Virtualization is a technology that allows you to run multiple operating systems or applications on a single physical piece of hardware. Virtualization can increase the efficiency, flexibility, and security of your computer. However, to do virtualization well, you need a powerful processor that supports virtualization features.
The two most popular processor brands on the market are AMD and Intel. Which is better for virtualization? What is the difference between the two? How to choose the right processor for your virtualization needs? This article will answer those questions by comparing AMD and Intel with different aspects.
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Virtualization Features
The virtualization feature is a feature that allows the processor to run multiple operating systems or applications simultaneously by dividing hardware resources. The most common virtualization features are AMD-V and Intel VT-x, which are virtualization features for x86 processors. This feature allows the processor to create a virtual environment isolated from the main operating system, making it easier to manage and migrate virtual machines.
Other virtualization features are AMD-Vi and Intel VT-d, which are virtualization features for I/O devices. This feature allows the processor to allocate I/O devices directly to specific virtual machines, improving performance and security. In addition, there are also virtualization features for memory, such as AMD-RVI and Intel EPT, which allow the processor to manage virtual memory efficiently and reduce overhead.
AMD and Intel have similar and compatible virtualization features. However, there are some differences between the two. For example, AMD-Vi supports IOMMUv2, which is a feature that allows virtual machines to access main memory directly, without going through a hypervisor.
This feature can improve virtual machine performance and security, especially for applications that require fast and heavy memory access, such as graphics or networking. Intel VT-d does not support this feature, but it supports VT-c, which is a feature that allows processors to optimize virtual network performance by reducing overhead and latency. This feature can improve the performance and scalability of virtual machines, especially for applications that require intensive network communication, such as cloud or big data.
Virtualization Performance
Performance virtualization is the performance that a processor can achieve when running multiple operating systems or applications simultaneously. Many factors affect virtualization performance, such as core count, frequency, cache, architecture, and virtualization features. The more cores, the higher the frequency, the larger the cache, the newer the architecture, and the more complete the virtualization features, the better the virtualization performance.
AMD and Intel have their advantages and disadvantages for virtualization performance. AMD typically offers more cores and caches than Intel, which can improve virtualization performance for thread- or data-intensive applications. For example, the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X has 16 cores and 64 MB of cache, while the Intel Core i9-10900K has 10 cores and 20 MB of cache.
However, Intel typically offers a higher frequency and more efficient architecture than AMD, which can improve virtualization performance for applications that require single-threaded or special instructions. For example, the Intel Core i9-10900K has a maximum frequency of 5.3 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X has a maximum frequency of 4.9 GHz. In addition, Intel has the Sunny Cove architecture, which supports AVX-512 instructions, which can improve virtualization performance for applications that require vector or floating-point operations.
Here is a table comparing virtualization performance between AMD and Intel for some popular processors:
| Processor | Core | Frequency (GHz) | Cache (MB) | Architecture | Virtualization Features | Virtualization Score |
| AMD Ryzen 9 5950X | 16 | 3,4 – 4,9 | 64 | Zen 3 | AMD-V, AMD-Vi, AMD-RVI | 100 |
| Intel Core i9-10900K | 10 | 3,7 – 5,3 | 20 | Comet Lake | Intel VT-x, Intel VT-d, Intel EPT, Intel VT-c | 94 |
| AMD Ryzen 7 5800X | 8 | 3,8 – 4,7 | 32 | Zen 3 | AMD-V, AMD-Vi, AMD-RVI | 88 |
| Intel Core i7-10700K | 8 | 3,8 – 5,1 | 16 | Comet Lake | Intel VT-x, Intel VT-d, Intel EPT, Intel VT-c | 82 |
| AMD Ryzen 5 5600X | 6 | 3,7 – 4,6 | 32 | Zen 3 | AMD-V, AMD-Vi, AMD-RVI | 76 |
| Intel Core i5-10600K | 6 | 4,1 – 4,8 | 12 | Comet Lake | Intel VT-x, Intel VT-d, Intel EPT, Intel VT-c | 70 |
The virtualization score is a score given by PassMark Software based on virtualization performance testing conducted by users. These scores are relative and may change over time. The current highest score is 100, which belongs to the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X.
Price and Power Consumption
Price and power consumption are other factors to consider when choosing a processor for virtualization. Price is the cost you have to pay to buy a processor, while power consumption is the amount of energy used by the processor while operating. Price and power consumption can affect the total cost of ownership (TCO) and energy efficiency of your virtualization system.
AMD and Intel have quite significant differences in terms of price and power consumption. AMD usually offers cheaper prices and lower power consumption than Intel, which can save you costs and energy. For example, the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X has a price of about $799 and a power consumption of about 105 watts, while the Intel Core i9-10900K has a price of about $488 and a power consumption of about 125 watts.
However, price and power consumption are also influenced by other factors, such as availability, demand, competition, and optimization. Therefore, you should compare prices and power consumption in actual and current terms before buying a processor.
Here is a table comparing prices and power consumption between AMD and Intel for some popular processors:
| Processor | Price (USD) | Power Consumption (Watts) |
| AMD Ryzen 9 5950X | $799 | 105 |
| Intel Core i9-10900K | $488 | 125 |
| AMD Ryzen 7 5800X | $449 | 105 |
| Intel Core i7-10700K | $374 | 95 |
| AMD Ryzen 5 5600X | $299 | 65 |
| Intel Core i5-10600K | $262 | 125 |
Price and power consumption are data taken from Amazon.com and TechPowerUp on January 27, 2024. This data may change over time and may differ elsewhere.
Conclusion
AMD and Intel are two of the most popular and competitive processor brands on the market. Both have their advantages and disadvantages in terms of features, performance, price, and power consumption for virtualization. Therefore, there is no definitive answer about which one is better for virtualization. The choice of the right processor for virtualization depends on your needs, budget, and preferences. You should consider all the aspects that have been discussed in this article before buying a processor for virtualization.
Here are some tips that can help you choose a processor for virtualization:
- If you need a lot of cores, cache, and IOMMUv2 features, you might be a better fit with AMD.
- If you need high frequencies, efficient architecture, and VT-c features, you may be a better fit with Intel.
- If you want to save on costs and energy, you may be more interested in AMD.
- If you want to get maximum performance and special instructions, you may be more interested in Intel.
- If you’re unsure, you can try a few different processors and compare their virtualization performance by using a testing tool like PassMark Software.