Best Dedicated Game Servers for Top-Quality Performance
If you're looking for a way to play online multiplayer games with your friends, connecting to the same game server is the way to go. Using your computer as a server might work, but typically, dedicated servers offer better performance and security. To get your own dedicated game server, you can rent one from a range of hosting platforms, including Hostari.
Want to learn more about the server providers out there? Read on.
What are Dedicated Game Servers?
A dedicated game server is a computer whose sole purpose is to run video games for you. They usually consist of a series of hardware and resources, such as memory and DDoS protection, which all serve to improve your gaming experience.
Why are Dedicated Game Servers Important?
Excellent, Lag-Free Performance
Dedicated servers utilize high-end hardware with a focus on low latency to prevent your game from lagging.
Power and Control
Hosting your own dedicated game server means having control over who gets to join your lobby. You can set down some ground rules and kick out players who violate them to ensure everyone has a pleasant gaming experience.
Reliable Infrastructure
Dedicated servers are closely monitored to reduce the chances of downtime, making sure your game is always available.
Increased security
Game servers provide higher levels of security to protect against all sorts of attacks. Since these machines are dedicated to game hosting, you won’t have to worry about possible malware from other programs.
Criteria to Consider When Choosing a Dedicated Game Server
Compatibility
Your dedicated server should be compatible with the games you want to host. There should be an easy way to upgrade or downgrade your resources to accommodate different games.
Bandwidth & Memory
Gaming requires fast connection speeds—especially in larger lobbies. Make sure your dedicated game server has enough memory and bandwidth to support your game.
Support
It’s important to have fast and reliable customer support available in case you encounter any issues with your server.
Best Dedicated Game Servers for Top-Quality Performance
As the gaming industry expands, an increasing number of server hosting platforms are emerging online. With so many options out, picking one can be tricky. To simplify things, we’ve curated a list of dedicated game servers that saves you from endless Googling.
Here’s a quick look at the different platforms:
Hostari: Best for Easy Server Management
SparkedHost: Best for Affordable Pricing
Host Havoc: Best for High CPU Clock Speed
OVHcloud: Best for Reliable DDoS Protection
Now, let’s dive into the details!
1. Hostari: Best for Easy Server Management
Hostari aims to make server management hassle-free by reinventing the configuration system. You can spend your time playing various games without worrying about the technical side of things.
We also ensure high-level performance with our Intel Core i9 9900K processors, taking care to never overload our machines with too many subscriptions.
Key Features
Instant Setup: Your servers are instantly set up for you, so you can quickly get to playing your games.
Custom Control Panel: Our control panel is designed with an intuitive interface to make server management quick and efficient.
Global Data Centers: We accommodate players around the world with our global data centers in the US, Canada, and Brazil.
Automated Server Backups: Server backups are automated so you never have to worry about losing your progress.
Access Controls: You can install mods, maps, and plugins to your server and organize them to your liking.
Secure Servers: Our network is well-protected from high-level attacks, such as DDoS, UDP floods, and source-engine query attacks.
Pricing
Hostari rents out dedicated servers for a collection of specific games. Each game has multiple subscription plans available, which range from $3.99/month to $49.99/month. The average monthly fee is around $8.99 to $20.00, and the starting plans come with a certain amount of RAM and player slots.
Regardless of which plan you choose, you’re offered 24/7 runtime, automated server updates and backups, and on-demand chat support.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
24-hour free trial.
Multiple plans available for each game.
Cheap prices.
Flexible billing cycles.
High-end hardware.
Intuitive control panel.
Easy server configuration.
Global data centers.
24/7 runtime.
Automated setup.
Automated updates and backups.
Advanced security.
On-demand chat support.
Cons:
Limited RAM.
Limited player slots.
No game switching.
2. SparkedHost: Best for Affordable Pricing
SparkedHost offers a wide range of dedicated servers at cheap, affordable prices. They have data centers in 9 different locations, including Asia, Australia, and the US, and offer industry-leading support. Additionally, with their new Apollo control panel, managing your server is now much easier.
Key Features
Enterprise Hardware: They use high-end hardware to ensure your server is always up and running.
Budget Friendly: They provide low prices to make their products budget-friendly.
