A Satisfactory server needs at least 8 GB of RAM, and more as your factory grows. Most slowdowns come from a very big factory, lots of vehicles, frequent autosaves on a huge save, or more than 4 players. Here’s how to pick the right plan and keep your factory smooth.
How much RAM you need
RAM is the server’s memory. Satisfactory keeps the whole factory in memory, so bigger factories need more.
| Your factory | Players | Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Early game, up to tier 4 or so | 1 to 4 | 8 GB |
| Big factory, trains and many machines | Up to 4 | 12 GB |
| Huge late-game factory | Up to 4 | 16 GB |
| Any factory | More than 4 | 16 GB |
| Big factory with several mods | Up to 4 | 16 GB |
If the RAM graph on Overview keeps getting close to your plan’s limit, move up a plan. Your factory comes with you.
What slows a factory down
The server does most of its work on one CPU core. So the things that hurt are things that make that one core busier:
- Huge numbers of buildings and belts. Every machine and belt is worked out on the server.
- Vehicles, trains and drones. Each one has to find and follow its path. Hundreds of drones add up.
- Players far apart. Each player keeps their own part of the map active.
- More than 4 players. The game is tuned for 4. Each extra player adds work.
- Mods. Some add lots of machines or logic that runs all the time.
Settings that matter
| Setting | Where | What to set |
|---|---|---|
| Autosave Interval | Server Manager > Server Settings, or Settings | 5 to 10 minutes. Big saves take longer to write, so huge factories may prefer 15 |
| Auto Pause | Server Manager > Server Settings, or Settings | On. An empty server does no work |
| Network Quality | Server Manager > Server Settings | Leave it. Higher can smooth things for players but costs server speed |
MaxPlayers |
Game.ini, or the player limit in Settings |
4 for best speed. Raise it a step at a time |
| Timeouts | Engine.ini |
Raise them if players time out loading a big save |
The config reference shows the exact keys.
A short freeze every few minutes is almost always the autosave. Raise the interval a little before you change anything else.
Restarts
A daily restart keeps a long-running server fresh. Use the Daily restart with warnings preset in Schedules. It warns players in game before the restart. You can also set it to run only when nobody is online.
The game has its own Server Restart Interval setting too. Use one or the other, not both.
Big saves and joining
On a very big save, a joining player has to load a lot. If friends get stuck on the loading screen or time out:
- Raise
InitialConnectTimeoutandConnectionTimeoutinEngine.ini. See the config reference. - Make sure everyone runs the latest game version. Coffee Stain’s recent patches include fixes for joining big saves.
- Let one player load in fully before the next one joins.
Pick the right region
Distance adds delay. Pick the region closest to most of your players: EU for Europe, US East for North America. If your group is split, pick the side where most of you play.
Read the graphs on Overview
Overview shows graphs for CPU, RAM, players and network, for the last 24 hours and 7 days.
| What you see | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| RAM close to the plan’s limit | The factory has outgrown the plan | Move up a plan |
| CPU high all the time while people play | The factory or player count is a lot for the server | Raise the autosave interval, trim drones or vehicles, keep to 4 players |
| CPU spikes every few minutes | Autosaves | Raise the autosave interval |
| Network spikes when someone joins | They are downloading the factory | Normal |
| Everything flat at zero | The server is asleep | Normal. It wakes when someone joins |
Keep a safe copy before big changes
Before you rebuild half your factory or add big mods, make a backup in Backups. See Satisfactory backups and saves.
Questions
How much RAM does a Satisfactory server need?
8 GB for a small group and an early factory. 12 GB once the factory is big, and 16 GB for huge late-game saves, mods or more than 4 players.
Why does my Satisfactory server freeze for a moment every few minutes?
That's usually the autosave. Big factories take longer to save. Set the autosave interval to 10 or 15 minutes, and keep auto-save on player disconnect on.
Does a Satisfactory server need a fast CPU?
Yes. The server leans on one CPU core for most of its work, so the speed of a single core matters more than the number of cores.
Sources we checked
- Dedicated serversOfficial Satisfactory Wiki
- Dedicated servers/Configuration filesOfficial Satisfactory Wiki
- Patch 1.2.5.0Official Satisfactory Wiki
