At just $345, the best gaming CPU is as cheap as it's ever been

HardwareProcessorsAt just $345, the best gaming CPU is as cheap as it’s ever beenWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

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AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D retail box against a teal background with a white border

AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D | 8 cores | 16 threads | 5.0 GHz boost | 96MB L3 cache | 120W TDP |$449$344.99 at Amazon (save $104.01)Thanks to its mountain of low-latency L3 cache, the 7800X3D is the perfect CPU for gaming. That it’s so cheap right now is just an extra cherry on top of the cake.Price check:Best Buy $369|Newegg $368.99View DealDo I really need to sing the praises of AMD’sRyzen 7 7800X3D? I mean, it’s not just us who think it’s thebest gaming CPUyou can buy, as it regularly tops the charts in other reviews and ‘Best of’ lists.You might, though, be wondering just what makes it so special. After all, it’s just a regularRyzen 7 7700Xprocessor with an extra slice of L3 cache bonded to the core chiplet. Well, first of all, the 7700X is a fine CPU in its own right, but the additional 64MB of 3D V-cache elevates it into a gaming god.Underneath that cache, you’ve got eight cores, 16 threads, running with a base clock of 4.2 GHz and a boost of 5.0 GHz. That’s a little bit slower than the regular 7700X but the addition of the V-cache increases the chiplet’s thermal resistance a bit, so AMD lowered the base and boost clocks to counter this.It also increases the chip’s energy consumption, which is why it has a 120 W thermal design power (TPD), compared to 105 W for theRyzen7 7700X. Admittedly, 15 W isn’t very much but that’s still a bit more heat going into your gaming den, every second.But none of that matters when you give the Ryzen 7 7800X3D the right game to show what it’s really capable of.In games that are very memory sensitive, the 7800X3D’s extra cache can really help and in anything with lots of simulation/path-finding routines, such asFactorio, the 3D V-cache acts like a veritable turbo button on performance.And at just$345 at Amazon, it’s an absolute steal. If you’ve got an AM5-based gaming PC and you’ve been wondering whether it’s worth getting a 3D V-cache chip, then now is as good a time as any to take the plunge. Unlike Intel’s chips, where the peak power consumption is way higher than the standard TDP, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D will barely run much above 120 W, making it far easier to keep cool.In fact, there’s only one thing that spoils the V-cache party. Well, two, if you count the fact that Intel’sCore i7 14700Kis a better chip for serious productivity tasks (thanks to having more threads and a higher boost clock).We’re not far off seeing AMD launch itsZen 5 architectureand even if that’s only a little bit faster than Zen 4, it’s still quicker. However, AMD traditionally takes a good while to launch 3D V-cache versions of its best chips, so I don’t think we’ll see a Ryzen 7 9800X3D for a good while.So get a 7800X3D, and enjoy fabulous gaming chops for years.Today’s best CPU and processors deals$6.99View DealIntel Xeon 3.4GHz 1 Core 3400DP/1M/800…Intel Xeon 3.4GHz 1 Core 3400DP/1M/800 Processor SL7PG$77.99$12.99View DealIntel Pentium Dual-Core Processor E2220…Intel Pentium Dual-Core Processor E2220 1 MB LGA775 CPU BX80557E2220$15View Deal1.6GHz Intel Xeon Quad-Core E5310…1.6GHz Intel Xeon Quad-Core E5310 1066MHz 8MB (2x4MB) L2 Cache Socket LGA771 BX80563E5310P Slaem$27.45View DealIntel Core 2 Duo E6600 2.4GHz Dual-Core…Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 2.4GHz Dual-Core HH80557PH0564M Processor$210.99$32.67View DealIntel Core i5-650 Processor 3.20 GHz 4…Intel Core i5-650 Processor 3.20 GHz 4 MB Cache Socket LGA1156Show More DealsWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices

Price check:Best Buy $369|Newegg $368.99

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Do I really need to sing the praises of AMD’sRyzen 7 7800X3D? I mean, it’s not just us who think it’s thebest gaming CPUyou can buy, as it regularly tops the charts in other reviews and ‘Best of’ lists.

You might, though, be wondering just what makes it so special. After all, it’s just a regularRyzen 7 7700Xprocessor with an extra slice of L3 cache bonded to the core chiplet. Well, first of all, the 7700X is a fine CPU in its own right, but the additional 64MB of 3D V-cache elevates it into a gaming god.

Underneath that cache, you’ve got eight cores, 16 threads, running with a base clock of 4.2 GHz and a boost of 5.0 GHz. That’s a little bit slower than the regular 7700X but the addition of the V-cache increases the chiplet’s thermal resistance a bit, so AMD lowered the base and boost clocks to counter this.

It also increases the chip’s energy consumption, which is why it has a 120 W thermal design power (TPD), compared to 105 W for theRyzen7 7700X. Admittedly, 15 W isn’t very much but that’s still a bit more heat going into your gaming den, every second.

But none of that matters when you give the Ryzen 7 7800X3D the right game to show what it’s really capable of.

In games that are very memory sensitive, the 7800X3D’s extra cache can really help and in anything with lots of simulation/path-finding routines, such asFactorio, the 3D V-cache acts like a veritable turbo button on performance.

