Black Friday has kicked off in a big way over at major online tech hubs, and I’m seeing loads of deals on PC hardware, particularly from Best Buy, Newegg, and Amazon. Standing out this year are AMD’s Ryzen 7 7800X3D and Ryzen 7 9800X3D processors, designed for gaming enthusiasts. Unfortunately, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D is either full price or higher, and the Ryzen 7 9800X3D is completely sold out.
If you’re on the hunt for a CPU upgrade without shelling out full price, I’ve got some solid alternatives for you. You can snag the Ryzen 5 7600X for just $194.99 at Newegg by using an additional promo code, plus, they’re throwing in a free 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD, which usually retails for around $80. This price isn’t far off from the cheapest I’ve ever seen, and that’s not even counting the added bonus of the SSD.
For those craving more power, the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X dipping to $326.99 at Newegg after promo codes should catch your eye—it’s only about $45 more than its all-time low.
🔥 The hottest Black Friday deals 🔥
🍁 More great Black Friday deals 🦃
- Best Buy: Big savings on video games, accessories, and more
- Walmart: Early discounts on almost everything
- Target: Active deals across a wide array of products
- Dell: Prime deals on laptops, gaming PCs, and accessories
- HP: Massive discounts on laptops, desktops, and more
- Lenovo: Doorbuster savings on all Lenovo PCs and gear
- Newegg: Discounts on PC gaming gear, components, and more
- Razer: Free shipping deals for a limited time
- Samsung: Seasonal offers on laptops, TVs, phones, and more
- Amazon: Non-stop rotating deals on just about everything
Why you should consider AMD’s other CPUs on Black Friday
AMD’s Ryzen 7 7800X3D and 9800X3D are basking in the limelight as Black Friday rolls around. Known to be the cream of the crop for PC gamers, their demand has unfortunately left shelves empty. The 9800X3D is sold out everywhere, and I don’t see that changing soon.
As for the 7800X3D, the most you can expect right now is to pay the regular MSRP, and that’s still a long shot from a sale price. It’s currently available for $459 at Amazon, yet remember, it has plummeted to $320 in the past.
The allure of the X3D chips lies in their 3D V-Cache from AMD, which enhances L3 cache efficiency for gaming. Although this doesn’t affect productivity tasks, it does wonders for frame rates in hardcore games.
Now, do you really need that 3D V-Cache for a good gaming experience? Not necessarily. I’ve personally relied on an AMD Ryzen 7 5800X without it for years, and it has kept up remarkably with top games on my ultrawide 1440p screen.
Given that the reasonably priced Ryzen 5 7600X I’m touting outshines the Ryzen 7 5800X in most benchmarks, you can opt for something less expensive and still score an amazing gaming CPU. Here’s a glimpse at its performance metrics from our Ryzen 5 7600X review:
(Image credit: Future)
For anyone on the lookout for a powerful gaming CPU, I recommend checking out the Ryzen 5 7600X, particularly now that it’s a steal at $195.99 over at Newegg with that free 1TB SSD.
(Image credit: Future)
Still not convinced by the Ryzen 5 7600X? The Ryzen 9 7900X is another beast of a CPU, now 40% off its MSRP this Black Friday. Although the price once hit $281, grabbing it now for $326.92 at Amazon remains a great catch.
Running 170W compared to 105W, the Ryzen 9 7900X doubles up on cores and threads, enhances the L3 cache to 64MB, and jacks up the boost clock speed. It’s not only impressive for gaming but can also tackle demanding productivity tasks. Here’s a snapshot from our AMD Ryzen 9 7900X review:
(Image credit: Future)
Why not wait for a sale on AMD’s Ryzen X3D chips?
If you can wait for a price drop or are content with buying the Ryzen 7800X3D at full price now, go ahead. I secured a Ryzen 7 9800X3D when it launched, and if that hadn’t happened, the older X3D versions would be a consideration.
While AMD’s 3D V-Cache gives gaming performance a significant lift, it’s not obligatory. Like I mentioned, gaming on a non-X3D chip worked fine for years.
With the Ryzen 5 7600X already surpassing my old 5800X and available for under $200 with a free bonus SSD, why not invest less in a CPU and funnel the savings elsewhere in your setup? Want excellent productivity alongside gaming? The Ryzen 9 7900X at around $327 is a compelling pick if you’re open to spending a little more.
Also, check out my recommended Ryzen 7000 AM5 motherboards if you’re lacking an AM5 board. Similarly, you might want to explore the top DDR5 RAM options in my guide for Ryzen 7000 CPUs.
