There is no published numeric RAM or CPU minimum for a Quake Live dedicated server. Steam’s figures—1 GB RAM minimum, 2 GB recommended, and a 2 GHz Intel processor—describe the game client, not server capacity. The dedicated-server documentation only says that 32-bit and 64-bit binaries should run on a modern machine capable of running the Steam client, and that a standard server or VPS can host one or more instances.
That distinction matters when you choose a VPS, configure multiple servers, or troubleshoot performance. Use the client specifications as client requirements only, then size a server around your operating system, number of instances, player activity, plugins, custom content and other services. No published capacity table establishes how much RAM a given player count needs or how many instances fit on a CPU core.
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What the published requirements actually cover
Quake Live has two separate requirement questions: what a player’s computer needs to run the client, and what a machine needs to host a dedicated server. The available Steam listing answers the first question. The dedicated-server guide answers installation and administration questions but does not provide a tested hardware-sizing formula.
Steam’s figures are for the game client
| Item | Minimum listed by Steam | Recommended listed by Steam | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memory | 1 GB RAM | 2 GB RAM | Client memory guidance, not a dedicated-server benchmark |
| Processor | 2 GHz Intel processor or better | 2 GHz Intel quad-core processor or better | Client processor guidance, not an instance-per-core rule |
| Operating system | Windows 7 or later in the game listing | Not separately stated | Applies to the client listing; it is not a current server-distribution recommendation |
| Network and storage | Broadband internet and the storage specified in the listing | Not separately stated | Client requirements, not a server bandwidth or disk-capacity promise |
Steam’s listing was accessed in 2026 and also displays a Steam Client notice concerning Windows 10 or later from January 1, 2024. That notice concerns the Steam client platform; it should not be read as a statement that a Quake Live dedicated server requires a particular Windows version.
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What the dedicated-server guide does—and does not—say
The Linux dedicated-server instructions describe both 32-bit and 64-bit server binaries and say the server should run on any modern machine that can run the Steam client. The guide is a community installation and configuration document posted in 2015 and updated in 2023; it says its setup material reproduces the official readme with permission. The wording is qualitative and is not a current capacity guarantee.
It does not state a server-side minimum or recommendation for:
- RAM per server process or per player;
- a CPU model, clock speed or core count;
- maximum players on a machine;
- the number of instances per core or per gigabyte of RAM; or
- a measured bandwidth, storage or latency target.
Consequently, the accurate answer to “How much RAM does a Quake Live server need?” is that no numeric dedicated-server requirement is established in the published material. The same is true for the question about CPU. Treat any precise figure presented as a tested Quake Live rule with caution unless it comes with a reproducible benchmark for the exact server version, map, player load and configuration.
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How to size a host without inventing a specification
When documentation does not provide a capacity table, sizing becomes an operational process rather than a single shopping-list number. Your requirements will change with the host operating system, number of simultaneous instances, player activity, map rotation, plugins, custom content, logging and other workloads on the machine. Those dependencies are sensible planning factors, but the available Quake Live documentation does not quantify them.
Use a measured, staged deployment
- Define the workload. Record how many instances you intend to run, which gametypes and maps they will use, whether Workshop content is enabled, and what monitoring, web, voice or other services share the host.
- Deploy one instance first. Use a currently supported operating system and the server binary appropriate to your architecture. Do not treat the Steam client’s 1 GB or 2 GB figures as a server allocation.
- Observe real load. Monitor memory usage, CPU utilization, process restarts, frame or tick stability, network traffic and disk activity while players are connected. Capture peak values during busy maps rather than relying on an idle process.
- Add headroom before adding instances. Leave capacity for the operating system, updates, logs, Workshop downloads and short-lived spikes. Increase the host allocation or move to a larger machine when measurements show sustained pressure.
- Re-test after changes. A new map pool, plugin, server build or additional instance can alter the workload. Keep a record of the configuration associated with each measurement.
This approach gives you evidence for your own deployment without claiming that a particular RAM amount or processor has been validated for every Quake Live server.
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If you would rather not manage SteamCMD and the operating system yourself, a managed game host is an alternative: Godlike.Host offers Quake Live servers with its own game panel, and you can upgrade or downgrade the plan from the panel with prorated billing if your measurements show you need more or less capacity. See the current plans for details.
VPS, self-hosting and dedicated machines
The installation guide explicitly discusses both a standard server and a VPS as places that can host Quake Live instances. It does not compare providers, prices, latency or performance, so the choice should be based on administration and networking needs rather than an unsupported ranking.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute| Hosting route | Useful when | Trade-offs to check | What is established |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self-hosted physical machine | You control the hardware, operating system and local network | Power, upstream bandwidth, firewalling, public addressing and hands-on maintenance are your responsibility | The guide’s standard-server model supports this type of deployment |
| VPS | You want a rented Linux environment with remote access and a public network endpoint | Check port availability, virtualization limits, storage, backups, provider support and resource contention | The guide says a VPS can host server instances; it supplies no universal plan size |
| Dedicated physical server | You need exclusive control of the machine or several unrelated services must be isolated | Higher administrative responsibility and cost may apply, but no price or performance comparison is established here | No Quake Live-specific hardware recommendation is published |
| Docker-managed deployment | You prefer containerized lifecycle and instance management | You still need to understand ports, persistent files, updates, logs and host security | Docker examples come from a community framework; Docker is optional, not a Quake Live requirement |
For a VPS, verify before ordering that you can bind the required UDP and TCP ports, run the needed server architecture and install SteamCMD. Also confirm that the provider permits game-server traffic and gives you the administrative access needed to apply updates and firewall rules.
