How Much RAM Does Minecraft Need?

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Written By Allan Brooks

Minecraft enthusiast sharing insights on servers, hosts, and crafting epic gaming experiences.

How much RAM you should maintain for your favorite game may occasionally cross your mind. It truly depends on a few variables that you must take into account before allocating RAM. However, you can always set aside memory for Minecraft whether you’re using 4 or 8 GB. 

The minimum amount of RAM that is recommended for Minecraft is 4GB. However, if you are playing with mods or shaders, you may need more RAM.

Unlock Minecraft’s potential with optimal RAM. From 4GB for solo adventures to 16GB for sprawling modded realms, tailor it to your gameplay. In this blog, you will get more familiar with the process of choosing the amount of RAM according to your needs, and the benefits of allocating more RAM to your server.

What Are the Benefits of Allocating More RAM to Minecraft?

The game’s performance will improve as a result of giving Minecraft additional RAM, guaranteeing that you have a pleasant gameplay experience without any annoying lag, restrictions, or crashes. You will benefit in the following ways from it:

  • It will remove that potential performance bottleneck if a lack of RAM is constraining the game’s performance
  • It will delay or stop the crash from occurring if the game crashes because Java runs out of RAM (either because of bugs or because of complicated constructions/mods in a world)
  • Increased RAM usage for Minecraft may result in a decrease in system performance as other applications also need memory

How Does Allocating More RAM to Minecraft Improve Performance?

Increasing RAM enhances performance in Minecraft differently, here’s how:

  1. Minimizes Lag And Stutter

When there is not enough RAM, Minecraft must store temporary files on the hard drive. As a result, the game must frequently read from and write to the hard drive, which might cause lag and stuttering. By giving Minecraft greater room to store these temporary files, additional RAM can enhance performance.

  1. Allows For More Mods And Larger Worlds

The size of the world you can make in Minecraft and the number of mods you can use both increase with the amount of RAM you give it. This is because running mods and larger worlds requires more RAM.

  1. Frame Rate Is Increased

The frame rate is how many images a game renders per second. Gameplay is more fluid when the frame rate is higher. More RAM can boost the frame rate by lowering latency and stuttering.

  1. Stops Crashes

Not having enough RAM can cause Minecraft to crash. The reason for this is that the game’s limited storage capacity prevents it from keeping all of the necessary data. To avoid crashes, extra RAM can be allocated.

What Are the Risks of Allocating Too Much RAM to Minecraft?

Your computer may run slower and perform worse overall if you allocate too much RAM since other programs won’t have as much memory to work with. Only the amount of RAM required by Minecraft will be used. FPS is not correlated with RAM size. Over-allocating RAM might hinder rather than improve performance.

How Can I Determine the Optimal Amount of RAM to Allocate to Minecraft?

A balance must be struck to determine the ideal RAM size for Minecraft. Observe these steps:

  1. Examine the system resources: Check the overall RAM on your computer. Set aside about 4GB to ensure seamless play.
  2. For any significant modification to the gameplay, add 1-2GB.
  3. RAM increases with the number of players. Per 10–20 participants, allocate 1 GB.
  4. World Size: Bigger worlds require more memory. For every 1000 pieces, budget 1-2GB.
  5. Keep 2-4GB free for other programs if you’re multitasking.
  6. Starting with the estimated allocation, observe gaming, then test and adjust. For best results, make adjustments as necessary.

How Do I Allocate More RAM to Minecraft Using the Default Launcher?

The default and initial version of the Minecraft Launcher has changed throughout time to become more user-friendly. You may give your Minecraft additional RAM with the help of this feature.  

How to allocate extra RAM using the default launcher: 

  1. Open the Minecraft Launcher
  2. Select your preferred version from Java or Bedrock  
  3. From the top-level tabs, choose Installations
  4. Select the Edit option after clicking on these dots
  5. The Edit Installation window will appear on the screen
  6. Scroll down to the JVM Arguments by clicking More Options
  7. Identify the Xmx” any number- 1/2/3″ G from the JVM Arguments box codes  
  8. Enter a number that meets your needs
  9. After making all the necessary adjustments, click the Save button to start the game

How Do I Allocate More RAM to Minecraft Using a Third-Party Launcher?

