Worse, if you run the numbers, at DO you get 1 dedicated core (2 threads) with 8G RAM for $60, but 4 "normal" cores with same RAM for $40. Only possible conclusion is that "normal" cores are less than a full thread.
Yes that is why I think Cloud VM are very expensive. And worst they are bumping out Memory in these so called General Instances, with 1 vCPU ( Thread of Less ) to 2GB Memory. The problem is I want 1 Real Core, or at least 2vCPU per 1GB of Memory.
I don't know why they are stuffing so much useless memory to make it looks like a bargain.
Providers are not always transparent about whether CPU is dedicated or shared (and what exactly shared means). Most importantly, this distinction generally gets lost when people compare offerings of different providers, and so they end up comparing apples and oranges.
Next, when the actual "share" of a shared core is completely undefined, the idea that net performance can be improved by adding more of these shares becomes at least questionable.
Last but not least, one important takeaway from the speculative execution flaws is that a security boundary between software running on the same hyperthread is an indefensible position due to unmitigateable flaws.
I don't know why they are stuffing so much useless memory to make it looks like a bargain.