RAMUSDT
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24gb of RAM on a Ryzen 7000 processor wouldn't be too bad on my mini pc homelab...
What if the server was run through the TOR network? I think that'd be cool.
Time to put that network switch to use.

One key point that often gets overlooked is validator accessibility. Solana has much higher hardware requirements, which limits who can realistically participate. To run a Solana validator, you need extremely high bandwidth (close to 1 GB/sec sustained), fast storage, and up to 128 GB of RAM. These costs create a higher barrier to entry and concentrate validator power in the hands of large, well-funded players.
Ethereum, by contrast, has intentionally kept validation more accessible. With Ethereum’s Proof of Stake, all you need is 32 ETH, a reliable (but not extreme) internet connection, and modest hardware specs. You don’t need enterprise-grade RAM or bandwidth. This lowers the cost of entry and allows a much wider pool of participants to run validators, making Ethereum’s Layer 1 more decentralized in practice.
It’s true that Solana achieves higher throughput with its Proof of History mechanism, which requires validators to maintain a constant internal clock to timestamp transactions. This design is what enables Solana’s speed, but it also drives its steep hardware requirements.
Ethereum solves scaling differently—rather than pushing all throughput onto Layer 1, it embraces Layer 2 rollups. This lets Ethereum keep its base layer highly decentralized and secure, while Layer 2s handle the bulk of transaction volume at scale.

Solana is not decentralized. And it runs on nodes that already require up to 128 GB of RAM. Its similarity to Ethereum is purely coincidental.

I haven't tried to run Solana or ever used it so I'm just asking about what's being claimed here but does anybody actually need the 400TB unpruned ledger? I'm always hearing here about how bad Solana is but honestly 500GB live state is absolutely fine. People like to FUD Ethereum by banging on about archives nodes and such bullshit but it's all bullshit, are we doing the same thing with Solana?
If the state is only 500GB then I don't understand why you'd need
> High-speed NVMe storage (2×3.84 TB enterprise drives).
and I also don't know what an enterprise drive is compared to a normal drive or why they want 2 of them, is this to set up RAID for high availability or do you need 7.68 TB of storage? Is the Solana software just not very good so you end up needing far more data in practice than you'd really need to validate?
The RAM requirement is kind of a bummer but honestly with ETH you're throwing in a minimum of like $100K in stake so if you want to buy some RAM you can buy some RAM.

Solana’s current account model, where all state is stored on-chain and indefinitely replicated across validators, has delivered simplicity, security, and composability. However, by mid-2025, this model has produced significant challenges: a 500 GB live state, a **400+ TB unpruned ledger**, high validator hardware costs, and unsustainable rent fees for developers. Without intervention, state growth will threaten network decentralization, reduce developer accessibility, and degrade Solana’s competitive edge as a high-performance blockchain.
[https://medium.com/@fireblast963/solanas-path-to-sustainable-scalability-archival-state-mechanisms-with-on-chain-proofs-4d642ee5c5d8](https://medium.com/@fireblast963/solanas-path-to-sustainable-scalability-archival-state-mechanisms-with-on-chain-proofs-4d642ee5c5d8)
Look at the validator specs!
Running a Solana validator requires:
* **≥384 GB RAM**.
* **High-speed NVMe storage (2×3.84 TB enterprise drives)**.
* Monthly costs of **$500–$1,000**, excluding redundancy.
The effect: a validator landscape skewed toward **data centers and professionals**, limiting decentralization.