Table of contents

1. Full hardware access2. Consistent high performance3. Better security and data isolation4. Customization at the OS5. Ideal for high-traffic apps6. Supports GPUs, RAID, and NVMe7. Cost-effective at scaleBare metal vs VPSUse casesFAQsNext stepsAdditional resources

Get the industry’s most performant bare metal hosting◦ Fast connections
◦ Setup in under 1 hour
◦ User-friendly API

Bare Metal → Benefits

Bare Metal Server Benefits

Need raw server power with no noisy neighbors? Bare metal servers deliver unmatched performance, full hardware control, and the isolation your workloads demand. Whether you’re running high-traffic websites, latency-sensitive applications, or compute-intensive systems, bare metal hosting gives you enterprise-grade power with none of the virtualization overhead.

Here’s why developers, SaaS providers, and growing ecommerce businesses are making the switch.

Explore bare metal

Build now

1. Full hardware access (no hypervisor limitations)

Bare metal servers are true single-tenant machines. Unlike virtual private servers (VPS), they don’t use a hypervisor to split up physical resources. That means your applications have complete and direct access to:

CPU cores
RAM
Disk I/O
Network interfaces

No virtualization layer. No shared memory. No waiting in line for compute time.

2. Consistent high performance (zero noisy neighbors)

Because you’re the only tenant on the hardware, performance is predictable and stable. There’s no risk of resource contention from other users or sudden slowdowns due to shared infrastructure spikes.

Bare metal is ideal for:

Database-driven applications
High-volume ecommerce traffic
Real-time analytics or processing

3. Better security and data isolation

Security-conscious businesses often choose bare metal because of its physical separation. Since you’re not sharing the host with anyone else, attack surfaces are dramatically reduced. You also have full control over your firewall, access policies, and security stack.

Bare metal servers also simplify compliance with standards like HIPAA, PCI DSS, and GDPR.

4. Customization at the OS and hardware level

Bare metal gives you total control over your environment, down to the firmware. Want to install a custom Linux distro? Need to configure your own RAID arrays or kernel modules? No problem.

This is critical for:

Specialized software stacks
Performance benchmarking
Legacy app compatibility

5. Ideal for high-traffic apps and large datasets

If your workloads regularly push infrastructure limits, bare metal is a solid investment. You can fine-tune every layer for performance, from CPU threading to storage caching.

Great for:

Streaming platforms
AI/ML model inference
Virtualization or container hosting (on your own terms)

6. Supports GPUs, RAID, and NVMe at scale

Unlike many VPS or shared cloud environments, bare metal servers can be built to spec. That includes support for:

NVIDIA L40S and H100 GPUs
Multi-drive RAID configurations
High-throughput NVMe storage
Dual power supplies and redundant NICs

These hardware-level upgrades are key for compute-heavy use cases.

7. Cost-effective at scale (vs. cloud)

Many enterprises discover that long-running workloads on public cloud VMs become expensive over time. Bare metal hosting gives you fixed monthly pricing and dedicated resources—no surprise bills or throttled bandwidth.

If you need consistent performance without scaling down at night or on weekends, bare metal is often the better deal.

Bare metal vs VPS vs dedicated server

Here’s how bare metal compares to other common hosting options:

Feature	VPS	Dedicated Server	Bare Metal Server
Hypervisor	Yes	No	No
Resource isolation	Shared	Full	Full
Custom hardware	No	Sometimes	Yes
Performance	Variable	High	Maximum
Best for	SMB sites	Enterprise workloads	High-performance workloads

While “dedicated” and “bare metal” are sometimes used interchangeably, bare metal typically refers to newer-generation hardware with no virtualization layer and full tenant control.

Bare metal server use cases

Bare metal servers are increasingly popular across industries due to their high performance and dedicated resources. Prominent use cases include:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML): Equipped with GPUs, bare metal servers provide the computational power needed to process vast datasets and train complex models efficiently.
Big Data Analytics: Handle large-scale data processing tasks, enabling quick analysis and insights from massive data. High I/O throughput and minimal latency facilitate real-time analytics for faster data-driven decisions.
High-Performance Computing (HPC): Ideal for scientific simulations, financial modeling, and rendering applications demanding substantial processing power. Leverage full hardware capabilities without virtualization overhead for optimal performance.
Gaming Servers: Provide low-latency connections and high-performance hardware for smooth gameplay. Support large numbers of concurrent players, ensuring a seamless gaming experience.

While “dedicated” and “bare metal” are sometimes used interchangeably, bare metal typically refers to newer-generation hardware with no virtualization layer and full tenant control.

FAQs about bare metal servers

In many cases, yes. Bare metal servers offer newer hardware, zero virtualization, and greater configurability. They’re purpose-built for modern workloads that demand maximum performance and reliability.

Businesses that need consistent performance, low latency, or custom environments—such as ecommerce stores, streaming platforms, SaaS tools, and AI/ML applications—will benefit most from bare metal.

Absolutely. VPS solutions share physical hardware and can experience resource contention. Bare metal gives you dedicated access to the entire machine, resulting in faster, more reliable performance.

Getting started with bare metal restore

Bare metal servers offer dedicated resources, ensuring optimal performance and reliability. Ideal for resource-intensive applications, large databases, and high-traffic websites, you have full control over hardware to customize configurations for enhanced security, compliance, or performance optimization.

Assess your current infrastructure and determine how bare metal servers fit into your strategy. Consider workload requirements, scalability needs, and budget constraints.

If you or your organization is using or considering bare metal servers, and security and reliability are concerns, Liquid Web can help. Our metal solutions come with dedicated IP addresses, DDoS attack protection, and more.

Click through below to explore all of the bare metal solutions we offer. Or start a chat to get answers to your specific questions and hear from our expert support team.