Choose the operating system suited for your gaming server.
Choose the operating system suited for your gaming server.
Hey there! For your setup, I’d suggest going with Windows Server 2016 or Windows 10 Pro. These versions offer good stability, decent performance for a dedicated game server, and compatibility with the tools you mentioned. Since you’re learning and will be using it alongside Microsoft resources, Windows Server gives you more flexibility and documentation. The Dell XPS 420 should handle it well, especially if you upgrade later. Let me know if you need help choosing the right version!
My home setup uses FileServer/GameServer with Server 2008R2 on an i5 processor. It mainly runs MineCraft and currently hosts a WSUS server. I’m thinking about dropping the WSUS since most devices are moving to Windows 10, which already supports built-in patch sharing.
I’d choose Linux every time if there were Linux-compatible game servers available. It offers greater flexibility, customization, and ease of use. During the recent LAN gathering, I ran CSGO servers on CentOS7 across eleven virtual machines with smooth provisioning. That’s my take. Using Windows Server for game servers seems unnecessary unless dedicated setups are strictly Windows-based.