AMD or Intel | Which Is Better for Virtual Machines

Brief overview of AMD and Intel processors

AMD and Intel are two major players in the computer processor market. The CPU (Central Processing Unit) is responsible for executing the computer's instructions and controlling the computer's operations, which is the heart of the computer and controls all of the computer's operations, including the operating system, applications, and other software.

Choosing the right processor is important for a virtual machine because a virtual machine relies on hardware to emulate the software of a computer environment, and it needs to use the host computer's processor to perform computational tasks.

How to choose a suitable processor for your virtual machines

When choosing AMD or Intel for virtualization, there are several factors to consider, including:

• Performance: Measured by its clock speed, number of cores, and cache size.
• Power consumption: Energy-efficient processors can save you money on your electricity bill and are better for the environment.
• Compatibility: Make sure that the processor you choose is compatible with your motherboard.
• Socket type: Make sure that the socket type of the processor matches the socket type of the motherboard.
• Price: Consider your budget when choosing a processor. Although more expensive processors usually offer better performance, they maybe not necessary for your needs.
• Brand reputation: Both AMD and Intel are reputable brands, but you may have a preference for one based on your experience or research.
• Intended use: If you plan to use your computer for gaming or video editing, you will need a processor with more cores and a higher clock speed than if you plan to use it for basic tasks like web browsing and word processing.

Overall, choosing the right processor is key to ensuring that the virtual machine receives adequate computing power and improving virtual machine performance.

What’s the difference between AMD and Intel for virtualization

AMD and Intel are the market's top two competitors. Before making the choice, it is essential to know the difference between them, because each has advantages and disadvantages of its own.

✻ Architecture

AMD and Intel use different architectural designs. AMD uses the Zen architecture, while Intel uses the x86 architecture. These architectures are designed differently, which can affect aspects such as processor performance and power consumption.

✻ Performance

Intel is the undisputed performance champion. Especially for single-threaded workloads, Intel CPU performance is renowned for being the best. Additionally, Intel CPUs are more power-efficient, allowing them to operate at greater clock rates for longer periods of time without overheating. While multi-threaded tasks like video editing and gaming are more suitable for AMD CPUs.

✻ Features

Advanced features on Intel CPUs like Turbo Boost and Hyper-Threading are well recognized. Intel CPUs can operate at higher clock rates and handle more instructions per clock cycle due to their capabilities. While AMD CPUs lack these features, they do have some advantages of their own. The integrated graphics found in AMD CPUs, which may be used for gaming and other graphics-intensive tasks, are also well recognized. Additionally, AMD CPUs have higher virtualization capabilities, making them a better option for virtualization.

✻ Price

Frankly speaking, AMD CPUs are frequently less expensive than Intel CPUs. This is due to the fact that AMD CPUs are often less powerful than Intel CPUs, making them cheaper to produce. Moreover, because of their superior performance and more extensive features, Intel CPUs are typically more expensive. Thus, the better option may be AMD CPUs if cost is a factor.

✻ Overlocking

Intel CPUs outperform AMD CPUs at overclocking most of the time. When overclocked, Intel CPUs are more dependable and stable, whereas AMD CPUs are more likely to experience instability and crashes. Furthermore, Intel CPUs are more energy-efficient, allowing them to operate at greater clock rates for longer periods of time without overheating.

Therefore, for virtualization, both AMD and Intel CPUs have their own features. AMD processors offer affordability and strong multi-core performance, while Intel's processors excel in single-threaded performance. Ultimately, it's a matter of personal preference and requirements. Choose the processor that best fits your needs and dive into the world of virtual machines with confidence.

How to allocate CPU resources to virtual machines

When you want to manage the storage of virtual machines or available resources are insufficient to satisfy your needs, you can alter the amount of CPU resources to virtual machines by using the following user-defined settings:

Procedures to allocate your CPU resources:

Note: Please power off your virtual machines before these steps.

Step 1. Navigate to VMware vSphere Web Client inventory, and click Virtual Machines.

Step 2. Right-click one virtual machine in the VM list and click Edit setting from the pop-up menu.

Step 3. Access to Virtual Hardware to expand CPU and allocate CPU capacity for virtual machines. At last, click Save.

Best free VM backup software – AOMEI Cyber Backup

As you can see, CPUs are very important for virtual machines. In a virtualized environment, a physical CPU can be divided into multiple virtual CPUs, and a virtual machine can use these virtual CPUs to run multiple virtual machines at the same time.

Many virtual machines without data backup can easily be lost during management, and the large number of virtual machines can also be a test of your computer's storage space. So I introduce you to use a free virtual machine backup software - AOMEI Cyber Backup, which offers automatic clean-ups and incremental & differential backups greatly reducing storage needs. What’s more, it also supports VM backup for both VMware ESXi and Hyper-V, and provides you with the following benefits for free:

Agentless Backup: Create complete and independent image-level backup for VMware ESXi and Hyper-V VMs.
Various Backup Methods: Backup to capture only changed data and save storage space by incremental or differential backup.
Multiple Storage Destinations: Backup to local or network share destinations.
Automated Execution: Create backup schedules to automate virtual machine protection.
Perpetual Free: Use AOMEI Cyber Backup Free Edition with no time limit.

Next, I will show you how to backup and restore Hyper-V VMs as an example. You can click the following button to download the freeware.

4 simple steps to backup and restore Hyper-V VMs

Step 1. Access to AOMEI Cyber Backup web client and bind device. Then select Source Device >> Hyper-V >> +Add Hyper-V. Then add a Hyper-V host. And then click … to Bind Device.

Step 2. Create Backup Task: Navigate to Backup Task >> Create New Task. Then select Hyper-V Backup for Backup Type. After that, set the Task Name, Device, Target, Schedule according to your need.

• Target Storage: Select to back up to a local path, or to a network path.

• Schedule Backup: Choose Incremental Backup/Full Backup in Backup Method, and specify the Schedule Type.

Step 3. Click Start Backup and choose Add the schedule and start backup now or Add the schedule only.

Step 4. When backups of VMs are completed, navigate to Start Restore, you can change restore location here to Restore to original location, and click Start.

If you choose to go for an upgrade, you can back up more virtual machines and enjoy more advanced functions like the following:

Backup cleanup: You can specify a retention period, and the old backups that exceed the limit will be deleted automatically.

Restore to new location: You can create a new VM from the backup to the original or another datastore, host, and reset the RAM and Vital Processor.

Conclusion

The choice between AMD and Intel for virtual machines largely depends on the specific needs of the user. Both CPU brands offer powerful processors that can handle virtualization effectively, but there are some differences to consider.

AMD CPUs tend to have more cores and threads at a lower price point, making them a great option if you need to run multiple virtual machines simultaneously. On the other hand, Intel CPUs often have better single-core performance and support more advanced features like Intel VT-d for PCIe passthrough. Ultimately, the decision between AMD and Intel for virtual machines requires careful consideration of your specific use case and budget.