Not everyone wants to buy a whole new AMD gaming PC over Black Friday. If you're happy with your PC case and your motherboard, then why spend more on the bits you don't need? After all, this is PC Gamer and we pride ourselves on staying modular in an ever more non-standard, incompatible world.
Whether you're still sitting pretty on an AMD CPU with a frankly antique AM3 socket, or are just looking to improve your AM4 build to something a little more powerful, I've found some smashing deals to help you along the upgrade process. Heck, if you're about to hit the big red button on a Zen 4/5 processor with an AM5 socket—AMD's most recent socket with DDR5 memory capability—there are some great options to give you a leg-up this deals season.
Quick Links
AM4
- AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D | $197 @ Amazon
- ASRock Challenger RX 7800 XT | $450 @ Amazon
- MSI MAG B550 Tomahawk | $110 @ Amazon
- Corsair Vengeance LPX | $53 @ Amazon
AM5
- AMD Ryzen 5 7600X | $187 @ Newegg
- XFX RX 7900 XT | $625 @ Newegg
- Asus ROG Strix B650E-F Gaming | $240 @ Amazon
- Corsair Vengence RGB | £97 @ Amazon
Zen 3 processor (AM4 socket)
If you're looking to save some cash, now is a great time to buy one of AMD's Zen 3 processors, since the release of the AM5 socket has all but stolen the limelight. But for those of us who are happy chugging along with DDR4 memory, a nice upgrade to an AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D is a great option at its current price.
Usually around $250, you can nab the Ryzen 7 5700X3D for just $197 right now at Amazon. Pair that with the MSI MAG B550 Tomahawk now down to $110, an RX 7800 XT for $450 and DDR4 RAM and you're laughing with all that money saved.
All this will set you back just $810 for essentially an entirely new PC rebuilt in your old case, if you nab the components in the Black Friday sales. That's just $647 if you're already packing an AM4 motherboard and DDR4 RAM.
👉 We're curating the best Black Friday PC gaming deals right here 👈
Zen 4 processor (AM5 socket)
Alternatively, it might be time to go for a current gen build. Right now everyone and their moms want Zen 4 tech, in part because it grants much speedier RAM compatibility, and also because you won't have to upgrade your entire ecosystem for a while.
The important things to remember if you're heading into AM5 territory is that you'll need to do away with your old motherboard, and you're going to have to look for some DDR5 RAM because DDR4 simply will not work.
I know I said Zen 3 was cheap right now, but the Zen 4 AMD Ryzen 5 7600X is not much more expensive at $187. Granted you'll want to pair it with a slightly more powerful GPU and an entirely different motherboard, but $1,152 for almost a full setup isn't bad at all.
If you've already grabbed one of the best GPU deals, that's only $527 for the best part of a current-gen gaming PC, and you'll be safe in the knowledge that that AM5 motherboard will see you through for a decade or more.
And don't forget to treat your machine right with some cooling. You're unlikely to get a cooler with your CPU today, so nab something simple yet effective. No need to go too fancy with AMD, as our Nick notes.
👉Check out all the Amazon Black Friday PC gaming deals right here👈
