Hardware Requirements
Hardware Requirements for Tezos Baking
Running a Tezos baker requires a dedicated machine. This page lists minimum and recommended specifications for the baking node (the computer running TezBake and the Tezos node), plus requirements for the signing device.
Baking Node
Minimum Specifications
These are the lowest specs on which a Tezos baker can run. Performance may be tight, especially during bootstrapping and protocol upgrades.
| Component | Minimum |
|---|---|
| CPU | 3 cores (x86-64 or ARM64) |
| RAM | 8 GB |
| Storage | 256 GB SSD |
| Network | 50 Mbps symmetric, wired Ethernet |
| OS | Ubuntu 22.04 LTS or Debian 12 (recommended) |
Recommended Specifications
For comfortable operation, headroom during syncing, and the ability to run monitoring tools alongside the baker:
| Component | Recommended |
|---|---|
| CPU | 8 cores |
| RAM | 16 GB |
| Storage | 512 GB NVMe SSD |
| Network | 100 Mbps+ symmetric, wired Ethernet |
| OS | Ubuntu 22.04 LTS or Debian 12 |
💡 TIP: A mini PC (Intel N100, AMD Ryzen 5, or similar) with 16 GB RAM and a 512 GB NVMe SSD is an excellent and affordable baking node. These are widely available for $150–250.
Storage: SSD is Mandatory
⚠️ WARNING: HDDs will not work.
A traditional spinning hard drive (HDD) is not suitable for running a Tezos node. The node performs random read/write operations at a rate that will cause an HDD to fall behind and eventually become unable to keep up with the chain. You must use an SSD (or NVMe).
Disk Space Growth
The Tezos full node currently requires approximately 100 GB of disk space, and this grows over time as the chain advances.
| Mode | Approximate Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Full node (rolling) | ~100 GB+ | The standard baking mode; grows slowly |
| Archive node | 1+ TB | Full history; not needed for baking |
ℹ️ INFO: TezBake runs a rolling node by default — this is the recommended mode for bakers. It retains enough history to participate in consensus without storing the entire chain history. 256 GB provides comfortable headroom; 512 GB is future-proof.
Network Requirements
| Requirement | Value |
|---|---|
| Connection type | Wired Ethernet (never Wi-Fi) |
| Minimum speed | 50 Mbps down / 50 Mbps up |
| Recommended speed | 100 Mbps+ symmetric |
| IP address | Static (not DHCP) |
| Ports needed | 9732 (Tezos P2P), 8732 (RPC, local only) |
⚠️ WARNING: Do not use Wi-Fi.
Wi-Fi introduces latency and occasional packet loss that can cause missed attestations. Always connect your baking node via a wired Ethernet cable.
⚠️ WARNING: Use a static IP.
DHCP can fail to renew leases, causing connectivity drops. Configure a static IP address for your baking node.
Signing Device (TezSign)
TezSign is the recommended signing solution. It runs on very modest hardware — the private key operations it performs are lightweight.
| Device | CPU | RAM | Storage | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raspberry Pi Zero 2W | Quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 @ 1 GHz | 512 MB | microSD (8 GB min) | ~$15–20 |
| Radxa Zero 3 | Quad-core ARM Cortex-A55 @ 1.8 GHz | 2–8 GB | eMMC / microSD | ~$25–40 |
Both devices are more than sufficient for signing Tezos operations. The Pi Zero 2W is the most common choice due to its low cost and wide availability.
💡 TIP: Buy two TezSign-compatible boards — one for primary baking, one as a backup. Two Pi Zero 2W boards cost less than $40 total, less than half the price of a single Ledger.
→ See also: Choose Your Setup | Baking with TezSign
Power & Reliability
| Item | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) | Strongly recommended — attach baking node + ISP router |
| Dedicated machine | Yes — do not share with daily-use workloads |
| Monitoring | Configure TezWatch alerts via Discord or Telegram |
ℹ️ INFO: Tezos does not slash bakers for downtime caused by hardware failure or power outage. You will miss rewards during downtime, but you will not lose stake. However, you must maintain a 67% attestation success rate per cycle (~24 hours) to avoid any penalty.
Complete Recommended Setup Bill of Materials
| Item | Example | Approx. Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Mini PC (baking node) | Intel N100 mini PC, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB NVMe | $150–250 |
| Primary TezSign | Raspberry Pi Zero 2W + microSD + USB cable | $20–30 |
| Backup TezSign | Second Pi Zero 2W | $20–30 |
| UPS | APC Back-UPS 600VA or similar | $60–100 |
| Total | ~$250–410 |
Related Pages
- Choose Your Setup — Pick the right signing option
- Best Practices — Reliability and safety guidelines
- Baking on Mainnet — Full setup walkthrough
Any questions/comments/concerns? Please contact the Tez Capital team on Discord or Telegram