AMD’s awesome Ryzen 9 7900X3D CPU is enjoying a major discount right now, which is great news for PC gamers looking to upgrade their setup at a lower cost.
The 12-core processor, fitted with AMD’s nifty 3D V-Cache technology, is now on sale at MicroCenter for $385, even cheaper than that deal we saw just a few months ago. That knocks a huge $215 off the original price of $599, a massive steal!
The 7900X3D earned a stellar four stars in our review, showing off tons of overclocking potential alongside incredible gaming performance. Our review labeled it one of the best gaming processors on the market - however, it still performs incredibly well in the productivity sphere.
Its power efficiency also leads towards its high review score, offering “better raw gaming performance than its non-3D counterpart, but the addition of AMD's 3D V-cache means it can hold up with far pricier processors as well.” What sets AMD’s Ryzen 9 7900X3D apart from other processors at its price range is the ‘3D V-cache’, which allows the CPU to access more cache memory on the chip, boosting the overall performance. It’s particularly effective in games that are heavily CPU-dependent, like many real-time strategy titles.
If you’re looking for something slightly more affordable but no less future-proof for your gaming rig, Micro Center also has the 7900X3D’s little brother on sale: the Ryzen 7 7800X3D, reduced by $100 down to $350.
It’s an excellent gaming CPU that we scored four and a half stars in our review, although that score was somewhat predicated on its lower price vs other chips. With these discounts, the more powerful 7900X3D is arguably better value - so if you can afford the extra $35, the higher-end chip might be the best choice right now.
Remember, if you choose to buy either of these chips, you’ll need a motherboard with an AM5 socket - so if you’re upgrading from an Intel CPU or an older Ryzen chip, it’s likely that you’ll have to buy a new mobo too.
