Update 10/30/24: AMD surely seems like the place to be right now, in terms of quality and deals, but we were able to find deals for both AMD and Intel CPUs at this time. At this point, we’re really excited to see where the deals season takes us.
It’s that time again, Black Friday. While the event will not officially start until November 29, we’re already seeing great deals now, and retailers are beginning to learn that the best Black Friday deals should really last at least a month for the typical consumer and, truth be told, linger a little longer. We no longer live in a simple time, able to dedicate just one day to shopping, and the little CPU between our ears is overtaxed.
And speaking of CPUs, if you’re building your own PC you just might be ready to upgrade yours. We’ll be investigating all of the best deals that have emerged in the category shortly. But first, you might also be interested in these early Black Friday gaming laptop deals or even these early Black Friday all-in-one PC deals. And, if you’re interested in stylish gaming hardware, you’ll need to check out early Alienware Black Friday deals, too.
AMD Ryzen 5 8500G — $149 $179 17% off
The big deal with this 6-core, 12-thread processor? It has integrated graphics. Now, that’s not going to be RTX 4090 level, of course, but you can get a 1080p at 30 fps experience on even some AAA games with it. At $149, this is excellent for the gamer that isn’t all about graphics.
Intel Core i5-13600K — $220 $329 33% off
This processors sits at the top of our best Intel processors list for its affordability and surprising punch-for-the-cost. Our Intel Core i5 13600K review is actually a bundled review (meaning other Intel CPUs are reviewed alongside it) but it was reviewed most favorably, with references to its ability to edge out the Ryzen 5 7600X. It has 14 cores and 20 threads.
AMD Ryzen 5 9600X — $249 $279 11% off
This one is a go-to value pick. Its 6-core, 12-thread setup provides midrange power at sub-$300 pricing, and especially at the $249 it is now at. Our AMD Ryzen 5 9600X review considers this a great pickup if you haven’t upgraded to AM5 yet.
Intel Core i9-14900K — $440 $468 6% off
One of the most premium Intel processors you can get right now, the Intel Core i9-14900K rocks 24 cores, 32 threads, and has integrated graphics. Our Intel Core i9-14900K review show the improved gaming performance and can tell you more about the 14900K’s AI-assisted overclocking.
AMD Ryzen 9 7950X — $496 $699 29% off
This 16-core, 32-thread processor holds a special place in our heart, topping both our best AMD processors and best processors for video editing lists, showing that it’s a pretty versatile component. Our AMD Ryzen 9 7950X review described it as “overkill” back in 2022 when the review was released, making a cheaper option more likely to be the better choice. But two years have passed, the price is $203 cheaper, and now is the time to strike.
How to choose a CPU deal on Black Friday
Our CPU buying guide breaks down every factor. And it can get quite complex — you’ll want to know about cores and threads, power and thermals, cooling, and get a deeper understanding of CPU generations to make the absolute best choice. But, generally speaking, more cores and threads are better and later generations have the latest tech.
However, for most of you, one of the biggest considerations you’ll face is whether to go with an AMD or Intel CPU. The specifics, once again, can get quite overwhelming if you let it, but we can also break it down more simply. For typical browsing or laptop job work, you’ll probably do fine with either. For higher end applications on the desktop, however, AMD CPUs tend to be somewhat better and have more uniform performance. And then there is the recent memory of Intel CPU voltage fails that have many nonplussed with the brand.
Finally, remember to check the price. The CPU isn’t everything in your PC, and you’ll still need RAM, an SSD (or two), and the all-expensive GPU to round out your creation. There’s no need to go blow your entire budget on the CPU.
How we chose these CPU Black Friday Deals
We highly encourage you to take a look at the following guides: The best processors, the best Intel processors, and the best AMD processors. Why? Our experts have spent a ton of time on the research for these articles, including our noted gaming hardware enthusiast, Jacob Roach, among other hardware enthusiasts. This is to say that, the products we looked at above were not picked in isolation — they’re vouched for. We also have plenty of CPU reviews to consult and we’ll make sure to link them above when applicable.
Next, this is a deals segment and we do have our ways of finding good prices for value. The will represent — at the time of writing — one of the best deals you can find on a given product, from a reliable retailers or brand page. Note that “at the time of writing” and be sure to bookmark this page to see updates as the deals season evolves.