- GeneralPurpose.8xlarge offers 32 virtual cores and 128 GB of memory as well as 275 GB of storage
- It’s much cheaper than Azure or Google Cloud, but more expensive than on-premises if you plan to keep it for 6 months or more
- You will of course need a separate computer to access this virtual desktop.
AWS has expanded its WorkSpaces desktop-as-a-service offering with the introduction of two new desktop-level instance types.
The company says these new instances will provide its customers with powerful cloud desktops for resource-intensive Windows workloads.
The new instance types, GeneralPurpose.4xlarge and GeneralPurpose.8xlarge, feature 16 and 32 virtual processors (vCPUs) with 64 GB and 128 GB of memory, respectively. Both include a 175 GB root volume and 100 GB for user file storage.
Windows only
Amazon is positioning the two new offerings as ideal for developers, scientists, financial analysts and engineers who need to run demanding applications.
“Developers can handle large compilation and development tasks with tools such as Visual Studio, IntelliJ and Eclipse, while engineers and scientists can run complex simulations with MatLab, GNU Octave, R and Stata,” explains the Company.
The GeneralPurpose.8xlarge instance is the first from AWS to offer 32 vCPUs, but it doesn’t come cheap. With Windows licensing, the 32 vCPU version costs $590 per month, while the 16 vCPU model costs $295 per month. Hourly rates of $4.56 and $2.28 are also available for an additional monthly fee of $19.
Three doesn’t mention pricing for Linux users, so it appears to be a Windows-only offering for now. Users with their own Windows licenses (BYOL) can save a small amount: the 32 vCPU version drops to $544 ($4.40 per hour) while the 16 vCPU model costs $272 ($2.20 $ per hour).
Although AWS’ 32-core virtual workstation offers competitive hourly rates compared to Azure and Google Cloud, it remains more expensive than on-premises options for extended use. Additionally, users will obviously still need a separate device to access these cloud desktops.
Along with this announcement, AWS also introduced updates to its EC2 Image Builder, allowing Microsoft Windows ISO files to be directly converted to Amazon Machine Images (AMIs), simplifying the process of using existing Windows licenses with Amazon WorkSpaces .
