Performance Tuning and Hardware Planning
Tags: performance, hardware, scaling
Lag complaints often trace back to disk I/O, world size, or mods. Start with sensible hardware and configs, then measure before you tweak. This guide is optimized for 7 Days to Die 1.0 Full Release.
Choose right box
- Prioritize strong single-core performance; 7DTD 1.0 still leans heavily on one main thread despite optimization improvements.
- Use fast NVMe SSDs for the save directory and at least 16–24 GB RAM for modded servers; 32 GB recommended for large crossplay servers.
- Prefer dedicated cores over shared vCPUs when hosting large horde nights; crossplay servers benefit from additional CPU headroom for multiple platforms.
- For crossplay: ensure sufficient network bandwidth (minimum 10 Mbps upload per 8 players) to handle console connections.
OS and host tuning
- Enable high-performance power plans, disable unnecessary background tasks, and keep BIOS/firmware updated.
- Pin the game process to the fastest cores and set process priority to high (but not realtime).
- Monitor temps and throttle risk; poor cooling will undo every other tweak.
Game config levers
- Reduce view distance for crowded servers and adjust
MaxSpawnedZombies/MaxSpawnedAnimals gradually.
- Trim blood moon party size if horde nights stutter; lower texture streaming if VRAM is tight.
- Keep auto-save intervals reasonable (5–10 minutes) to avoid disk spikes; 1.0 has improved save efficiency but can still spike with heavy mod loads.
- Disable unused game features like vehicle physics in distant chunks or excessive particles to free up CPU.
- For crossplay servers, consider slightly lower view distance for console players who may have fewer performance optimizations than PC clients.
Measure and adapt
- Track CPU, RAM, disk latency, and network RTT during peak hours; set a baseline before each config change.
- Audit mods for heavy scripts or massive prefab packs; remove worst offender rather than chasing micro-optimizations. See Mods and Mod Installation & Compatibility for more on managing mod performance.
- Plan headroom: leave 20–30% CPU free for horde nights and large crossplay multiplayer parties.
- Monitor crossplay-specific metrics: separate PC, PlayStation, and Xbox performance if needed for targeted troubleshooting.
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