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For a large Satisfactory factory, fix the subsystem that is actually saturated: usually single-core CPU time for simulation, RAM pressure for very large saves, storage latency during loading or autosaves, or network delivery for connection and rubber-banding problems. Start by recording server framerate (server Hz), per-core CPU use, memory consumption, disk latency, and packet loss while reproducing the slowdown. Then make one change, repeat the same test, and keep the change only if the measured bottleneck improves.
The practical baseline is a recent x86-64 Intel or AMD processor with strong single-core performance, at least 8 GB of RAM, and 16 GB when the save is large or more than four players connect. An SSD or NVMe drive helps startup and save operations when storage is the bottleneck, but it is not a guaranteed way to raise simulation tick rate. Keep the default 30-tick cap unless measurements show a reason to change it; the official guidance says raising the cap cannot help hardware that cannot reach 30 ticks per second.
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Why a large factory becomes difficult to host
A dedicated server has to simulate every conveyor, machine, vehicle, power calculation, train schedule, creature, and player action, then serialize saves and replicate relevant state to connected clients. A factory can therefore feel slow even when average CPU utilization, total RAM use, or internet bandwidth looks acceptable. One busy CPU core may be limiting the simulation while the other cores are lightly loaded; a save operation may briefly saturate storage; or packet loss may make clients appear to stutter while the simulation itself is healthy.
There is no published factory-size threshold that guarantees a particular server framerate. The useful question is not whether the factory is “large” by a fixed number of buildings, but which resource reaches its limit during the symptom. Use the measurements below before buying hardware or editing configuration.
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Hardware priorities for a dedicated server
CPU: prioritize single-core performance
The dedicated-server guidance emphasizes high single-core performance and recommends exceeding minimum requirements, especially for the CPU (official server guidance, accessed 2026). A newer processor with faster cores is normally a better upgrade for simulation stalls than a much older processor with more total cores. More cores can still help the operating system, backups, monitoring, and other services, but they do not automatically remove a main-thread limit.
When one or two cores stay near full utilization as server Hz falls, your choices are to move the server to a newer high-single-core CPU or reduce simulation work in the factory. Consolidating excessively fragmented production lines, reducing unnecessary vehicles, and avoiding decorative systems that create constant updates can help, but make such changes only after confirming that CPU time is the limiting resource.
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RAM: 8 GB is a floor; 16 GB is the sensible large-save target
The server requirements list 8 GB as a baseline and say 16 GB may be recommended for larger saves or hosting more than four players (official server guidance, accessed 2026). Treat those figures as the server process requirement, not the entire machine budget. The operating system, swap policy, monitoring, automated backups, and any co-hosted services also need memory.
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| Use case | Practical memory target | How to interpret it |
|---|---|---|
| Small or lightly populated dedicated server | 8 GB baseline | Leave additional capacity for the operating system and routine services. |
| Large save or more than four players | 16 GB or more | This is the clearest physical upgrade when memory is near exhaustion or the save is growing. |
| Server plus other workloads | More than the game target | Size for the combined workload; do not let backups, databases, or monitoring force swapping. |
If memory use approaches the machine limit, adding RAM can prevent paging and long pauses. It will not compensate for a saturated simulation core, so verify both memory and per-core CPU graphs.
Storage: SSD/NVMe improves I/O symptoms, not simulation by itself
The server needs local storage for its binaries and saves. Moving those files from a hard disk to an SSD, especially an NVMe drive, is justified when startup, save transfer, loading, or autosave pauses line up with high disk latency. No cited documentation promises a higher simulation tick rate from NVMe alone. Check that backup jobs, antivirus scans, cloud synchronization, or a nearly full drive are not competing with the save directory.
GPU and the client/server distinction
A dedicated server does not need a gaming-class GPU unless the same computer also runs the game client. The server requirements focus on CPU, memory, storage, operating system, and connectivity. If the host also plays, size the machine for the client separately. The Steam listing gives 8 GB minimum and 16 GB recommended client memory, with a Ryzen 5 5600X or Core i5-12400-class processor and six physical cores in its recommended client requirements (Steam store page, accessed 2026). Those client figures should not be mistaken for a guarantee of dedicated-server performance.
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Measure the bottleneck before tuning
Reproduce the problem in the same area of the factory and record a short baseline. Use the server’s own framerate or Hz display where available, plus operating-system monitoring.
- Server Hz/framerate: note the normal value, the minimum during the stutter, and whether it recovers after the event.
- CPU: record total utilization and each core or thread. A single saturated core is more meaningful than a low overall percentage.
- Memory: record used RAM, available RAM, swap or pagefile activity, and whether usage grows after players join.
- Storage: watch disk active time, queue depth, and latency while loading and saving.
- Network: check packet loss, latency, and upload saturation on both the host and the router.
- Client symptoms: distinguish a low server Hz (simulation slowdown) from rubber-banding or failed connections (delivery or forwarding problems).
Write down the save name, player count, location in the factory, and time of each test. After every change, repeat that scenario rather than relying on a general impression.
Tick-rate settings: why raising the cap is rarely a fix
The configuration documentation exposes NetServerMaxTickRate, LanServerMaxTickRate, and NetClientTicksPerSecond in Engine.ini (configuration-file documentation). These values are upper limits, not commands that force the hardware to perform more work. The official guidance says the default tick rate is good for most scenarios and that increasing it will not help with lag when hardware cannot hit the default 30 (official settings documentation).
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Use the documented defaults unless your measurements show that the server consistently has headroom and you have a specific reason to change a cap. Raising a limit on an already CPU-bound host can increase work and make framerate less stable. Change one value at a time, record the old value, and revert immediately if server Hz, CPU temperature, or client behavior worsens.
