode. Key settings include:name: Your server display namepassword: Server join passwordmaxPlayers: 1-16 playersgameMode: Survival or Adventure (Adventure has reduced building cost)slotCount: Available character slots
- Configure network settings — Open firewall ports 15636-15638 (UDP) for Enshrouded game traffic. Some providers handle this automatically.
- Enable scheduled backups — Configure automatic backups of the
savegamedirectory to protect against world corruption. - Test the connection — Launch Enshrouded, go to Join Game > Connect to IP and enter your server address and port.
- Monitor performance — Check RAM usage and CPU load after 1-2 hours of gameplay. If memory exceeds 80% of available RAM, consider upgrading your plan.
Conclusion
Enshrouded dedicated servers have modest base requirements but scale significantly with player count and world modification. For a smooth experience with 4-8 players, budget for 8-12 GB RAM and 6 CPU cores. For a full 16-player server with heavy building activity, plan for 16-24 GB RAM and 8 cores. Choose a hosting provider with high single-threaded CPU performance, NVMe storage, and good support. For a full breakdown of all the top dedicated server options for gaming, compare dedicated server providers on our comparison table.




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