Virtual machines & images
AWS Graviton (Arm-based EC2) vs Azure Cobalt (Arm-based VMs)
AWS Graviton maps to Azure Cobalt.
Both are provider-designed Arm64 CPUs offered as general-purpose and memory-optimized VM families ("g" on EC2, "p" on Azure).
Side-by-side comparison
| Aspect | Amazon Web Services | Microsoft Azure |
|---|---|---|
| Service | AWS Graviton (Arm-based EC2) | Azure Cobalt (Arm-based VMs) |
| Lifecycle | Generally available | Cobalt 100 VMs (Dpsv6, Dplsv6, Epsv6 families) are GA. Cobalt 200 VMs entered early-access preview at Build (June 2, 2026). |
| What it is | AWS-designed Arm64 server CPUs behind the "g" instance families. Graviton4 (M8g/C8g/R8g/X8g) is widely available, and Graviton5-based M9g/C9g/R9g families appear in the current-generation list. | Microsoft-designed Arm64 CPUs. Cobalt 100 runs at 3.4 GHz with one full physical core per vCPU. "p" series also include older Ampere Altra-based sizes. |
| Pricing model | Graviton instances are priced per second like other instance types and generally cost less than comparable x86 instances. Savings Plans and RIs apply. | Cobalt VMs are priced per second like other sizes. Reservations and the savings plan apply. Cobalt 200 preview pricing may differ from GA. |
| Docs | AWS Graviton (Arm-based EC2) docs | Azure Cobalt (Arm-based VMs) docs |
| Pricing page | AWS Graviton (Arm-based EC2) pricing | Azure Cobalt (Arm-based VMs) pricing |
| Exams | SAA-C03 | AZ-104 AZ-305 |
Key differences
- Maturity. Graviton is in its fourth and fifth generations (Graviton4 in M8g/C8g/R8g/X8g; Graviton5 in M9g/C9g/R9g) and covers general, compute, memory, storage, and burstable families. Cobalt 100 is GA (Dpsv6/Dplsv6/Epsv6 and more), and Cobalt 200 has been in early-access preview since June 2026.
- Breadth of managed services. Many AWS managed services offer Graviton options (RDS, ElastiCache, Lambda, Fargate, and others). On Azure, Arm options are mostly IaaS VMs and AKS node pools.
- Windows. Neither side offers general Windows Server on its Arm VMs. Plan for Linux.
- Azure "p" sizes also include older Ampere Altra-based VMs (Dpsv5/Epsv5), so not every "p" size is Cobalt.
Pricing summary
Pricing models only. No prices are quoted because they change by region and over time.
- AWS
- Graviton instances are priced per second like other instance types and generally cost less than comparable x86 instances. Savings Plans and RIs apply. AWS Graviton (Arm-based EC2) pricing →
- Azure
- Cobalt VMs are priced per second like other sizes. Reservations and the savings plan apply. Cobalt 200 preview pricing may differ from GA. Azure Cobalt (Arm-based VMs) pricing →
Certification exam mapping
| Exam | Provider | Level | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate SAA-C03 | AWS | Associate | current Italian version retires after Dec 31, 2026. |
| Microsoft Certified – Azure Administrator Associate AZ-104 | Azure | Associate | current |
| Microsoft Certified – Azure Solutions Architect Expert AZ-305 | Azure | Expert | current English version updated Apr 17, 2026. |
Relevance is based on each exam's published scope, not a line-by-line objective match. Check the official study guide.
Verification notes
- Cobalt 200 was in early-access preview (8 regions) when verified. Microsoft said broader availability would come later in 2026, so check for GA.
- Graviton5 (M9g/C9g/R9g) is listed as current generation, but regional availability may still be limited.
FAQ
What is the Azure equivalent of AWS Graviton (Arm-based EC2)?
AWS Graviton maps to Azure Cobalt. Both are provider-designed Arm64 CPUs offered as general-purpose and memory-optimized VM families ("g" on EC2, "p" on Azure).
How does pricing compare between AWS Graviton (Arm-based EC2) and Azure Cobalt (Arm-based VMs)?
AWS: Graviton instances are priced per second like other instance types and generally cost less than comparable x86 instances. Savings Plans and RIs apply. Azure: Cobalt VMs are priced per second like other sizes. Reservations and the savings plan apply. Cobalt 200 preview pricing may differ from GA. Check the official pricing pages for current rates.
Which certification exams cover this topic?
AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03); Microsoft Certified – Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104); Microsoft Certified – Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305).