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Updates may overwrite .ini edits. Keep a versioned backup or an automation step that reapplies only the settings you intentionally use, then re-check the files after every game or server patch.
Network Quality and the connection trade-off
Network Quality is exposed as Low, Medium, High, and Ultra. The settings guidance states: “Increasing network quality may improve client load times and network performance at the cost of server framerate. Experiment with these settings to see what works for you” (official settings documentation). Higher quality can therefore improve a client’s loading or network experience while taking additional server CPU time.
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Change one level at a time and watch three things together: server framerate, packet loss, and the client’s actual symptom. If server Hz drops after increasing quality, return to the previous level; if rubber-banding persists without a server-framerate change, investigate routing, Wi-Fi interference, or upload saturation instead of repeatedly changing quality.
Ports, firewall rules, and host connectivity
Patch 1.1-era dedicated-server documentation requires two forwarded ports (server documentation; dedicated-server documentation). Configure the same external ports in the router and the host firewall:
| Port | Protocol | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 7777 | TCP | Server traffic and HTTPS API. |
| 7777 | UDP | Game traffic and lightweight query. |
| 8888 | TCP | Reliable messaging. |
- Give the host a stable local address or DHCP reservation.
- Create inbound firewall rules for TCP 7777, UDP 7777, and TCP 8888.
- Forward those exact ports from the router’s external interface to the host’s local address.
- Confirm that the router’s external port numbers match the server’s advertised ports; do not test only from inside the same LAN.
- Test from an outside network and check the server log for successful queries or connection attempts.
Use Ethernet for the host when possible. A wired link removes a common source of Wi-Fi interference and variable latency, but it cannot repair an overloaded upstream connection or incorrect forwarding.
Self-hosting versus managed hosting
Either model can work; choose based on the control and geography your group needs rather than assuming that “managed” means faster simulation.
| Decision factor | Self-hosted machine | Managed server |
|---|---|---|
| Single-core CPU | You select and can upgrade the processor. | Verify the provider’s actual CPU model or single-core capability; a plan name alone is not a benchmark. |
| Guaranteed RAM | Physical capacity is under your control; reserve headroom for the OS. | Check whether the advertised memory is dedicated or shared and whether upgrades are possible. |
| Storage | You can place saves on SSD/NVMe and control backup contention. | Confirm SSD/NVMe media, I/O limits, and where backups are stored. |
| Backups and export | Full access to saves and your own backup schedule. | Confirm download, restore, retention, and deletion policies before committing. |
| Ports and firewall | Complete router and firewall control, including 7777 and 8888. | Port forwarding is handled by the host; check whether custom rules are available. |
| Player geography | Latency depends on your home or office uplink. | Select a region close to most players, subject to the host’s locations. |
| Operating-system access | Full access for logs, scripts, and monitoring. | May be limited to a control panel or restricted shell. |
| Updates | You choose when to patch and can test a backup first. | Check the provider’s maintenance window and rollback process. |
| Monthly price | Not stated; electricity and existing hardware determine your cost. | Not stated; pricing and included resources vary by provider and plan. |
A practical optimization sequence
- Capture a baseline. Reproduce the slowdown and log server Hz, per-core CPU load, RAM, disk latency, packet loss, player count, and save name.
- Classify the symptom. Low Hz with a saturated core indicates simulation pressure; paging indicates memory pressure; save-time spikes indicate storage contention; rubber-banding or failed joins indicate network delivery.
- Fix CPU saturation first. Move to a newer high-single-core processor or reduce simulation-heavy activity. Do not raise tick-rate caps as a first response.
- Add memory when the host is close to exhaustion. Move to a 16 GB kit for a larger save or more than four players, and leave capacity for the OS and services.
- Move saves to SSD/NVMe for I/O stalls. Reschedule or throttle backups that overlap autosaves.
- Verify network delivery. Check TCP 7777, UDP 7777, TCP 8888, firewall rules, router forwarding, upload capacity, and host wiring.
- Tune Network Quality cautiously. Change one level, then compare server Hz and client symptoms with the baseline.
- Retest after every single change. Record the result so a later patch or configuration edit can be reversed accurately.
Troubleshooting by symptom
| Observed symptom | Likely area | First action |
|---|---|---|
| Server Hz falls while one core is pegged | Simulation CPU limit | Use a faster single-core CPU or reduce simulation-heavy factory activity; leave tick caps at their defaults while diagnosing. |
| Long pauses coincide with autosave or loading | Storage latency or contention | Move the server and save directory to SSD/NVMe and inspect backup, antivirus, and synchronization jobs. |
| Memory reaches the limit or swap starts | RAM pressure | Upgrade toward 16 GB or more and stop unrelated services from competing for memory. |
| Clients rubber-band but server Hz is steady | Network delivery | Check packet loss, upload saturation, Wi-Fi, firewall rules, router forwarding, and all three required protocol/port combinations. |
| Clients cannot discover or join the server | Port mapping or firewall | Test from outside the LAN and verify TCP 7777, UDP 7777, and TCP 8888 reach the correct host. |
| Increasing Network Quality lowers server framerate | Quality-versus-server-work trade-off | Return to the previous level and keep the setting that maintains stable server Hz for your player group. |
Maintenance after patches
Keep copies of the save files and configuration before updating. After a patch, verify that the .ini files still contain your intended values, confirm the required ports, and repeat the same baseline scenario. A setting that helped one build or one group is not a universal fix: factory layout, player count, operating system, host hardware, and network path all change the result. The safest long-term practice is a short change log containing the date, patch version, setting changed, measured server Hz, and whether the original symptom improved.
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