Using the third-party launcher ATLauncher makes allocating RAM to Minecraft even simpler because you don’t need to make any coding changes.  

How to increase RAM allocation from the ATLauncher: 

  1. Activate the ATLauncher
  2. Select Settings from the list by clicking it
  3. Choose either the Minecraft or Java tab at the top of the screen
  4. In the second row, you will see an option titled Maximum Memory or RAM
  5. By entering a number in RAM or Maximum Memory, you can allocate any amount of RAM
  6. After making your choice, press the Save button

How Do I Allocate More RAM to a Minecraft Server?

To give a Minecraft server extra RAM, use these instructions:

  1. Launch Minecraft on your computer
  2. Select the Installation tab 
  3. To assign more RAM to a particular installation, click the three dots next to it
  4. Then select Edit
  5. Scroll down to access the JVM Arguments section
  6. Change the number following the -Xmx option to the amount of RAM you want to allot (in megabytes)
  7. Save the changes 

What Are Some Common Problems That Can Be Caused by Insufficient RAM in Minecraft?

Insufficient RAM in Minecraft can result in the following typical issues:

  1. Stuttering And Lag: When Minecraft runs out of RAM, it uses the hard drive to store temporary files. The game must constantly read from and write to the hard drive as a result, which might cause lag and stuttering.
  1. Low Frame Rate: The frame rate is the number of images that a video game renders each second. Less fluid gaming is associated with lower frame rates. Low frame rates might make a game feel less responsive due to insufficient RAM.
  1. Crashing: If there is not enough RAM, Minecraft may crash. This is due to the game’s lack of storage space for all the information required for operation.
  1. Errors Due To Memory Loss: Sometimes an “Out of memory” error message will appear in Minecraft. This indicates that the game’s RAM has been exhausted and it can no longer function.
  1. Textures That Won’t Load: Additionally, textures in Minecraft may not load properly if there is not enough RAM. As a result, the game may appear pixelated or hazy.

How Can I Troubleshoot and Fix Minecraft Performance Issues Caused by Insufficient RAM?

Low RAM in Minecraft causes freezing, latency, slow-loading chunks, block errors, and rubberbanding of players. These problems interfere with gaming. These issues are avoided by allocating extra RAM, resulting in a smoother and more pleasurable experience.

Here are some techniques for troubleshooting and resolving Minecraft performance difficulties brought on by a lack of RAM:

  1. Give Minecraft access to extra RAM
  2. Close any open programs on your computer
  3. Remove any resource packs or mods that might be affecting performance
  4. In the game’s options, shorten the render distance
  5. In the settings, disable the fancy visuals and the seamless lighting
  6. Update the drivers for your graphics device
  7. Use a texture pack with a lower resolution

How Can Memory, Lag, Crash, and Optimization Issues Be Addressed Through Tweaking and Troubleshooting?

To address the issue in your server you have to go through certain tweaks and tricks to catch the lags, crashes, and optimization issues, this may take some simple steps and routine checks with proper tracks, let’s dive into it:

  1. Making A Timings Report

You can keep track of how long it takes for your server to process an event by looking at a timings report. This enables you to identify any potential latency issues that could lower server TPS. Join the server, run the command /timings on, and then after about 30 minutes, run the command /timings paste to run a timings report. You will be given a URL, so click it to get the report in your browser.

  1. Looking Through A Timings Report

A straightforward graph that displays your server’s average TPS over time in five-minute intervals can be found in the timings report’s top section. A brief description of the server, including the average TPS, is located to the left of the graph. 

These are a wonderful way to quickly assess your server’s performance, but they can’t explain why your server is running slowly. You should concentrate on the information in the table below the graph to identify the source of the lag.

A timings report’s lower portion provides a detailed breakdown of each tick that occurred while the report was running, commonly known as a “tree view.” Each tree begins with a general description of the type of tick that is occurring.