Which processor to choose for a web server

You might have just started a new web server to host a bunch of your own websites. You might want to host files, and other assets. Or you may have static or dynamic content. But you might have a question in your mind, regarding what processor to choose for a web server.

There is never a single answer to this question. There are multiple factors that determine this. All ranging from use case, budget to the number of clients that you shall be hosting.

As much lucrative it might seem to use an old computer lying around in your house as a server. It would be recommended to build or buy a new computer dedicated for this purpose. There are multiple reasons for the same. The primary of them is reliability.

According to web hosting geeks,

“A web server’s main purpose is to store website files and broadcast them over the internet for you site visitors to see. In essence, a web server is simply a powerful computer that stores and transmits data via the internet. When someone visits a web page on your site their browser communicates with your web server, sending and receiving information that ultimately dictates what appears on the visitor’s computer screen. Thus, the main purpose of a web server is to store and transfer website data upon the request of a visitor’s browser.”

Let us now talk about the elephant in the room, which

Processor to choose for a web server

There are two main options for you to choose from, Intel and AMD. Each having their own advantages and disadvantages. While Intel has got higher IPC (Instructions per clock, which basically means how many things it can do in a stipulated amount of time). But AMD is better bang for the buck and generally more affordable.

You can read/learn more about them here. You can also read in detail and check the comparative benchmarks by Selectel.

But in conclusion it can be said that, if money is no bar for you. Going with the top of the line Intel Xeon processor for your server is best. But if you are not able to stretch your budget, AMD EPYC processor has your back.

AMD

Mainly for the purpose of a web server, getting an AMD EPYC CPU would be absolutely alright. You can find up to 64 cores on the EPYC 7002 series. They are connected together using AMD’s Infinity fabric. It can host up to 2 TB of DDR4 memory in eight channels and has 128 PCIe lanes.

You can use this tool made by AMD themselves to judge the exact CPU that would be good for your use case scenario.

This image shows the exact list of processors, with their thread count, the base and boost frequency and their TDP. This can give you a good idea regarding what AMD processor to choose.

Intel

If you are one of those people, who need to have the best web server processor out there because your use case demands that. Read ahead.

Intel has got a long experience and good reputation in the Server Processor industry. That alone is a reason that people at times go with Intel. And Xeon is no different.

The Intel Xeon line-up has got up to 28 cores and 56 threads, and 48 PCIe lanes with support for memory in six channels.

This image shows the exact list of processors, with their thread count, the base and boost frequency and their TDP. This can give you a good idea regarding what Intel processor to choose.

To know about all the processors from the Intel Xeon Family, click here.

Conclusion

Hopefully this article helped you in making a decision regarding which processor to choose from. Hope you have a great time with your server!