Instances for ML

The below table provides general recommendations for selecting AWS instances based on dataset size, computational needs, and cost considerations.

Genearl Notes:

• Minimum RAM should be at least 1.5X dataset size unless using batch processing (common in deep learning).
• The m5 and c5 instances are optimized for CPU-heavy tasks, such as preprocessing, feature engineering, and model training without GPUs.
• GPU choices depend on the task (T4 for cost-effective DL, V100/A100 for high performance).
• The g4dn instances are cost-effective GPU options, suitable for moderate-scale deep learning tasks.
• The p3 instances offer high-performance GPU processing, best suited for large deep learning models requiring fast training times.
• Free Tier Eligibility: Some smaller instance types, such as ml.t3.medium, may be eligible for the AWS Free Tier, which provides limited hours of usage per month. Free Tier eligibility can vary, so check AWS Free Tier details before launching instances to avoid unexpected costs.

Dataset Size	Recommended Instance Type	vCPU	Memory (GiB)	GPU	Price per Hour (USD)	Suitable Tasks
< 1GB	ml.t3.medium	2	4	None	$0.04	Preprocessing, lightweight model training
< 1GB	ml.m5.large	2	8	None	$0.10	Preprocessing, regression, feature engineering, small model training
< 1GB	g4dn.xlarge (T4 GPU)	4	16	1x NVIDIA T4	$0.75	GPU processing for small-scale deep learning, cost-effective GPU option
< 1GB	p3.2xlarge (V100 GPU)	8	61	1x NVIDIA V100	$3.83	High-performance GPU processing, faster training for deep learning models, higher cost but faster than g4dn
10GB	ml.c5.2xlarge	8	16	None	$0.34	CPU-heavy processing, model training
10GB	ml.m5.2xlarge	8	32	None	$0.38	Preprocessing, feature engineering, model training
10GB	g4dn.2xlarge (T4 GPU)	8	32	1x NVIDIA T4	$0.94	Moderate-scale deep learning, cost-effective GPU training
10GB	p3.2xlarge (V100 GPU)	8	61	1x NVIDIA V100	$3.83	Faster GPU processing for deep learning, better suited for larger models if budget allows
50GB	ml.c5.4xlarge	16	64	None	$0.77	CPU-heavy processing, large model training
50GB	ml.m5.4xlarge	16	64	None	$0.77	Preprocessing, feature engineering, large model training
50GB	g4dn.4xlarge (T4 GPU)	16	64	1x NVIDIA T4	$1.48	Moderate-scale deep learning, balanced performance and cost
100GB	g4dn.8xlarge (T4 GPU)	32	128	1x NVIDIA T4	$2.76	Large-scale model training with cost-effective GPU acceleration
100GB	p3.8xlarge (V100 GPU)	32	244	4x NVIDIA V100	$15.20	High-performance GPU processing for large deep learning models (e.g., transformers, CNNs)
100GB	p4d.24xlarge (A100 GPU)	96	1,152	8x NVIDIA A100	$32.77	High-performance DL for large datasets with batch streaming
1TB+	p3.16xlarge (V100 GPU)	64	488	8x NVIDIA V100	$30.40	Extreme-scale deep learning, large transformer training
1TB+	p4d.24xlarge (A100 GPU)	96	1,152	8x NVIDIA A100	$32.77	Deep learning with batch processing for 1TB+ datasets