You can rent a 448-core super server from AWS for a lot less than you think β Intel-based 8-socket Sapphire Rapids
Market intelligence agency Liftr insights discovered a new Amazon Web Services cloud provider instance with a massive core count of 896 cores, putting it far above competing offerings from Azure and Tencent.
What is important to note, and as noted by a Tom’s hardware readerThese cores are likely derived from Intel Sapphire Rapids configurations with 8 CPUs and 56 cores, effectively using hyperthreading to achieve 2 vCPUs per physical core.
The use of vCPUs allows cloud providers like AWS to offer scalable, flexible, and high-performance computing resources for applications that require significant computing power, such as intensive database operations or data analytics, but the new instance still only offers 448 physical cores, which is the same as AWS has been offering since May 2021.
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The cost of renting this server is more affordable than you might expect, with Liftr suggesting prices will range from around $150 to over $400 per hour, with an average of $263.10. These instances are especially suitable for demanding database applications such as SAP Hana and Oracle, and justify their higher price levels due to the performance improvements they provide.
Tab Schadt, CEO of Liftr, notes: “It is not beneficial for AWS to deploy solutions that don’t sell, especially at these price points. They spend a lot of time and money on their market intelligence. Other companies can benefit from their research into what they offer and where they offer them at a fraction of that cost.β
Initially launched on the US East and West Coasts, as well as internationally in Seoul and Sydney, the rapid global rollout of this new example indicates strong global demand.
Intel’s Sapphire Rapids Xeon is certainly dominating for now. AMD’s top offering maxes out at 512 vCPUs with its 128-core CPUs, limited to dual-socket configurations. However, the upcoming AMD Zen 5C EPYC processors are expected to support up to 768 threads, potentially narrowing the gap with Intel.
Schadt anticipates future growth in this high-performance sector, stating: βWe may see larger instances in the near future, which will demonstrate even greater demand for high-performance workloads. In any case, we will keep an eye on if and when Azure or other cloud providers respond in the same way.”