Aarch64 vs. x86_64 in HPC Cloud: Performance and Cost Evaluation

The landscape of High Performance Computing (HPC) in cloud environments is rapidly evolving, and processor architecture plays a critical role in shaping its future. Traditionally, x86_64 processors have dominated HPC clusters. However, the advent of the ARMv8-A architecture, specifically its 64-bit variant known as Aarch64, presents a significant challenge to this dominance. This study provides a comprehensive evaluation of Aarch64 versus x86_64 in HPC cloud environments, focusing on scientific workloads. The analysis highlights the competitive edge of Aarch64, emphasizing its performance and cost efficiency compared to x86_64. The findings demonstrate the potential advantages of Aarch64 in optimizing HPC cloud performance and managing costs effectively.