And at just$345 at Amazon, it’s an absolute steal. If you’ve got an AM5-based gaming PC and you’ve been wondering whether it’s worth getting a 3D V-cache chip, then now is as good a time as any to take the plunge. Unlike Intel’s chips, where the peak power consumption is way higher than the standard TDP, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D will barely run much above 120 W, making it far easier to keep cool.

In fact, there’s only one thing that spoils the V-cache party. Well, two, if you count the fact that Intel’sCore i7 14700Kis a better chip for serious productivity tasks (thanks to having more threads and a higher boost clock).

We’re not far off seeing AMD launch itsZen 5 architectureand even if that’s only a little bit faster than Zen 4, it’s still quicker. However, AMD traditionally takes a good while to launch 3D V-cache versions of its best chips, so I don’t think we’ll see a Ryzen 7 9800X3D for a good while.

So get a 7800X3D, and enjoy fabulous gaming chops for years.

Today’s best CPU and processors deals$6.99View DealIntel Xeon 3.4GHz 1 Core 3400DP/1M/800…Intel Xeon 3.4GHz 1 Core 3400DP/1M/800 Processor SL7PG$77.99$12.99View DealIntel Pentium Dual-Core Processor E2220…Intel Pentium Dual-Core Processor E2220 1 MB LGA775 CPU BX80557E2220$15View Deal1.6GHz Intel Xeon Quad-Core E5310…1.6GHz Intel Xeon Quad-Core E5310 1066MHz 8MB (2x4MB) L2 Cache Socket LGA771 BX80563E5310P Slaem$27.45View DealIntel Core 2 Duo E6600 2.4GHz Dual-Core…Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 2.4GHz Dual-Core HH80557PH0564M Processor$210.99$32.67View DealIntel Core i5-650 Processor 3.20 GHz 4…Intel Core i5-650 Processor 3.20 GHz 4 MB Cache Socket LGA1156Show More DealsWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices

Today’s best CPU and processors deals

$6.99View DealIntel Xeon 3.4GHz 1 Core 3400DP/1M/800…Intel Xeon 3.4GHz 1 Core 3400DP/1M/800 Processor SL7PG$77.99$12.99View DealIntel Pentium Dual-Core Processor E2220…Intel Pentium Dual-Core Processor E2220 1 MB LGA775 CPU BX80557E2220$15View Deal1.6GHz Intel Xeon Quad-Core E5310…1.6GHz Intel Xeon Quad-Core E5310 1066MHz 8MB (2x4MB) L2 Cache Socket LGA771 BX80563E5310P Slaem$27.45View DealIntel Core 2 Duo E6600 2.4GHz Dual-Core…Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 2.4GHz Dual-Core HH80557PH0564M Processor$210.99$32.67View DealIntel Core i5-650 Processor 3.20 GHz 4…Intel Core i5-650 Processor 3.20 GHz 4 MB Cache Socket LGA1156

$6.99View DealIntel Xeon 3.4GHz 1 Core 3400DP/1M/800…Intel Xeon 3.4GHz 1 Core 3400DP/1M/800 Processor SL7PG

Intel Xeon 3.4GHz 1 Core…

Walmart

$6.99View Deal

$6.99

Intel Xeon 3.4GHz 1 Core 3400DP/1M/800…Intel Xeon 3.4GHz 1 Core 3400DP/1M/800 Processor SL7PG

$77.99$12.99View DealIntel Pentium Dual-Core Processor E2220…Intel Pentium Dual-Core Processor E2220 1 MB LGA775 CPU BX80557E2220

Intel Pentium Dual-Core…

Amazon

$77.99$12.99View Deal

$77.99$12.99

$12.99

Intel Pentium Dual-Core Processor E2220…Intel Pentium Dual-Core Processor E2220 1 MB LGA775 CPU BX80557E2220

$15View Deal1.6GHz Intel Xeon Quad-Core E5310…1.6GHz Intel Xeon Quad-Core E5310 1066MHz 8MB (2x4MB) L2 Cache Socket LGA771 BX80563E5310P Slaem

1.6GHz Intel Xeon Quad-Core…

Amazon

$15View Deal

$15

1.6GHz Intel Xeon Quad-Core E5310…1.6GHz Intel Xeon Quad-Core E5310 1066MHz 8MB (2x4MB) L2 Cache Socket LGA771 BX80563E5310P Slaem

$27.45View DealIntel Core 2 Duo E6600 2.4GHz Dual-Core…Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 2.4GHz Dual-Core HH80557PH0564M Processor

Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 2.4GHz…

Amazon

$27.45View Deal

$27.45

Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 2.4GHz Dual-Core…Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 2.4GHz Dual-Core HH80557PH0564M Processor

$210.99$32.67View DealIntel Core i5-650 Processor 3.20 GHz 4…Intel Core i5-650 Processor 3.20 GHz 4 MB Cache Socket LGA1156

Intel Core i5-650 Processor…

Amazon

$210.99$32.67View Deal

$210.99$32.67

$32.67

Intel Core i5-650 Processor 3.20 GHz 4…Intel Core i5-650 Processor 3.20 GHz 4 MB Cache Socket LGA1156

Show More Deals

We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices

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