Comparison · Server Room vs Contabo
Contabo alternative EPYC by the core, month to month.
Server Room is a Contabo alternative for dedicated servers: single-tenant AMD EPYC machines in New York and Bucharest. A 32-core build costs $347.78 a month against Contabo's €399.00, with an unmetered port, no location fee and no contract.
- Unmetered port
- No location fee
- Registered ECC memory
- Month to month
Contabo sells only AMD in its dedicated range, so this page sets core count against core count. It also names the size where Contabo costs less, and explains the traffic rule that sits behind their word "unlimited".
Like for like
Contabo dedicated server alternative, size by size
Each row pairs one of our builds with the Contabo model closest in core count. Our figure is the configurator total for that exact machine. Theirs is the regular monthly price on Contabo's dedicated server page.
| Size | Server Room build | Server Room | Contabo model | Contabo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smallest | AMD Opteron X2150, 4 cores · 8 GB · 32 GB SSD · 500 Mbps | $5 | Ryzen 12 Cores: Ryzen 9 7900 · 64 GB · 1 TB NVMe · 1 Gbit/s | €149.00 |
| 24 cores | AMD EPYC 7413, 2.65 GHz · 128 GB ECC · 2 × 960 GB SSD, RAID 1 | $337.78 | Genoa 24 Cores: EPYC 9224 · 128 GB ECC · 2 × 1 TB SSD · 1 Gbit/s | €199.00 |
| 32 cores | AMD EPYC 7513, 2.60 GHz · 128 GB ECC · 2 × 960 GB SSD, RAID 1 | $347.78 | Turin 32 Cores: EPYC 9355P · 128 GB · 2 × 1 TB NVMe · 1 Gbit/s | €399.00 |
| 64 cores | AMD EPYC 7763, 2.45 GHz · 256 GB ECC · 2 × 960 GB SSD, RAID 1 | $472.98 | Turin 64 Cores: EPYC 9555P · 192 GB · 2 × 1 TB NVMe · 1 Gbit/s | €699.00 |
Our prices are in US dollars. The smallest machine adds a one-time $13 setup fee; each EPYC build adds a one-time $29. Contabo charges no setup fee, and when we read its page it showed a lower introductory price for the first 12 months on each model. Contabo lists its Turin models with a 10 Gbit/s option.
Trade-offs
Where Contabo costs less, and where we do
A comparison that only lists one side is an advert. These are the points that should decide it.
Contabo is the better buy for
- 24 cores in Europe. Their Genoa 24 at €199.00 gives more cores per euro than our 24-core build at $337.78.
- Newer silicon. Their EPYC 9004 and 9005 parts are Zen 4 and Zen 5. Ours are EPYC 7003, Zen 3, launched in 2021, so single-thread speed is higher on theirs.
- NVMe by default on the Turin models, where our builds ship SATA SSDs.
- No setup fee on any dedicated server.
Server Room is the better buy for
- 32 and 64 cores. $347.78 against €399.00, and $472.98 against €699.00 for a 64-core machine with 256 GB where theirs has 192 GB.
- A small machine. Our smallest is $5 a month. Contabo's dedicated range starts at €149.00, and below that it sells virtual servers.
- US hosting at the EU price. New York and Bucharest cost the same; there is no location fee.
- Ports past 10 Gbps. EPYC builds take 2, 3, 5, 10 or 20 Gbps, all unmetered.
- Longer terms that cost less. Pay 3, 6 or 12 months at a time and the machine costs 5%, 10% or 15% less. Monthly stays available at the list price.
Traffic
Contabo fair use policy, and what unmetered means here
Contabo describes dedicated server traffic as unlimited, subject to a fair usage policy. Its help centre says usage has to match typical server workloads, and that a server whose average bandwidth is exceptionally high may have its port throttled. Contabo says it emails first and works out a solution with the customer.
We sell the port by speed and do not count the traffic. Every EPYC build includes a 1 Gbps unmetered port. On the same build, 10 Gbps adds $529 a month and 20 Gbps adds $1,629. There is no transfer quota on the invoice, so a backup job or a busy download mirror costs what the port costs.
Datasheet
The rest of the decision
- Memory
- Registered DDR4 with ECC on every EPYC build, from 32 GB to 1 TB. The EPYC 7003 platform takes registered memory only.
- Storage
- Two SATA SSDs mirrored in RAID 1 on the included controller, from 240 GB to 15.36 TB per drive. 6-disk and 12-disk controllers are options for larger arrays.
- Delivery
- Servers already on the shelf go live about 30 minutes after the order is approved. EPYC builds are assembled to order and take 4 to 24 hours.
- Locations
- EPYC in New York and Bucharest at one price. Our other lines also run in Miami, San Francisco and Amsterdam.
- Addresses
- One IPv4 address included; up to eight on order.
- Control panel
- ISPConfig at no charge, or cPanel Premier for 100 domains at $49.50 a month. Contabo also sells cPanel and Plesk as paid add-ons.
- Support
- An AI assistant on live chat answers in seconds and can check your account and your servers; ask for a person and one joins. The included plan replies within 12 hours and replaces failed hardware within 24; the Bronze plan, $19 a month, cuts both to 4 hours.
- Contract
- None. Monthly billing at the list price, with the longer-term discounts above if you want them.
Switching
Moving a server off Contabo
- Order the new machine in Bucharest for European users or New York for North American ones, with a matching operating system.
- Run both side by side. Copy data and configuration while the Contabo server keeps serving.
- Lower your DNS TTL a day ahead, switch the records, and watch traffic arrive.
- Cancel at Contabo once nothing reaches the old address.
Our migration page sets out what we handle and what stays with you. Read the migration plan
Answers
Questions people ask before they switch
What is a good Contabo alternative for dedicated servers?
If you need 32 or more AMD cores, a US location without a surcharge or a port faster than 10 Gbps, Server Room is a direct alternative: EPYC builds with registered ECC memory in New York and Bucharest, billed monthly with no contract. A 32-core build with 128 GB is $347.78 a month.
What is Contabo's fair use policy?
Contabo calls dedicated server traffic unlimited but applies a fair usage policy: usage must match typical server workloads, and a server with exceptionally high average bandwidth may have its port throttled after Contabo contacts the customer. Our ports are unmetered and sold by speed, with no transfer quota.
Is Server Room cheaper than Contabo?
At 32 and 64 cores, yes: $347.78 against €399.00 and $472.98 against €699.00 a month at Contabo's regular price. At 24 cores Contabo is cheaper, €199.00 against $337.78.
Does Server Room charge a location fee?
No. An EPYC build costs the same in New York and in Bucharest.
How fast can I get a server?
A server already on the shelf goes live about 30 minutes after the order is approved. An EPYC build is assembled to order and takes 4 to 24 hours.
Is there a discount for paying several months at once?
Yes. Paying for 3, 6 or 12 months at once takes 5%, 10% or 15% off the machine. Monthly billing is always available at the list price.
Build the EPYC server you would have rented
Pick cores, memory and port speed in the configurator; the total updates as you go. Questions first? The chat answers in seconds.