Questions about running a node

I've recently gotten into the idea of running a node to make all the talks I've seen here more visual and hands-on. But I’m kinda lost since I've never done this before, and I have a few concerns. So, I’m wondering about a couple of things: 1. What are the basic hardware requirements? Like, how many CPU cores, how much RAM, and what's the ideal storage size and type? Should I go for SSD or HDD? Also, how much internet bandwidth is needed? 2. How much storage space does the full blockchain take up right now? 3. How long does it usually take to sync? I’m a bit worried about my power supply being stable.

1.  The recommendation is to use an SSD of at least 1TB if your intention is to run a full node, you can have lesser storage for prune node. Because according to https://blockchair.com/bitcoin current block size is 719.59GB. Your network bandwidth depends on your network and location but it will greatly affect how long you will be able to complete downloading all the blocks. As for RAM let’s say at least 4GB because recent versions of Windows or Mac OS will not ba able to run on less than that RAM smoothly 2. As stated above it is around 720GB with extra space needed for future blocks. Recent UTXO size are mother than 10GB so extra enough space should be considered. 3. Sync depends on how fast your network is plus have lots of space left on your SSD and a higher RAM would seriously help

Hardware isn't only about CPU cores, you can have a latest generation computer running on core i5 that can perform better than than old generation of core i7, go for new generation hardwares. You can always upgrade Ram storage, basically 4gb is enough but you can extend it to 8 or 16gb to have a smooth running hardware to make validation and initial block downloads faster. You need a big storage disk, ssd is the best but even Hdd will run fine if that's what you can afford. Furthermore, you have the option to either run full node or prune node. To run full node, you need a Terabytes storage since you need a space to keep all blocks but if you have limited space, you can run prune mode and choose space you want to keep for your node. Initial block download will depend on how fast is your internet cable and bandwidth, if you have an unlimited internet cable with steady power supply, your sync will not take more than 2 days. If you don't have steady power supply, you can always come back and continue your node from where you stop.

About storage, i would recommend either SSD (excluding QLC or very cheap ones) or HDD (with lots of RAM allocation) to avoid major slowdown. By lots of RAM allocation, i would recommend at least 12.8GB which is peak UTXO size[1]. it heavily depends on your device and internet connection. But FWIW, Jameson Lopp took 12 hours to sync with his fairly fast/modern device[2]. [1] https://statoshi.info/d/000000009/unspent-transaction-output-set?orgId=1&from=now-5y&to=now&timezone=browser&refresh=10m [2] https://blog.lopp.net/2025-bitcoin-node-performance-tests/

That's great! I recommend you look at my guides e.g.: [Guide] How to run a Bitcoin Core full node for under 50 bucks!, and my OpenSUSE full node install guide. For around 50€ at the time of writing, you could get an adequate machine; I'd recommend 8GB-16GB of DDR3 RAM today, but a post in my above linked thread shows how with 8GB it should sync in ~2 days with an HDD. Even though it may take multiple days or weeks to sync, depending on your setup, that's not an issue if you have a means of shutting down your node before the electricity cuts off. For instance, consider using an old, maybe slightly upgraded, laptop with a working battery. Depending on its condition and length of power outages, you could choose to either manually shut down Bitcoin Core once a power outage happens, or you could code something up that does this automatically, or maybe your outages are short enough such that the laptop battery manages to keep your node running until power comes back.