In this article
Compare the CPU role, actual core semantics, memory and complete workload. This shortlist is not a benchmark or a universal provider ranking.
The CPU side of RAG can serve an application, prepare documents and search while generation runs elsewhere. No provider is best for every role. This editorial shortlist compares four candidates using official descriptions checked on November 1, 2026.
Selection criteria
We consider family purpose, CPU platform, provisioning and the ability to match memory to the task. This is neither a paid ranking nor a benchmark or guaranteed-savings table. Check size, region, quota and ordering conditions before a pilot. Prices are omitted because an unspecified configuration and network architecture would create false precision.
A vCPU is not always a physical core. Equal counts need provider-specific interpretation and application testing.
Four candidates and their roles
| Option | Documented direction | RAG pilot check |
|---|---|---|
| AWS C8i | Compute class using Intel Xeon 6 | Document preparation and required RAM |
| Google C4 | General-purpose family with several configurations | Appropriate CPU-memory balance |
| Azure Falsv7 | AMD compute class without SMT | Working set and complete cycle |
| Hetzner CCX | Dedicated cloud CPU resources | Predictable sustained processing |
AWS C8i documents its compute platform. Google classifies C4 as general-purpose; a higher-memory variant does not make the family memory-optimized. Azure Falsv7 documents its vCPU-to-full-core relationship. Hetzner’s FAQ explains CCX dedicated resources and hardware threads. These CPU descriptions cannot be equated by count alone.
When the shortlist is insufficient
If indexes or caches need a large working set, size memory first. A modern processor does not make a compute class suitable automatically. If a GPU model performs the main work, verify its placement separately. None of these CPU options replaces an accelerator or VRAM without a separate supported CPU-inference scenario.
Add managed-service, data-location and maintenance requirements. They may change the choice more than CPU generations do.
Run a fair pilot
Use identical documents, index and questions with known relevant evidence. Separate preparation, search and external model calls, then measure the complete result. Include cold and warm search, collection updates and several concurrency levels.
Preserve relevance alongside latency: faster but less accurate search changes the task. The final comparison should include configuration, restrictions and all test expenses. Vendor promotional comparisons are not your own application measurements.
Compare existing equipment
The same procedure can compare an idle server against cloud rental.
Read about high-RAM RAG and CPU/GPU architecture.