Installing and updating the dedicated server
The guide uses SteamCMD for installation and updates. It identifies the dedicated-server app update command as app_update 349090. SteamCMD syntax and the files shipped with the server can change, so check current SteamCMD documentation and inspect the installed directory after an update.
- Create a non-root account. Use a dedicated service account with only the permissions needed to run the server and write its data.
- Install SteamCMD according to the current instructions for your supported Linux distribution.
- Download or update the app. In SteamCMD, authenticate as required for the installation and run
app_update 349090. Confirm that the expected server files are present. - Select the matching launch script. The guide describes
run_server_x86.shfor the 32-bit binary andrun_server_x64.shfor the 64-bit binary. Use the script that matches your installation and host libraries. - Run the process as the service account. The guide’s explicit warning is: “Never run the server under root.” Apply that rule to manual launches, process managers and container entrypoints.
- Test a single instance. Start with a minimal configuration, confirm that it reaches the expected ready state, and inspect its log before adding maps, Workshop items or additional instances.
The guide once recommended Ubuntu 14.04, but that recommendation is dated and should not be treated as a current choice. Select a Linux distribution that is presently supported, then verify that the Quake Live server binary and its libraries work on that release. The available material does not establish one best current distribution.
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Configuration, maps and custom content
Keep the effective configuration in the right place
Server settings are stored in server.cfg. The guide suggests keeping a copy in the server’s fs_homepath because an update can restore a default configuration. Back up your working file before updating and compare the active file with the backup if settings unexpectedly revert.
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Use Steam Workshop for custom content
The guide says Quake Live removed the legacy HTTP and UDP download paths. Custom content therefore needs to be available through Steam Workshop. It describes listing Workshop item IDs in workshop.txt and provides a SteamCMD download fallback when Workshop startup downloads fail.
Because those instructions come from a dated community guide, confirm the behavior against the current server release before designing an automated content pipeline. Keep Workshop files persistent outside an ephemeral container or temporary directory so a restart does not force unnecessary re-downloads.
Enable remote administration deliberately
Remote console is disabled by default according to the guide. It can be configured through the server’s ZeroMQ-related settings. Enable it only when you have a specific administrative need, restrict the endpoint with firewall rules or an allowlist, use strong credentials and monitor connection attempts.
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Ports and firewall planning
Port numbers depend on the framework and configuration. A community framework gives the following example values:
| Function | Example port | Example protocol | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game traffic | 27960 | UDP | Example game port; each instance needs its own available port |
| Statistics | 27960 | TCP | Often the game port number over TCP in this framework’s example |
| Remote console (rcon) | 28960 | TCP in the framework example | Often described as the game port plus 1000; verify the actual server configuration |
These are examples, not immutable Quake Live defaults. The community material contains an inconsistency: one section says remote rcon binds to TCP, while a later port summary calls the default rcon port UDP. The framework’s Docker example uses TCP 28960. Do not copy the UDP statement as settled fact. Check the current server configuration, the framework documentation and your firewall before opening or forwarding a port.
Plan unique port sets for multiple instances
- Choose a distinct game port for each instance.
- Assign the corresponding statistics and rcon endpoints if those services are enabled.
- Allow only the required protocol and port in the host firewall and any upstream router or security group.
- Document the mapping beside the instance name so administrators do not connect to the wrong server.
- Test from an external network, not only from the host itself.
The guide describes using a third-party process manager for multiple instances. A process manager can restart failed processes and keep logs organized, but it does not remove the need for unique ports, persistent configuration and non-root execution.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Common failure modes and practical fixes
The server starts but performance is poor
There is no published RAM-per-player or CPU-per-instance figure to confirm a hardware fault from memory size alone. Check peak CPU and memory use while players are active, then examine whether another service, a plugin, Workshop activity, logging or disk pressure coincides with the symptoms. Test one instance in isolation before scaling out.
An update restores default settings
Compare the active server.cfg with the copy kept in fs_homepath. Restore your intended settings, retain a versioned backup and check which factory or gametype file supplies the effective value.
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Workshop content does not appear
Confirm the Workshop IDs in workshop.txt, check the server log for download errors and use the guide’s SteamCMD fallback when startup downloads fail. Verify that the content directory is writable by the non-root service account and persists across restarts.
Players cannot connect
Confirm the selected game port, public address, host firewall, provider security group and router forwarding. Make sure the game endpoint uses UDP and that any statistics or rcon endpoint uses the protocol actually configured rather than relying on a copied port table.
Remote console is unreachable
Check that rcon was explicitly enabled, that its ZeroMQ-related settings are valid, and that the firewall allows the configured protocol. Because community documentation disagrees about UDP versus TCP, inspect the live configuration and test the endpoint with the framework or server version you are running.
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- Have you separated client requirements from dedicated-server sizing?
- Have you defined the number of instances, player workload, maps, plugins and shared services?
- Does the host run a currently supported operating system compatible with the server binary and libraries?
- Are SteamCMD and
app_update 349090available to a dedicated non-root account? - Will
server.cfg,fs_homepath, Workshop files and logs survive updates and container recreation? - Does every instance have a unique, documented port set?
- Have you verified the rcon protocol in the actual configuration?
- Can you monitor CPU, memory, network and process health under real player load?
Bottom line
Quake Live’s published 1 GB minimum and 2 GB recommended RAM figures, along with its 2 GHz processor figures, are client requirements only. The dedicated-server documentation provides 32-bit and 64-bit binaries, SteamCMD installation, launch scripts and support for standard servers or VPSs, but no numeric RAM, CPU, player-capacity or instance-density specification. Choose a currently supported host, run the server as a non-root account, allocate unique verified ports, and size the machine from measurements of your own workload rather than from the Steam client table.
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