Black Friday CPU deals 2024: What to expect from this year's sales
It's worth reading up on Black Friday CPU deals, here's what you need to know
Black Friday CPU deals were pretty great last year, and there's every indication the same will be true in 2024. Even since November, we've had some really exciting CPU news on both sides, and it now looks as though we'll have another set of CPUs from Intel and AMD that are compatible with their respective motherboard sockets. That means the last generations are getting even cheaper, and that's wonderful news for deal hunters.
Did you know that according to the Adobe shopping report, November, and the weeks surrounding Black Friday, are when we typically see the biggest drop across the board on the prices of PCs and their components? That means the best CPUs for gaming are an absolute steal around Thanksgiving week, so unless you're in need of an urgent upgrade, now is the time to buy.
Below, we've rounded up our expectations for the best Black Friday CPU deals in 2024. Alongside that, we've tried to supply answers to other frequently asked questions including this year's Black Friday date so you can mark your calendar. Below that, you'll find a list of last year's best deals that should give you an idea of what was on offer and for how much.
Black Friday CPU deals: FAQs
When will Black Friday CPU deals start?
Black Friday officially begins on Friday, November 29 this year. As we've seen in previous years, Black Friday CPU deals will likely start in the weeks leading up to that day. We do see the odd deal pop up from the end of October onwards, but the best deals do start to emerge at the beginning of Thanksgiving week. Cyber Monday will happen again this year, but Black Friday usually brings around more deals, and is the safer bet.
Where will the best Black Friday CPU deals be?
In all honesty, it's fairly even in regards to where you'll be able to find the best Black Friday CPU deals. Taking past years into consideration, we saw some of the deepest discounts come from Amazon and Newegg above the majority of other retailers, so we recommend keeping a close watch on these two online storefronts in particular. Also keep an eye on Best Buy and other big-box stores, as they've been keeping up recently as well.
US:
Amazon: The biggest selection of current and previous generation chipsets
Best Buy: Regular discounts on AMD Ryzen 5000 series and Intel CPUs
Newegg: Deep discounts on must-have Ryzen models and 10th gen Intel
Walmart: Average prices with few discounts available right now
UK:
Amazon: Low prices on well-reviewed Intel and AMD Ryzen CPUs
eBuyer: Massive savings available on high AMD Ryzen chipsets
Currys: Good offers on the latest Ryzen processors
Laptops Direct: Minor but consistent deals on 9th, 10th, and 11th gen Intel
Black Friday CPU deals: What to expect
Black Friday CPU deals in 2024 are sure to be tempting for anyone who hasn't upgraded to a DDR5-compatible system yet. With the AMD Ryzen 7000 series and 13th Gen Intel CPUs both releasing in late 2022 and seeing some decent discounts during Black Friday 2023, we'd fully expect them to be the ones to watch this November. Similarly, the 12th Gen Intel chips which are still compatible with the motherboard socket the most recent generation is using will be extremely cheap. These are seriously worth keeping an eye out for if you're on a budget, but the 13th gen will no doubt be the best of both value and unlocked performance.
Elsewhere, AMD is putting out new Ryzen 5000 Series CPUs - yes, the series from 2020. That family is always popular and cheap as chips during Black Friday, so with new blood being injected into it, that could be the same case again this year.
But that's just covering the older few generations. Both AMD and Intel are set to launch AI-driven desktop processors this year, with the 8000 series AMD chips already hitting the ground. When these come out, it's going to be really interesting, especially since it could cause even cheaper deal prices when we get to November. A big indicator of what will be on offer and for how much could be the Prime Day events in the Summer and and October.
Our buying advice, however, is to try and get as recent a processor as you possibly can - as recent as your motherboard will allow, that is. That's likely going to be the hangup for people trying to upgrade because motherboard chips change fairly regularly. Take a look at what the absolute best CPU for your motherboard is, and let's see if we can't find you a deal this November. While we're on the topic of compatibility, DDR5 upgrades will also require a suitable motherboard, and no less than a 12th Gen CPU. If you're building a new rig from scratch, please do yourself a favor and try to secure parts for a future-proofed DDR5 rig - they will be better value in the long run.
Last year's best Black Friday CPU deals
AMD Ryzen 5 5600X | $309 $139 at Amazon
Save $170 - In our books, this is the best value Ryzen CPU for gaming you can get a hold of. While the CPU itself is usually competitively priced and holds its own against 11th-gen i5 CPUs, this deal was worth the shoutout because it was only $20 off its lowest-ever Amazon price.
Intel Core i5-12600K | $299 $153 at Amazon
Save $146 - In our opinion, this is one of the best vale CPUs for gaming on the market because it's half the price of the previous high-end Intel processors, and still outperforms the majority of the Ryzen 5000 line and 11th gen i9 CPUs. In this deal, you got it cheaper than it had ever been - beating out its previous low of $178.
AMD Ryzen 5 7600X | $299 $209 at Amazon
Save $90 - If it's a current-gen mid-ranger you're shopping for, seriously consider this. This was under the price of a 13600K on the Intel side, and you got similar performance for your money. We had seen this as low as $199.99, but its average price is around the $250 mark, so you still made a bit of a saving here.
Intel i7-13700K CPU | $419 $345 at Amazon
Save $74 - This is the CPU we used in our testing rig at the time, which we use to review all RAM, SSDs, and whatever else, so we could speak to its quality and consistency. Arguably, all you really need is a 13600K if you aren't seriously in need of extra headroom for content creation, but at this price, it was hard to turn down the extra power.
Intel Core i9-12900K | $359.99 $315 at Amazon
Save $44.99 - If you had been on the fence with this one, a 12% discount may have been the slight nudge you needed to pick a nifty CPU with Integrated Graphics and 16 (8P+8E) Cores up to 5.2 GHz unlocked to boot. Only $5 more than the non-integrated graphics model too - not bad.
Last year's best CPU deals in the UK
AMD Ryzen 5 5600X | £279.99 £139.99 at Amazon
Save £140 - In our books, this was one of the best value Ryzen CPUs at the time. While the CPU itself is usually competitively priced and holds its own against 11th-gen i5 CPUs, this deal was particularly amazing because it was the lowest price we'd ever seen it at on Amazon.
Complete your battle station for less with everything you need to know to get the best Black Friday gaming laptop deals and Black Friday gaming monitor deals.
You can also take a look at our Black Friday RAM deals and Black Friday SSD deals so you have all the bits and pieces you need to build a PC.
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Ever since playing Journey at the age of 15, I’ve been desperate to cover video games for a living. After graduating from Edinburgh Napier University with a degree in Journalism, I contributed to the Scottish Games Network and completed an Editorial Internship over at Expert Reviews. Besides that, I’ve been managing my own YouTube channel and Podcast for the last 7 years. It’s been a long road, but all that experience somehow landed me a dream job covering gaming hardware. I’m a self-confessing PlayStation fanboy, but my experience covering the larger business and developer side of the whole industry has given me a strong knowledge of all platforms. When I’m not testing out every peripheral I can get my hands on, I’m probably either playing tennis or dissecting game design for an upcoming video essay. Now, I better stop myself here before I get talking about my favourite games like HUNT: Showdown, Dishonored, and Towerfall Ascension.
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- Heather WaldSenior staff writer
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