The AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D, which is our choice as one of the best processors in the market period, beat out two of the best Intel processor options when it comes to pure gaming ability. Its reputation has made the chip a hot commodity, and its price has been skyrocketing as of late.
This is due to dwindling stock, which is all happening right before the rumored launch of the Ryzen 7 9800X3D in October. Of course, nothing has actually been confirmed, but price hikes and lower stock often tend to be tied into imminent launches of new products as retailers rush to clear stock and take advantage of high demand, while not replenishing its current stock.
The dwindling stock is driving up prices, delaying delivery, or simply selling out at US retailers like Amazon and Newegg. As PCGamesN points out, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D can only be shipped from China on Newegg but at a higher $679.99 price point, which is about $200 more than MSRP. Meanwhile, Amazon has it in stock for about $50 more with a shipping delay of a week or so.
PCPartPicker graphs the steady increase in the processor’s US pricing over a 60-day period at major retailers. However, it seems that some other regions, like the UK, haven’t been affected nearly as much or even at all, according to the site’s UK data.
If you're looking to kit your gaming rig with a new processor right now, it might be better to wait for AMD or Intel’s new offerings before investing. And since there are rumors of both the Ryzen 7 9800X3D and the Intel Arrow Lake chips launching in October, that time might be far sooner than you think.
We need more affordable options
This situation shows how badly the market needs and wants for affordable mid-range and low-end components. The AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D is considered the best processor for gaming, standing toe-to-toe with some of Intel’s best chips like the Intel Core i9-14900K or the Intel Core i7-14700K. And because it’s AMD, the pricing is (or rather was) quite reasonable considering its specs.
Now with new chips on the horizon, it makes sense that buyers are trying to snap up mid-range chips now while they can. But if you truly want the best deal, it would be much better to wait until the 9800X3D launches. Either the chip will be cheaper than the 7800X3D or its release will reduce demand and lower prices to a more affordable level.
