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For a lean, single-stream Linux VPS, 4 GB of RAM is a reasonable starting point; choose 8 GB if OBS shares the server with other services, uses a complex scene, or also records or transcodes. Those are practical starting estimates, not an official minimum or a tested guarantee. RAM alone does not determine whether a stream will stay healthy: CPU and encoder capacity, scene rendering, network quality, reconnect handling, and monitoring matter too.
How much RAM should you start with?
Start with 4 GB for one stream using a lean OBS setup, such as a looping video, one audio track, and few scene sources. Consider 8 GB when OBS runs alongside other applications, the scene has several browser or media sources or filters, or you need room for simultaneous recording or transcoding.
OBS does not publish a universal RAM minimum for this workload. It says its CPU requirements vary with encoder, resolution, frame rate, and scene complexity, and warns that a compatible system is not necessarily capable of streaming successfully. The 4 GB and 8 GB choices are workload-based estimates, not verified thresholds or guarantees. OBS System Requirements
What OVHcloud plans provide
OVHcloud’s public VPS page labels its offering “VPS 2027.” The following is a snapshot of the configurations shown there on October 3, 2026; availability, terms, region, actual configuration, and public bandwidth conditions can change, so check the order page for your location before buying. The page also advertises unlimited traffic, but that should not be taken to mean every region or configuration has identical conditions. OVHcloud VPS plans
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| Plan shown | RAM | vCores | NVMe storage | Public bandwidth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VPS-1 | 4 GB | 2 | 40 GB | 500 Mbps |
| VPS-2 | 8 GB | 4 | 75 GB | 1 Gbps |
| VPS-3 | 12 GB | 6 | 100 GB | 2 Gbps |
| VPS-4 | 24 GB | 8 | 200 GB | 3 Gbps |
For a basic one-stream setup, VPS-1 is the natural starting configuration by memory; VPS-2 gives more RAM and vCores if the workload or other services call for them. Do not choose solely by the RAM column: encoding and scene rendering may hit CPU or graphics limits first.
RAM is only one resource constraint
Encoding and scene rendering
OBS renders and composites scenes as well as encoding the outgoing video. Browser sources, multiple media sources, and filters can add work. A simple static or looping scene is likely to demand less than a multi-source scene, but that is an engineering inference from OBS’s workload guidance—not a measured RAM comparison. OBS hardware encoding guidance
Hardware encoding can move encoding work off the CPU, but a VPS plan’s RAM and vCore listing does not establish that the guest can access a compatible GPU encoder. Verify the specific VM, drivers, operating system, and software configuration before relying on NVENC, Quick Sync, or another hardware path.
Network throughput
YouTube’s current live encoder guidance recommends constant bitrate, RTMPS, testing with audio and movement similar to the planned stream, and monitoring stream health. Recommended video ingest bitrates include:
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| Output | AV1 or H.265 | H.264 |
|---|---|---|
| 720p at 30 fps | 6 Mbps | 8 Mbps |
| 1080p at 30 fps | 10 Mbps | 14 Mbps |
| 1080p at 60 fps | 12 Mbps | 17 Mbps |
These are YouTube’s recommended video bitrates, not RAM requirements and not proof that a VPS route will sustain a stream reliably. Allow capacity beyond the nominal bitrate for overhead and variation, and check actual stream health. YouTube says it transcodes live streams into formats for viewers. Recommendations can change; consult YouTube’s live encoder settings and bitrates for current guidance.
How to validate a VPS before relying on it 24/7
- Match the VPS to the actual workload. For one lean output, begin at 4 GB; consider 8 GB if other applications, complex scenes, or recording/transcoding share the VM. Include the resolution, frame rate, codec, sources, filters, and audio you intend to use.
- Verify the encoder path. Check whether the chosen VPS actually exposes compatible hardware encoding. If it does not, account for CPU-based encoding; additional RAM does not resolve an encoder or CPU bottleneck.
- Configure the YouTube output. Use YouTube’s current recommended settings for your resolution, frame rate, and codec, including constant bitrate and RTMPS. Its guidance says: “Make sure to test before you start the live stream.”
- Test the real scene and signal. Test with representative movement and audio, then review YouTube stream-health messages and the VPS’s memory and CPU behavior while OBS runs.
- Plan recovery and monitoring. A process that starts is not automatically a dependable 24/7 stream. Decide how OBS will be supervised, how reconnects will be handled, and how you will detect and recover from a failed process or source. The available guidance does not establish a universally safe RAM margin, test duration, or uptime guarantee.
If resource use rises, inspect observed memory pressure and CPU/encoding behavior before upgrading. OVHcloud says upgrade options depend on the VPS range and model. Its U.S.-specific support article, updated February 14, 2025, describes RAM, vCPU, or storage upgrades for named U.S. regions and limitations elsewhere at that time; do not assume that policy applies to every region or remains current. Check OVHcloud’s resource upgrade documentation and regional support details for your instance.
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Costs and choosing between 4 GB and 8 GB
Compare the full configuration and regional price at purchase time, not memory alone. The plan page’s listed vCores, storage, and public bandwidth are relevant to streaming, but they do not confirm hardware encoder access or end-to-end route reliability. If the stream is CPU-bound or the guest lacks a usable hardware encoder, buying more RAM may not fix the issue.
- Choose 4 GB as a starting point for a single, lean stream with no substantial co-hosted services.
- Choose 8 GB when there is a concrete workload reason, such as other services, several sources or filters, or recording/transcoding.
- Move to a larger plan only after checking measurements and confirming that memory—not CPU, encoder support, network, or source reliability—is the limiting factor.
OVHcloud notes that upgrade options vary by range and model, so confirm whether the configuration you select can be changed later and under what regional terms.
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Or let it run in the cloud
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