Info YMMV - Local Lowend Microcenter Ryzen Inventory - Selling Out

[PrinceXizor]

Not sure how widespread this is. Since I'm building a new rig I've been keeping tabs on the semi-local microcenter in Columbus Ohio.
Checked some pricing today and thought the sorting wasn't working than I realized I had "in stock" selected and a bunch of cheaper Ryzen's were sold out.
Cheapest Ryzen they had were 3600XTs for $219 and 3700Xs for $279 and 3800Xs for $299. With all the supply chain craziness over the last 6 months, its possible that there won't be a glut of previous generation cpus to buy on the cheap once the current gen's start hitting the supply chain.

Edited: Title for a little extra clarity

Moved from hot deals.

AT Mod Usandthem

 

[PrinceXizor]

I realize that isn't a specific hot deal, I just thought it was more relevant to the browsers of the hot deals forum than this forum. But, whatever you guys want...

 

[blckgrffn]

My local (MN) Microcenter has all in-stock CPUs at 10+ availability. The 3200G and 3400G are completely sold out right now, and when I checked about a week ago the 3200G was low stock while the 3400G was at 10+ as well.

Personally, I am hoping to snag either a launch 5600x or 5900x depending on how much he is willing to spend that day OR a ~$350 3900xt OR $199 3800xt. That might sound crazy, but I think they might clear out the SKUs above the 3600 & 3400G pretty quickly, leaving the 3600, 3600XT and 3400G as the "value" CPUs and Zen 3 CPUs above them.

We'll see! I got a $135 2700x out of the Zen 2 launch. A cheap 3770k, a cheap 4770k and other CPUs hitting them right at transition, so there is precedence. A 3700x for ~$150 would also meet my needs, I think

 

[Jimzz]

Yea they did this when 3000 came out. Cleared the 2000's to make room. The higher end chips are usually the last to sell. Its how I got my 2700x for $130 with $30 off a board last year.

 

[blckgrffn]

Yea they did this when 3000 came out. Cleared the 2000's to make room. The higher end chips are usually the last to sell. Its how I got my 2700x for $130 with $30 off a board last year.

Microcenter has a price matching policy too. It's the duration of the return period. 15 days on CPUs. Day 13 is when the price dropped on the 2700x for me and they happily sent me $30 or so via CC refund via chat.

Thinking maybe I should pick up a CPU on November 4th if they really have Zen 3 dropping on the 5th in availability? I'll just not open the board or CPU and if the deals don't happen re-evaluate the value and return if needed.

 

[alexruiz]

I would not get the hopes too high

They have stock, but considering the difference in price between the existing Ryzen 3000 series and the upcoming 5000 series, the 3000 will likely keep selling swiftly without need for clearance prices.
Zen+ to Zen 2 was a different process node, so to keep the factories running, more Zen+ CPUs were made.
Zen 2 and Zen 3 are in the same 7nm TSMC node, and those wafers are in short supply. I in fact would not be surprised if AMD already stopped making Zen 2 CPUs.

 

[blckgrffn]

I would not get the hopes too high

They have stock, but considering the difference in price between the existing Ryzen 3000 series and the upcoming 5000 series, the 3000 will likely keep selling swiftly without need for clearance prices.
Zen+ to Zen 2 was a different process node, so to keep the factories running, more Zen+ CPUs were made.
Zen 2 and Zen 3 are in the same 7nm TSMC node, and those wafers are in short supply. I in fact would not be surprised if AMD already stopped making Zen 2 CPUs.

You're right. I expect this window to much tighter than the months of $99 2600's was.

 

[PrinceXizor]

It's a very interesting dynamic to be sure. That's why I thought I'd post it. It might just be a local blip but I don't remember seeing the number of available inventory being that low before they were gone. I'm not sure how each individual microcenter sources it's processors. I already purchased a B550 board so a bundle likely wasn't in my future anyway, but, it does mean I'm not snagging a cheap(er) CPU now to ride out the new release price cycle.

 

[killster1]

well it looks like all the 400 series motherboard makers are going to support ryzen 5000 cpu's, (i see biostar asus and msi so far but i didnt look to hard) i just hope asrock tiachi ultimate x470 updates come since i want to keep the psu/ case and just swap out cpu's. Before i found this out i was tempted to purchase a 3700x for my sons upgrade but now he can use a 5600x (or better yet a 5600 ((when will these be out)) )

 

[Thibsie]

I still wonder if I should upgrade to 5600 (if Asus decides to be nice) or 3700/3800.

 

[killster1]

I still wonder if I should upgrade to 5600 (if Asus decides to be nice) or 3700/3800.

What you rocking now?? X470 2700x? Asus said they will update x470 to support 5000 series. Now when they release the 5600 is another question. I think maybe Feb 2021

 

[Thibsie]

B450 (ROG b450-F) & 2600

 

[DrMrLordX]

What you rocking now?? X470 2700x? Asus said they will update x470 to support 5000 series. Now when they release the 5600 is another question. I think maybe Feb 2021

Looks like 400-series support drops in January. That's when I expect the cheaper Vermeer chips to come out.

