If you’ve committed hours of your free time to becoming a top gamer, then you can’t have a poor server causing lags or crashes. However, finding the best dedicated server for hosting a regular game night is a tricky pursuit.
A dedicated server is a type of web hosting in which a client holds an entire server to his or her exclusive use. It an increasingly popular practice, because gaming and streaming are hotter than ever. In 2022, there are more than 33 million Twitch users in the U.S., and that number expects to soar to over 36 million by 2025, according to Statista. As a result, more gamers are streaming with more people watching.
Frequent game crashes are embarrassments, and they can result in losing followers. Moreover, they cost a gamer important achievements or accolades. This article highlights four of today’s best dedicated servers for gaming pros.
Pros of Using Dedicated Servers in Gaming
Dedicated servers can allow for more flexibility and reliability in hosting games. According to Geekflare, dedicated servers boost gameplay experience. Moreover, they heighten security to servers using abundant resources so your server doesn’t need to be shared with anyone else. Other resources, such as shared hosting, may offer unique features for cheaper than dedicated servers. However, game experience and reliability compromise with lags, crashes, security risks, and other factors when sharing with others.
Using a dedicated server allows for tailor-made configurations, flexible settings, and better response time. Moreover, powerful servers enable you to host high-end games requiring intense performance. Therefore, you get your own space with tailor-made resources and limitless invitations to friends to join you in your space to customize your experience.
Dedicating hosting’s benefits include:
- Optimal performance and speed
- Decrease in loading downtime or in-game lags
- Improved customer support
- More power and control
Disadvantages in Using Dedicated Game Servers
Because of their complex nature, using a dedicated game server at home can be a stressful process. Three disadvantages include:
- High expenses – The required hardware equipment to set up a dedicated game server can be costly. In addition, with extensive use, your electricity bill can dramatically increase.
- Regular maintenance – Dedicated game servers require regular monitoring and maintenance of your device’s hardware and software, and this is tedious.
- Complex setup – Setting up a dedicated game server can be complex, requiring very strong technical skills. In addition, it can be time-consuming and meticulous, as you follow cybersecurity best practices and guidelines.
Industry-leading Dedicated Game Servers
So you’ve decided to invest in dedicated game servers. What next? Below are four industry-leading options and some of their key benefits.
1. Liquid Web
Highlights:
- High-level performance
- High security
- Custom solutions to improve gameplay
- Hybrid hosting
- Private cloud hosting
- Disaster preparedness
- Compliance solutions
- Customized hosting service
- For Windows
- For Linux OS
- ServerSecure Hardening
- Proactive Sonar Monitoring
- Two processor types: single and duel
- Three dedicated server hosting types: fully managed, core managed, and self-managed
- Root-level access
- Enterprise-grade SSD storage
- 100 percent network uptime guarantee
With Liquid Web, you remotely manage and monitor your dedicated server. In addition, you do not lose security and access using IPMI access. Also, Liquid Web protects against DDoS attacks and offers access to monitor issues.
Cost: $169 per month
2. Google Cloud
Highlights:
- Multi-cluster management
- Multiplayer gaming
- Global server infrastructure management
- Automation of fleets of servers across many Agones clusters
- Fleet monitoring with the use Terraform
- Scheduling of scaling events.
- 3.8 GHz speed
- Connection of Google Cloud’s distributed regions
- Multi-cloud and hybrid deployments support
- Customized autoscaling
- Single control plane
- Simplified deployments
- Google Support
Cost: The first cluster is free, and each additional cluster for $0.50 per hour or cluster
3. OVHcloud
Highlights:
- Every server provides an IPv4 and IPv6 address range
- Option of renting additional IPv4 addresses for dedicated server
- Latest AMD Ryzen processors are based on ZEN 2 architecture
- Water cooling technology
- Strong processors for optimal performance
- 1 Gbit/s bandwidth
Geekflare called OVHcloud a “perfect solution for publishers and professional resellers with excellent performance at a minimal rate.” In addition, it secures your server from crashes or DDoS attacks. OVHcloud uses Game DDoS, an Anti-DDoS solution, to protect your servers with two-way mitigation and “on layer 7” for smooth gaming. All OVHcloud servers have a 99.9 percent service legal agreement for the best availability for servers for your games.
Cost: $95 per month
4. IONOS
Highlights:
- Intel Xeon and AMD processors for optimal performance
- Options like high-capacity HDD storage, high-speed NVME, reliable SSD
- 8-minute deployment
- Complete API control
- Load balancing
- RAID technology to secure and access important data
- 1 Gbit/s bandwidth
- Unlimited traffic for free for outgoing and incoming data
- Protected by IDS/IPS and SIEM technologies
This dedicated gaming server is the perfect choice for renting your game server. In addition, complete server hardware and performance tracking are available. Set up and configure your game server to your desire with IONOS.
Cost: $33 per month
Final Comments
This is a very broad-strokes overview of four dedicated game servers and what each offers. It’s important to understand basic terms and acronyms in the technical and gaming community.
Therefore, if you are after high performance, speed, security, and flexibility, then you should invest in a gaming dedicated server to optimize your gaming experience, particularly if you’re a professional or avid gamer.
Some games to consider when surveying dedicated game servers include Minecraft, Ark, 7 Days To Die, and Valheim, and this is due to their popularity and required workloads.
