Black Friday is undeniably the prime opportunity for gamers looking to spruce up their PC systems, particularly when it comes to securing deals on CPUs. Now, while I’ve been a steadfast advocate of AMD’s Team Red for quite some time, I understand that a significant number of gamers align themselves with Intel. This could be due to the straightforward upgrade path from an existing system or the substantial discounts often available on Intel products.
This shopping season, there are compelling discounts to be found on Intel’s Core i5, i7, and i9 processors, particularly intriguing for those keeping an eye on 12th Gen offerings. These chips are incredibly well-priced and, truthfully, gaming performance hasn’t drastically evolved year-over-year. However, it is worth noting that there are also enticing deals on even the newer 14th Gen CPUs.
Take the Core i5-12600K, for instance, which is priced at just $150 at Newegg. Not far behind, the Core i7-12700K is available for merely $188, and if you’re seeking peak performance, the Core i9-12900K is selling for $255.
Let’s dive into some of the most tempting Black Friday deals. At Best Buy, you’re looking at significant discounts on video games and accessories across the board. Walmart and Target have jumped in early, offering savings on practically everything. Meanwhile, Dell, HP, and Lenovo are unleashing a flurry of deals on laptops, gaming PCs, monitors, and more. Newegg doesn’t lag behind, with reductions on components and PC gaming accessories. To top it off, Razer offers free shipping for a limited time, and Samsung has rolled out holiday deals spanning laptops, TVs, and phones. Amazon, as always, keeps a dynamic array of discounts going.
In the past eight years of reporting for Windows Central, Black Friday has consistently been the season where you can count on substantial savings for PC upgrades, especially CPUs. Although the official day is still approaching, many of these amazing deals have already gone live.
This year, a lot of buzz surrounds AMD, particularly their Ryzen 7800X3D and 9800X3D models. However, the scarcity and stable pricing of these CPUs has many gamers searching for viable alternatives. For fans committed to AMD, I’ve compiled a list of top alternative discounts to the 7800X3D, which might be worth exploring.
Switching focus back to Intel, the 12th Gen Core desktop processors continue to hold their ground, mainly because gaming performance hasn’t dramatically shifted with the advent of newer chip generations. Having recently supported friends in assembling PC parts at discounted rates, I might have to revise some of my suggestions following these latest price cuts.
The Core i5-12600K has plummeted to an all-time low of $149.99, accessible by applying code BFEDY2A35 at Newegg. It’s a prudent pick for those wanting to economize while still ensuring strong gaming performance. Looking for a newer release? The Core i5-14600K too hits a new low, going for $215.
As we climb the ladder, the Core i7-12700K has set a new price record at $187 on Amazon. It’s tailored for those who require extra cores and threads for enhanced multitasking, marrying well with more robust GPUs. The Core i7-14700K, while not hitting a record low, is available at just $340 at Best Buy, a mere $10 over its prior low.
At the pinnacle of this sale, the Intel Core i9-12900K takes the crown. Discounted to $254.99 with code BFEDY2A34 at Newegg, it may be over-the-top for many users, but for those chasing the best in multitasking and gaming, it’s a sound investment. Not to be outdone, the latest Intel Core i9-14900K is also seeing a significant price drop to $424.99 at Newegg.
Rest assured, whether you’re opting for a 12th, 13th, or 14th Gen Intel processor, they all share compatibility with the LGA1700 socket and support both DDR4 and DDR5 RAM. This makes it easier for those planning a future upgrade to avoid unnecessary additional costs.
While Intel’s new Core Ultra desktop chips, like the reviewed Core Ultra 9 285K, shift to a novel socket, I’m not currently championing them for gamers. These chips are productivity powerhouses, but when it comes to gaming, they don’t offer much of an advancement over the 14th Gen models.
Now, touching on AMD, while they’re competing fiercely in terms of cost-effectiveness this Black Friday, two of their most popular gaming CPUs remain elusive. The Ryzen 7 7800X3D holds its ground at about $459, and the Ryzen 7 9800X3D is out of stock everywhere, a mere few weeks post-launch.
For AMD enthusiasts, discounts on the Ryzen 5 7600X and Ryzen 9 7900X provide an attractive alternative. The former is available for $194.99 at Newegg, coupled with a complimentary 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD from Team Group. Don’t forget to use code BFEDY2A33 at checkout. Meanwhile, the Ryzen 9 7900X is down to $326.99 at Newegg with code BFDDY2A84. While the Ryzen 5 meets most gaming demands, the superior core count of the Ryzen 9 ensures enhanced productivity performance.
