What's the right CPU spec?

Question

The CPU specs for each Azure instance type are different on the two pages below.

• Pricing : https://azure.microsoft.com/en-ca/pricing/details/virtual-machines/windows/#pricing 
• Document : https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/ev3-esv3-series

The Pricing page states that a single CPU model is used per type, Documentation states that higher CPUs may be used than the model outlined in Pricing.

Which information is actually correct?

Specifically, many of the CPU models mentioned on the Documentation page are described as a mix of two CPUs, one of which has higher performance than the CPU listed on the Pricing page.

From the user's perspective, it feels like they are paying the same price for different CPU performance.

Additional questions include

Q1. Are all the N CPU models listed on the documentation page applicable to VMs sold today?

Q2. If so, on what basis is the CPU model applied differently for each instance?

Answer 1

Hello @jongseuk oh

Thank you for reaching out to the Microsoft Q&A platform.

The information on the Azure pricing page and the Azure documentation page may differ because the pricing page provides a general overview of the pricing for Azure virtual machines, while the documentation page provides more detailed information on the specific CPU models used in each instance type.

Regarding your specific questions:

Q1. Are all the N CPU models listed on the documentation page applicable to VMs sold today?

A1. The CPU models listed on the documentation page are applicable to the VMs sold today, but the specific CPU model used in each instance type may vary based on the availability of the CPU model in the Azure datacenter region.

Q2. If so, on what basis is the CPU model applied differently for each instance?

A2. The CPU model used in each instance type is based on various factors such as the availability of the CPU model in the Azure datacenter region, the performance requirements of the instance type, and the cost of the CPU model. Microsoft Azure selects the CPU model that provides the best balance of performance and cost for each instance type.

Regarding your concern about paying the same price for different CPU performance, it is important to note that the pricing for each instance type is based on various factors such as the CPU performance, memory, storage, and network bandwidth. The pricing is designed to provide a fair and competitive price for each instance type based on its performance and features.

I hope this answers your questions.

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