- AMD's Ryzen 7 9800X3D is back in stock after a woeful launch window
- The processor sells for $479 / £449 and offers leading gaming performance
- It outclasses many pricier processors in gaming performance for the money
Despite releasing back in November 2024, AMD's Ryzen 7 9800X3D has been difficult to track down in the US and the UK, and the few listings that were available were typically above the MSRP of the high-end gaming CPU.
However, it seems those stock issues have now been remedied, and the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is now widely available in the US from trusted retailers such as Amazon and Best Buy for its original MSRP of $479 / £449. Don't miss your chance to pick up the best processor for gaming available under $500 while you can.
We previously reported that the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D was nearly impossible to find back in December 2024, and that remained the case throughout Q1 2025, until now. Stock woes were so disappointing that we previously recommended prospective buyers consider alternatives like the previous-generation Ryzen 7 7800X3D and the Intel Core i9-14900K. While solid offerings, they can't quite do what this second-generation AM5 chip can for gamers, especially as Team Blue's chip costs over $100 more and was little more than a mild bump over over the 13900K.
We've loved the Ryzen 7 9800X3D since we first tested it back in November 2024, giving it a near-perfect 4.5-star write-up, citing it as a "gaming powerhouse" and "the best gaming processor on the market" despite an increased price and power draw compared to its previous-generation equivalent.
With its eight cores (16 threads) and 96MB of AMD's 3D V-cache (L3 cache) stacked onto the chip, combined with its 120W TDP, the 9800X3D boasts some incredible gaming performance even on par with some of Intel's highest-end chips while using half the power. Taking gaming averages into consideration, it runs rings around the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K and AMD Ryzen 7950X for price-to-performance that cannot be beaten. Simply put, this is the AM5 chip to get if you're serious about gaming.
The best CPU for gaming is finally back in stock, but for how long?
If you've been eyeing up the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D for some time but couldn't find one for MSRP then we strongly advise you to act sooner rather than later to avoid disappointment. The chipset was ephemeral at release three months ago and there's no guarantee it'll hang around at the sticker price for the foreseeable future.
For as much as we love the higher-end Ryzen 9950X3D that was released last week, we would still recommend that gamers go for the cheaper 9800X3D instead. That's because the leading chip has diminishing returns for those wanting the best gaming performance possible (especially for the $220 / £250 price increase). While it has more under the hood for creatives and workflow, its benefits are less apparent even in demanding titles.
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