k3s Kubernetes lab: hardware requirements
Lightweight Kubernetes lab for containers, GitOps and experiments.
Hardware tiers
| Tier | CPU | RAM | Storage | GPU | VRAM | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum sensible | 4 cores | 16 GB | 1 TB (ssd) | None | — | 1 GbE |
| Recommended | 8 cores | 32 GB | 2 TB (ssd) | None | — | 2.5 GbE |
| Comfortable | 16 cores | 64 GB | 4 TB (ssd) | any | — | 10 GbE |
| Overkill | 26 cores | 103 GB | 8 TB (ssd) | any | — | 10 GbE |
- Minimum sensible: The smallest build that genuinely works — tight, focused, no fluff.
- Recommended: The sweet spot: handles the service plus the usual side-services.
- Comfortable: Real headroom — this service will never be the bottleneck.
- Overkill: More than you will ever use for this service alone — spend the money elsewhere.
Beyond Comfortable — 16 cores, 64 GB RAM, 4 TB: headroom you will never use for this service alone.
Runs well with
Containers, Docker
Frequently asked questions
How much RAM does k3s Kubernetes lab need?
16 GB is the sensible minimum, 32 GB covers most real setups, and 64 GB gives comfortable headroom.
How many CPU cores does k3s Kubernetes lab need?
4 cores are the minimum, 8 cores the sweet spot, and 16 cores comfortable when shared with other services.
Can I run several services on one machine?
Yes — most services share resources. Use the planner and select several services; the engine sums and overlaps the requirements instead of stacking them.
What if I already have hardware?
Register it in My hardware and the analysis shows exactly which services your current system can comfortably run — including an honest “do nothing”.