ARM64 PostgreSQL: 40% Better Price-Performance Than x86
Benchmarks show PostgreSQL on ARM64 delivers 29% higher throughput at 29% lower cost. See real pgbench results and learn why we built RayDB exclusively on ARM64.
The Rise of ARM64 in the Data Center
ARM64 processors have transformed from mobile-first chips to serious contenders in the data center. With AWS Graviton, Ampere Altra, and Apple Silicon leading the charge, ARM64 is now a first-class citizen for server workloads—including databases.
Performance Benefits
Our benchmarks show that PostgreSQL on ARM64 delivers significant advantages:
- Up to 40% better price-performance compared to equivalent x86 instances
- Higher memory bandwidth beneficial for analytical queries
- More cores per dollar enabling better parallelism
- Lower power consumption reducing operational costs
PostgreSQL Optimization for ARM64
PostgreSQL has excellent ARM64 support, with the community actively optimizing critical paths. Key improvements include:
- SIMD optimizations for string operations and checksums
- Improved memory allocation patterns
- Better cache utilization on ARM’s architecture
Real-World Benchmarks
We ran pgbench on identical configurations comparing x86 and ARM64:
| Metric | x86 (4 vCPU) | ARM64 (4 vCPU) | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| TPS (read-only) | 45,230 | 58,450 | +29% |
| TPS (read-write) | 12,340 | 15,890 | +29% |
| Latency P99 | 4.2ms | 3.1ms | -26% |
| Cost/hour | $0.192 | $0.136 | -29% |
Sustainability Impact
Beyond performance, ARM64’s power efficiency contributes to sustainability goals. Our ARM64 clusters consume approximately 60% less power than equivalent x86 deployments, reducing both costs and environmental impact.
Migration Considerations
Migrating to ARM64 PostgreSQL is straightforward for most applications:
- SQL compatibility: 100% compatible—it’s the same PostgreSQL
- Extensions: Most popular extensions are available for ARM64
- Client libraries: No changes needed—PostgreSQL protocol is architecture-independent
- Backup/restore: Standard pg_dump works across architectures
Getting Started
Ready to experience the benefits of ARM64 PostgreSQL? Sign up for RayDB and deploy your first cluster in minutes. All our plans run on ARM64 infrastructure, giving you the best performance at the lowest cost.
Check out our quick start guide to deploy your first database, or view our pricing plans to find the right fit for your workload.