You aren't kidding—Solana is a beast when it comes to hardware. If a node is running on a weak server, they miss blocks, which directly lowers your rewards. I did some digging and that is why I chose Vladika
https://vladika.love/ for my staking. They use actual enterprise-level servers in secure data centers, which is exactly what a Solana staking validator needs to maintain a low skip rate. When the hardware is optimized, the node processes transactions faster and earns more MEV tips, which are then passed on to you. It is a huge difference compared to someone trying to run a node on a budget setup. High-end hardware equals better payouts for everyone involved!
