CPU, RAM, NVMe, Network and Location Comparison

Choosing the correct VDS for an Ultima Online shard is one of the most decisive factors for performance.
Most performance problems—lag, delay, slow macros, rubberband movement, broken spell timing—are caused not by scripts but wrong infrastructure choices.

This guide explains exactly what you should look for when selecting a VDS to host a UO server in 2025.

1) CPU: The Most Important Component

Ultima Online is single-core bound.
This means:

• High GHz > Many cores

• Boost speed > Core count

• CPU generation > Physical size

If your CPU is weak on single-thread performance, the shard will lag, no matter how much RAM you add.

Recommended CPUs (Proven in UO Hosting)

• Ryzen 9 5900X / 5950X

• Ryzen 9 7900X / 7950X

• Intel Xeon E-2288G

• Intel i9 10900K / 11900K / 12900K+

Avoid These:

• Old Xeon E5 series (lag under load)

• Shared CPU VPS

• Low GHz virtual CPUs

• Oversold cloud hosts

When in doubt:
Choose the CPU with the highest boost clock.

2) RAM Requirements

Ultima Online itself is lightweight, but shards with many scripts, AI processes or large player count can consume more RAM than expected.

Recommended RAM:

• Small shard (0–80 players): 4–8 GB

• Medium shard (80–200 players): 8–16 GB

• Large shard (200–400+ players): 16–32 GB

Memory is rarely the bottleneck, but insufficient RAM causes:

• Freezes

• Delayed script execution

• Slow garbage collection

Never run below 4 GB.

3) Disk Performance: NVMe Only

Disk I/O directly affects:

• Loot generation

• Save cycles

• Script execution

• AI behavior

• Server tick stability

Required Storage Type:

• NVMe SSD (Gen3 or Gen4)

• Enterprise NVMe for heavy load servers

Avoid:

• SATA SSD

• HDD

• NAS or slow network storage

In 2025 there is no valid reason to run UO on anything other than NVMe.

4) Network Quality and Bandwidth

The network must support:

• Low latency

• Stable routing

• Zero packet loss

• DDoS-resistant architecture

Minimum Requirements:

• 1 Gbps port

• Stable routing to ISP backbones

• Clean UDP/TCP filtering

• Real DDoS mitigation (not HTTP-based)

Cloudflare does not protect UO traffic because UO uses raw game ports, not HTTP.

5) Location: Ping Determines PvP Quality

Your server location must match your player base.

If your players are mostly Turkish:

Choose:

• Istanbul

• Bursa

• Izmir

Expected ping: 2–20 ms
This is ideal for PvP.

If your players are European:

Choose:

• Germany

• Netherlands

• France

If your players are global:

You may need:

• Multi-location mirrors

• Network optimizers

• A central European location

Ping is the foundation of PvP flow.
A 40–60 ms difference completely changes reaction timing in Mage and Dexer duels.

6) Virtualization Type

The virtualization layer affects actual CPU performance.

Best Technologies:

• KVM

• Bare-metal virtualization

• High-frequency compute instances

Avoid:

• OpenVZ

• LXC used on oversold nodes

• Any platform with CPU stealing/throttling

Shared CPU = unpredictable tick rate = instant lag.

7) DDoS Protection Requirements

Ultima Online servers attract DDoS attempts regularly.

Your VDS must include:

• Layer 3/4 filtration

• UDP flood protection

• SYN/ACK validation

• Custom rules for game ports

• Real mitigation hardware

Incomplete protection means:

• Random freezes

• Disconnect waves

• Player loss

• Reputation damage

8) Operating System and Configuration

Best OS Choices:

• Windows Server 2016/2019

• Windows Server 2022

• Linux + Mono (ModernUO supported environments)

Performance Tips:

• Power plan: High performance

• Disable CPU power saving

• Disable unnecessary services

• Set pagefile manually

• Use scheduled restart tasks

Shard software loves clean environments.

9) How Many Players Can Your VDS Support?

Depends heavily on CPU and engine type.

Approximate realistic numbers:

• ModernUO: 300+ players per core

• RunUO: 150–250 players per core

• Sphere: 80–150 players per core

Script-heavy shards may require double the hardware.

Conclusion

Choosing the right VDS determines whether your shard becomes:

• A stable, responsive server players trust
  or

• A laggy, delay-ridden project that dies in weeks

If you want low ping, zero delay, accurate spell timing and strong player retention, follow this formula:

High single-core CPU + NVMe + correct location + stable network + DDoS protection.

This is the only combination that works reliably for Ultima Online in 2025.