 

[13Gigatons]

I wouldn't buy right now...the prices are bad, the supply chain is bad and the economy is bad.

Maybe next year things will improve....

 

[Thibsie]

I wouldn't buy right now...the prices are bad, the supply chain is bad and the economy is bad.

Maybe next year things will improve....

I guess so too but then black Friday etc.... 🙄

 

[kallisX]

which is why i buy $60-70 motherboards. works great for a year or so and i dont have to buy the top of the line previous gen to squeeze the money out of it.

 

[Hans Gruber]

If you want a Ryzen 3000 series CPU. Wait for 2-4 weeks after Zen 3 is launched. They have had fire sale bundles online for motherboard CPU's in the past two generations after the new Ryzen CPU's are released.

 

[blckgrffn]

If you want a Ryzen 3000 series CPU. Wait for 2-4 weeks after Zen 3 is launched. They have had fire sale bundles online for motherboard CPU's in the past two generations after the new Ryzen CPU's are released.

Exactly. The fly in the ointment here, compared to getting my sweet 2700x for $130 with Borderlands 3 and all that, is that Zen 3 and Zen 2 are on the same process node @ TSMC and the prices on Zen 3 aren't overlapping like the ones for Zen 2 over Zen+ - given that Zen 3 starts at $300 it seems like price cuts will be on the $300+ SKU's only, like what Intel prices have done there recently.

Picked up a 9700k with board for less than $300 after tax and a 9700F for ~$200 after tax, I am driving down and picking them up tonight. The less expensive Intel CPUs are all hanging tight. The 9900K is chilling at $320 with $40 board discount!

I'll be watching Zen 3 launch and prices and see if I can't swap at least one for them for an 8 core Zen 2 part which is better at so many things. Historically, the Intel CPUs have really held their value and I can just drop them into existing PCs.

 

[Thibsie]

What we still don't know is, performance wise, if a zen3 6 cores is more or less interesting than a 8 cores zen 2.
Depends on workload etc, I know but I'd still want to know more about the comparison.

Should come soon enough I guess.

 

[coercitiv]

What we still don't know is, performance wise, if a zen3 6 cores is more or less interesting than a 8 cores zen 2.

Definitely more interesting unless you're going for 24/7 compute workloads. Between 20% higher ST performance and 10% higher MT performance, the first option is the best for a more balanced system.

If coolling limited then Zen 3 should come even closer in MT performance, assuming AMDs claim of higher perf/watt is true.

 

[Thibsie]

That was indeed my conclusion but well, always better to see the numbers.
Price and compatibility with my mobo will be another problem

 

[blckgrffn]

5600x and 5800x are showing up at Microcenter Webstore! Exciting!

That said, only those two, not the bigger & badder SKUs. Hopeful they will be available on launch day too.

Still having a hard time accepting the $150 premium from six to eight cores, when twelve is "only" $550. The 5900x seems like the SKU to get IMO if you are going to go above the 5600x, we'll see what the reviews say.

 

[gdansk]

Still having a hard time accepting the $150 premium from six to eight cores, when twelve is "only" $550. The 5900x seems like the SKU to get IMO if you are going to go above the 5600x

AMD pricing in both line-ups is to drive higher ASP by making the normal value options appear like bad buys. The 5900X looks better than the 5800X (wow, 50% more cores for only 22% more!) and the RX 6800XT looks better than the RX 6800 (wow, ~20-25% more performance for only $70 more!).

It still is competitive pricing but it is a bit annoying. For example, I really don't need a 5900X but I'll probably buy it for the reasons you mention.

 

[blckgrffn]

AMD pricing in both line-ups is to drive higher ASP by making the normal value options appear like bad buys. The 5900X looks better than the 5800X (wow, 50% more cores for only 22% more!) and the RX 6800XT looks better than the RX 6800 (wow, ~20-25% more performance for only $70 more!).

It still is competitive pricing but it is a bit annoying. For example, I really don't need a 5900X but I'll probably buy it for the reasons you mention.

Just confirmed with my Dad last night - I knew which way he would jump too. He didn't want the "starter" CPU and he is coming from a 5820k and the idea of getting the same amount of cores as he's had had for the last 5+ years wasn't appealing. The value to the next tier didn't seem worth it, but double the CPU's for less than double the price and close to "only" $500? He was down for that. 5900x it is.

The AMD SKU planning is working as near as I can tell.

I told him the only way we didn't do that is if the 3900x/3900xt drops to ~$350. At that point we could probably go with a B450 board too and it's likely a nearly $300 savings. I *know* the 5900x is faster but it's not like the 3900x is going magically become slow.

 

[fleshconsumed]

If you want a Ryzen 3000 series CPU. Wait for 2-4 weeks after Zen 3 is launched. They have had fire sale bundles online for motherboard CPU's in the past two generations after the new Ryzen CPU's are released.

I hope so. I remember deep discounts on the Zen+ series last year. To be honest I'm not certain it's going to happen this time around, but I'd love to pick up 3950x or maybe even second 3900x on the cheap.