The Graviton Switch: 20% SavingsWith one Click
Why your Intel-based AWS bill is higher than it needs to be, and how to fix it today.
In the world of AWS FinOps, we're always looking for the "Holy Grail":Significant savings with zero engineering effort.
Most cost-cutting measures require weeks of refactring or "turning things off" (which never bites you right...) But there is one move that almost feels like a cheat code: The Graviton Switch.
What is Graviton?
For years, AWS ran almost exclusively on Intel and AMD chips. Recently, AWS started building their own custom processors called Graviton. Because They own the hardware, they charge you roughly 20% less to use it. In some cases it is actually 40% faster than the Intel equivalent.
The "One-Click" Winners
You don't always have to re-write your app to save money. If you are using these services, switching to Graviton is often just a dropdown away:
- RDS (Databases): MySQL, PostgreSQL, and MariaDB can useally be swapped in minuets.
- ElastiCache: Instant performance boost and lower cost for Redis/Memcached.
- Lambda: Simply change the architecture to "arm64" in the console.
The FinOps Reality Check
If you are still running your production datbases on M5 or R5 (Intel) instances, you are effectively paying a 20% "Legacy Tax" to Amazon every single month.
Is your stack ready for Graviton?
During my Risk-Free AWS Assessment, I provide a full migration map showing exactly which instances can be switched today for instant savings.