Are you tearing your hair out trying to choose a Minecraft Java plugin server? A wrong configuration could lead to a severely lagging server. If you want players to enjoy your world, you first need to clarify what configuration you actually need. Let's start with "figuring out how many players will be online and how many plugins are installed," and then I'll list the considerations for physical machines and cloud service providers one by one. This article combines personal experience and online resources to ensure you have a clear understanding by the end.
Understanding Requirements: Number of Players and Plugins#
First, you need to understand: "What scale of server do I need to set up?" The number of online players and the number of plugins are the two main factors. Imagine that each online player is consuming resources (CPU, memory, etc.). If there are 50 players online at the same time and dozens of plugins loaded, the server will feel like a fully loaded truck climbing a steep hill, with the engine (CPU) roaring at its limits and the cargo hold (memory) packed to the brim. Any sudden turn (a surge of player actions or complex plugin calculations) could lead to a complete loss of control or even a breakdown. To simplify calculations, we can use a formula to roughly estimate memory and CPU requirements:
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Memory Formula: We assume the base overhead is 1GB, then each additional player requires about 0.15GB, and each additional plugin requires about 0.1GB. That is:
Memory Requirement ≈ 1 + 0.15 × Number of Players + 0.1 × Number of Plugins (Unit: GB)For example, a server for 50 players loading 30 plugins would have
Memory Requirement ≈ 1 + 0.15×50 + 0.1×30 = 1 + 7.5 + 3 = 11.5 GB, so it's recommended to buy at least 12GB or larger configurations (usually cloud servers come in 8G, 12G, 16G, 32G, etc.). A little extra is not a bad thing; having less could lead to "insufficient memory" causing the server to crash. -
CPU Formula (CPU Cores/Threads): Minecraft servers have high single-core performance requirements, but plugin servers often need multi-core to share the load. A rule of thumb is at least 1 CPU core (thread) for every 10 active players, with adjustments based on the number of plugins. For example:
CPU Core Requirement ≈ max(1, Number of Players/10 + Number of Plugins/20)For instance, for a server with 50 players + 30 plugins, a simple calculation would be: player part 50/10 = 5, plugin part 30/20 = 1.5, totaling 6.5, rounded up to 7 cores. Generally, hyper-threading on servers counts as thread count, so buying around 8 cores is quite safe. If the budget is tight, at least do not go below the rounded core count of players/10. A high-frequency CPU is recommended.
It’s worth noting that you may have heard of Folia, which has high multi-core requirements and low single-core performance requirements, but I do not recommend using it. It is still in an experimental phase and is a route taken only when there are no other options. Moreover, the ecosystem is poor, with only a small number of people running servers on it.
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Bandwidth: For Minecraft, the bandwidth requirements can be estimated as follows:
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Low versions (1.12-) about 0.25-0.4 Mbps per person
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High versions (1.18+) about 0.3-0.5 Mbps per person
A 10M dedicated upload theoretically can support 15-20 people.
Physical Machines#
If you plan to buy a machine for hosting or set up a server at home, that would be a physical machine.
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CPU Selection: Do not fall for E5 or EPYC garbage; many server owners regret choosing these CPUs. Minecraft has very high single-core performance requirements.
To prevent this article from becoming outdated, I suggest you search for which CPU models are suitable for you, but generally, higher frequency is better.
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Memory Selection: Note that Minecraft is almost insensitive to memory frequency; capacity is key. For example, DDR4 or DDR3 is sufficient.
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Hard Drive: SSD is the baseline (to load worlds and data quickly), M.2 is preferred, and capacity depends on the size of the map world, generally a few dozen GB is basically enough. Do not consider mechanical hard drives; do not be fooled by their low price and large capacity! Be sure to choose a major brand (Samsung / Western Digital / Kioxia / Patriot / Intel), and do not buy second-hand drives (especially mining drives!!!). If you want to experience data saying goodbye at any moment, you can try it.
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Since I am not very familiar with physical machines, there are usually complete solutions available for selection. Therefore, I highly recommend you listen to other people's solutions or suggestions in various MC groups (after all, only those who are actually using them know what works). But also be careful not to be scammed.
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Cloud Servers#
The above is about what kind of configuration you need to set up an MC server. Once you have figured out the hardware requirements, you also need to consider the characteristics of the cloud service providers themselves. Here’s a simple summary of the key points to look for when choosing a cloud server (similar to buying equipment on Taobao):
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Latency and Network Optimization: Since you are playing a game, latency is definitely critical. Prioritize the location of the data center and multi-line coverage. Domestic players generally choose domestic data centers (such as Eastern or Northern China nodes); if there are overseas players, check whether the cloud provider has international exits or overseas data centers.
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CPU and Memory Performance: Check the configuration and processor type of the cloud provider's instances. Some cloud providers use outdated hardware with average performance; others use server-grade CPUs (such as AMD EPYC, Intel Xeon, etc.). Be sure to check the CPU frequency and memory size they offer you to see if it meets your calculated requirements. For example, some vendors may state "single-core 4GHz," as if giving your MC server "running shoes," allowing TPS to increase.
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Disk Type: Go for SSD without hesitation, but SSDs differ in read and write speeds between SATA SSD and NVMe SSD. It is recommended to use NVMe SSD or high-speed SATA for game servers to reduce world read/write lag. Also, check if there are data backup and snapshot features for quick recovery in case of emergencies.
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Management Panel and Control: Different cloud providers have very different panels; graphical panels are very friendly for beginners. Check if there is a one-click deployment panel (such as Pterodactyl, MCS, etc.) that allows easy reinstallation of the system, management of network ports, or setting snapshots. In short, buying a cloud server is about convenience, so don’t always focus on the command line.
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Technical Support and Stability: Look at the customer support situation; it’s best if someone is online 24/7. The chances of a Minecraft server crashing and going black are not low, and urgent matters need someone to manage them. Professional game cloud service providers usually also have user forums or communities, so when problems arise, there are others who can answer questions besides searching online. Domestic cloud providers often have ticketing systems and technical groups, which may respond faster.
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Price and Billing Model: Finally, you have to consider your wallet. Cloud servers are generally billed monthly or annually, and sometimes annual payments come with discounts. It’s important to choose based on your budget and not just chase low prices. As the saying goes, "you get what you pay for," relatively more expensive plans are often stable and reliable, making your operations more reassuring, while cheap options will leave you with no regrets when something goes wrong.
When choosing, also be careful not to be fooled by flashy advertising: pay attention to the configuration, focus on reputation, and stability of service is the most important. Game cloud products like JianKe Cloud are also good, but there are many other large and small providers on the market to compare and choose from. In short, "you get what you pay for," and peace of mind is more important than saving money when it comes to servers.
Conclusion#
"Performance is not everything, but without performance, everything is moot."
If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments or use email and other contact methods; I am very happy to help you. I hope these experiences (and the "science fiction formula") can help you clearly choose the right server, and I wish you smooth sailing in setting up your server!
This article is synchronized and updated by Mix Space to xLog. The original link is https://ling.crashvibe.cn/posts/minecraft-server-guide/minecraft-java-plugin-server-buying-guide