TechPrufer
Get started
PlanetScale
PlanetScale logoPlanetScale · Feature trail

CPU Architecture Selection for Databases

1 post · Sep 2026

What this trail covers

PlanetScale offers users the choice between x86-64 and aarch64 CPU architectures for their database clusters, impacting performance and cost. This feature allows users to select the optimal architecture based on their workload characteristics, such as query concurrency, single-core performance needs, and vector processing requirements. Migrating between architectures requires a full database migration.

All PlanetScale trails
  1. When to choose x86-64 vs aarch64This post details the technical differences between x86-64 and aarch64 CPU architectures in the context of database performance. It explains how hyperthreading (x86) vs. whole cores (aarch64) affects handling of concurrent queries versus heavy single queries. It also discusses the impact of vector register width (AVX2/AVX-512 on x86 vs. 128-bit on aarch64) on specific workloads like full-text search (TIN) and vector similarity search (pgvector). The post highlights that disk files are not portable between architectures, necessitating migration for architecture changes, and provides guidance on choosing between ARM and x86 based on workload characteristics and cost-effectiveness.