Updated 25 October 2026. Facts on this page come from minecraft.wiki, minecraft.net and the live Artemis PvP server; sources are listed at the bottom.
Render Distance vs Simulation Distance in Minecraft
Render distance is how far you can see, in chunks; simulation distance is how far from you the world actually runs: mobs move, crops grow, redstone and farms work. On Java, render distance goes up to 32 chunks and simulation distance from 5 to 32 (default 12). On Bedrock, simulation distance is 4 to 12. Simulation distance costs more performance than render distance.
What is the difference?
| Render distance | Simulation distance | |
|---|---|---|
| Controls | How many chunks you can see | How many chunks tick (entities, crops, fluids, redstone) |
| Java range | 2 to 32 chunks (32 needs at least 1 GB of memory, otherwise 16) | 5 to 32, default 12 |
| Bedrock range | Depends on device | 4 to 12 in steps of 2, default 4 |
| Server setting | view-distance (3-32, default 10) | simulation-distance (3-32, default 10) |
| Cost | Graphics and memory | CPU: heavier per chunk |
Server settings: server.properties.
Why does simulation distance matter for farms?
Outside it, crops stop growing, furnaces and hoppers stop, mobs freeze and new mobs do not spawn. Mobs spawn at least 24 blocks from you and only inside simulation distance, so AFK farms have to be within it. One extra ring of chunks just outside it still runs redstone, fluids and crops; beyond that nothing moves or changes. See mob spawning and chunks and ticks.
What should you set them to?
- Low-end PC or laptop: render 8-10, simulation 6-8.
- Good PC: render 16-24, simulation 10-12; going higher mainly costs FPS.
- On a server, the server's own view and simulation distance cap what you get no matter what you set.
- Entity Distance (Java) separately limits how far mobs are drawn.
More FPS tips: how to improve FPS.
What is a chunk?
A 16×16 column of the world from bottom to top. A render distance of 12 means 12 chunks out in each direction from yours, a 25×25 square. Find your chunk on the F3 screen; see the F3 screen.
Does ArtemisPvP limit view distance?
Frequently asked questions
What is simulation distance in Minecraft?
How many chunks around you are updated: mobs, crops, fluids and redstone.
What is the max render distance in Java?
32 chunks, with at least 1 GB of memory allocated; otherwise 16.
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against these pages; the wording is ours.