Amazing Support: Their support team is always available online 24/7.
Premium Locations: They have servers available in many large cities to reach as many gamers as possible.
Instant Setup: Your servers are automatically set up after you’ve made your payment.
DDoS Protection: Every server has free DDoS protection to protect against hackers.
Pricing
SparkedHost offers specific game hosting as well as generally dedicated servers, which are not limited to certain games. Their game hosting prices range from $2.00 to $65.00/month, with an average price of around $4.00/month to $15.00/month. Whilst there are no slot limitations, each server has a recommended amount of players.
They also offer over 80 dedicated servers, including AMD Ryzen and Intel Xeon processors, across four different locations. Their prices vary from $41.00/month to $2099.00/month.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
24-hour free trial.
Unlimited slots.
Cheap pricing.
9 supported locations.
24/7 support.
Instant setup.
DDoS protection.
Free dedicated IP.
48-hour money-back guarantee.
Cons:
Limited backup slots.
Average ticket response time is over 40 minutes.
Limited storage.
3. Host Havoc: Best for High CPU Clock Speed
Host Havoc prides itself on their fast hardware, with clock speeds of up to 5.3 GHz and high-performing NVMe SSDs. Each hosting service also comes with free DDoS protection, which protects against over 35 types of attacks.
Key Features
Ultra-Fast Processors: Host Havoc utilizes the latest Intel Xeon and Ryzen CPUs to ensure high connection speeds.
NVMe SSD Storage: They use NVMe SSDs instead of traditional SSDs to minimize loading times.
10 Data Centers Worldwide: Their data centers are scattered across 10 locations, such as the US, Europe, and Australia.
24/7/365 Support: They have full-time support and an average response time of less than 10 minutes.
Pricing
Host Havoc also provides game hosting services on top of renting out other dedicated servers. Their game hosting is usually priced per slot (from $0.30 to $1.75), with a minimum player slot of 8-30 depending on the game. Additionally, they offer 2 dedicated servers both priced at $240.00/month.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
72-hour refund.
99.9% uptime guarantee.
Fast processors.
High clock speeds.
Low average ticket response times.
Instant setup.
Free DDoS protection.
10 locations supported.
Free migration.
Cons:
Limited RAM.
No free trial.
Dedicated servers are often out of stock.
4. OVHcloud: Best for Reliable DDoS Protection
OVHcloud provides an anti-DDoS protection system, which they constantly optimize to keep your servers well-protected at all times. They also make use of AMD Ryzen processors to ensure high-quality game performance.
Key Features
IPv6 Addresses: You can rent up to 256 additional IPv4 addresses per server.
Anti-DDoS Game Protection: OVHcloud has developed an anti-DDoS protection system specifically optimized for gaming.
Assistance & Support: You can receive technical support via email or phone.
Backup Storage Space: Every dedicated server comes with 500 GB of free storage space.
Pricing
There are two game servers to choose from, with a starting price of $114.00/month ($108.00/month on a year-long plan). You can rent the servers with no commitments, or commit to a long-term plan and receive a 5-10% discount, along with no setup fees.
You can upgrade your memory or storage for additional fees of around $16.15/month to £32.30/month, depending on which server you get. The more expensive server uses a high-quality CPU and offers more memory space.
Both servers come with:
Exclusive game DDoS protection
Unlimited traffic
Over 3.6 GHz
SSD NVMe storage
Public bandwidth (250 Mbps)
Pros and Cons
Pros:
Optimized DDoS Protection
Multiple billing cycles.
High-performing processors.
Up to 4.7 GHz CPU speed.
Global data centers.
Free backup storage space.
Additional IPv4 addresses available.
Free setup available for long-term plans.
Cons:
No private bandwidth.
Limited memory.
No storage upgrades for certain locations.
Conclusion
If you’re looking to play a co-op game with your friends, you need a shared game server to connect to. Gamers usually opt for renting a dedicated server from sites like Hostari since they provide much higher-quality game performance.
With Hostari, you never have to stress over logistics since we’ve simplified the configuration system, making it an effortless process. Browse through our dedicated game servers and start your 24-hour free trial to get your server up and ready in just 5 minutes.
