Winners & losers: The ongoing RAM crisis has made DDR5 memory a significant obstacle for users upgrading or building PCs. Many have turned to AMD's last-generation AM4 platform, but because the company's lauded Zen 3 3D V-Cache processors are no longer in production, the standard 8-core CPUs of that generation have seen a resurgence at retail.
The Ryzen 7 5800X, which launched five years ago, is currently the top-selling CPU on Amazon UK, while its refresh, the 5800XT, sits in fourth place on the US site. These rankings highlight both the resilience of AMD's aging AM4 platform and the best options available to consumers amid surging RAM prices.
Manufacturers are diverting so much DRAM and NAND to AI data centers that what is left for consumer products has experienced dramatic price hikes. PCs are expected to see higher prices in 2026, Micron recently exited the consumer RAM business, and shipping scammers have begun targeting the crucial component. Industry figures suggest the situation could last through 2027.
Check out our latest benchmark: Upgrading During the DRAM Apocalypse with AMD's $75 CPU
The crisis is particularly acute for DDR5 RAM, which is required for adopting AMD's current-generation AM5 CPU socket. AM5 CPUs, such as the 9800X3D, still considered the best gaming processor, remain at the top of Amazon US sales rankings.
For users already on AM4 systems, however, Ryzen 5000 chips remain the most practical upgrade path. Although 3D V-Cache technology (AMD's biggest advantage for PC gaming against Intel chips) made its debut in this generation with standout parts like the 5800X3D, those processors, along with similar models such as the 5700X3D, have reached end-of-life and are increasingly difficult to find.
The price gap reflects that scarcity. While the 5800X and 5800XT sell for around $250 on Amazon, a 5800X3D often costs at least twice that on eBay. Some listings have pushed the discontinued chip as high as $800, even higher than newer and faster models like the 9800X3D.
This renewed interest in older AMD CPUs extends beyond the flagship models. In the UK, the Ryzen 5 5600XT ranks fifth in Amazon's CPU charts, with the 5600G just inside the top 10.
In the US, the Ryzen 5 3600 – once the go-to value CPU of 2019 – still manages 86 frames per second in Battlefield 6 on the high preset, and currently ranks seventh. At just $74, the venerable budget processor remains compelling. And while AMD has confirmed modest price increases for Radeon GPUs in response to rising memory costs, it says Ryzen CPU prices will remain unchanged for now.