Generational Evolution
AWS Pure Intel General Purpose Upgrade: M5 vs M6i vs M7i
Modernizing Intel Xeon fleets without recompiling for ARM
Evaluate the x86 upgrade path for general-purpose workloads. Compare CPU instructions, hyper-threading characteristics, and price scaling across M5, M6i, and M7i.
1. Architectural & Silicon Specs Head-to-Head
Comparing underlying processor microarchitectures, memory ratios, and Nitro generation features using representative xlarge sizing.
m5x86_64
M5 General Purpose
ProcessorIntel Xeon Platinum 8175
Clock Speed3.1 GHz
RAM / vCPU4.0 GiB/vCPU
Max Network25 Gbps
Max EBS IOPS80,000
AWS NitroSupported
Min Rate (m5.xlarge)$0.1920/hr
Monthly Est.$140.16/mo
Cost per vCPU$0.0480/hr
Cost per GiB RAM$0.0120/hr
CoreMark Benchmark59,119
CoreMark / $307,911
Price IndexLowest Cost
Save 5% vs most expensive
Compute / $ Value70% of leader
m6ix86_64
M6I General Purpose
ProcessorIntel Xeon 8375C (Ice Lake)
Clock Speed3.5 GHz
RAM / vCPU4.0 GiB/vCPU
Max Network50 Gbps
Max EBS IOPS160,000
AWS NitroSupported
Min Rate (m6i.xlarge)$0.1920/hr
Monthly Est.$140.16/mo
Cost per vCPU$0.0480/hr
Cost per GiB RAM$0.0120/hr
CoreMark Benchmark66,742
CoreMark / $347,615
Price IndexLowest Cost
Save 5% vs most expensive
Compute / $ Value79% of leader
m7ix86_64
M7I General Purpose
ProcessorIntel Xeon Scalable (Sapphire Rapids)
Clock Speed3.2 GHz
RAM / vCPU4.0 GiB/vCPU
Max Network50 Gbps
Max EBS IOPS240,000
AWS NitroSupported
Min Rate (m7i.xlarge)$0.2016/hr
Monthly Est.$147.17/mo
Cost per vCPU$0.0504/hr
Cost per GiB RAM$0.0126/hr
CoreMark Benchmark89,171
CoreMark / $442,316
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 | m5Linux Rate | m6iLinux Rate | m7iLinux Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| .large | 2 | 8 GB | |||
| .xlarge | 4 | 16 GB | |||
| .2xlarge | 8 | 32 GB | |||
| .4xlarge | 16 | 64 GB | |||
| .8xlarge | 32 | 128 GB | |||
| .12xlarge | 48 | 192 GB | |||
| .16xlarge | 64 | 256 GB | |||
| .24xlarge | 96 | 384 GB | |||
| .32xlarge | 128 | 512 GB | — | — | |
| .48xlarge | 192 | 768 GB | — | — |
3. Workload Decision Framework
Clear, actionable rules on when each family wins based on workload profile, runtime language, and licensing boundaries.
Recommended:M6i or M7i-flex
When: Windows Server or third-party x86 ISV applications running on M5
Why: Smoothest migration path with zero compatibility risk and improved I/O throughput.
5. Related Architecture Comparisons
Explore adjacent generational comparisons and silicon trade-offs.