Generational Evolution
AWS Pure Intel Compute Upgrade Path: C5 vs C6i vs C7i
Skylake/Cascade Lake vs Ice Lake vs Sapphire Rapids Intel compute
For organizations that cannot migrate to ARM64 due to software constraints, compare the generational progression of pure Intel Xeon compute instances.
1. Architectural & Silicon Specs Head-to-Head
Comparing underlying processor microarchitectures, memory ratios, and Nitro generation features using representative xlarge sizing.
c5x86_64
C5 Compute Optimized
ProcessorIntel Xeon Platinum 8124M
Clock Speed3.4 GHz
RAM / vCPU2.0 GiB/vCPU
Max Network25 Gbps
Max EBS IOPS80,000
AWS NitroSupported
Min Rate (c5.xlarge)$0.1700/hr
Monthly Est.$124.10/mo
Cost per vCPU$0.0425/hr
Cost per GiB RAM$0.0213/hr
CoreMark Benchmark72,684
CoreMark / $427,553
Price Index97% of highest
Save 3% vs most expensive
Compute / $ Value77% of leader
c6ix86_64
C6I Compute Optimized
ProcessorIntel Xeon 8375C (Ice Lake)
Clock Speed3.5 GHz
RAM / vCPU2.0 GiB/vCPU
Max Network50 Gbps
Max EBS IOPS160,000
AWS NitroSupported
Min Rate (c6i.xlarge)$0.1666/hr
Monthly Est.$121.62/mo
Cost per vCPU$0.0416/hr
Cost per GiB RAM$0.0208/hr
CoreMark Benchmark70,311
CoreMark / $422,035
Price IndexLowest Cost
Save 5% vs most expensive
Compute / $ Value76% of leader
c7ix86_64
C7I Compute Optimized
ProcessorIntel Xeon Scalable (Sapphire Rapids)
Clock Speed3.2 GHz
RAM / vCPU2.0 GiB/vCPU
Max Network50 Gbps
Max EBS IOPS240,000
AWS NitroSupported
Min Rate (c7i.xlarge)$0.1749/hr
Monthly Est.$127.71/mo
Cost per vCPU$0.0437/hr
Cost per GiB RAM$0.0219/hr
CoreMark Benchmark97,652
CoreMark / $558,203
Price Index100% of highest
Compute / $ Value100% (Leader)
2. Side-by-Side Sizing & Pricing Matrix
Direct price and benchmark comparison across matching instance tiers in the lowest-cost region. Lowest hourly cost in each row is highlighted in green.
| Size Tier | vCPU | Memory | c5Linux Rate | c6iLinux Rate | c7iLinux Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| .large | 2 | 4 GB | |||
| .xlarge | 4 | 8 GB | |||
| .2xlarge | 8 | 16 GB | |||
| .4xlarge | 16 | 32 GB | |||
| .8xlarge | 32 | 64 GB | — | ||
| .9xlarge | 36 | 72 GB | — | — | |
| .12xlarge | 48 | 96 GB | |||
| .16xlarge | 64 | 128 GB | — | ||
| .18xlarge | 72 | 144 GB | — | — | |
| .24xlarge | 96 | 192 GB | |||
| .32xlarge | 128 | 256 GB | — | — | |
| .48xlarge | 192 | 384 GB | — | — |
3. Workload Decision Framework
Clear, actionable rules on when each family wins based on workload profile, runtime language, and licensing boundaries.
Recommended:C7i
When: Compute-heavy x86_64 software requiring Intel-specific instruction sets
Why: Sapphire Rapids delivers superior floating point and crypto performance.
5. Related Architecture Comparisons
Explore adjacent generational comparisons and silicon trade-offs.