AMD's Zen 4 processors have established their place on the list of best CPUs. However, the non-X models are seemingly losing their appeal in China. The Ryzen 9 7900, Ryzen 7 7700, and Ryzen 5 7600 are selling below their respective MSRPs.
AMD launched the Ryzen 7000 lineup in September 2022 and subsequently released the Ryzen 7000 non-X counterparts in January of this year. The 65W Ryzen 7000 chips are feeling the competition from rival 13th Generation Raptor Lake non-K processors, which was announced around the same time frame. According to a report from the Chinese news outlet MyDrivers, retailers in China have lowered the pricing for AMD's Ryzen 7000 non-X processors. Some retailers are running extra promotions on top of the discounts, further slashing the pricing by up to $10.
It's the opposite on the U.S. market. The Ryzen 7000 non-X processors have maintained their value. The Ryzen 9 7900, Ryzen 7 7700, and Ryzen 5 7600 continue to for $429, $329, and $229, respectively. Certain stores, such as Micro Center, sell the Zen 4 chips between $10 to $30 below their MSRP, depending on the SKU. But it's not a widespread phenomenon.
| Processor | JD.com Pricing | Micro Center Pricing | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ryzen 9 7900 | $371 | $399 | $429 |
| Ryzen 7 7700 | $283 | $319 | $329 |
| Ryzen 5 7600 | $210 | $219 | $229 |
The Ryzen 9 7900, which is the 65W counterpart to the Ryzen 9 7900X, is on sale in China for $371, approximately 14% lower than the MSRP. Likewise, the Ryzen 7 7700, the non-X version of the Ryzen 7 7700X, is 14% cheaper in the Chinese market than on the U.S. market. The Ryzen 5 7600 las the lowest price reduction out of the trio, going for 8% lower than the official MSRP.
For consumers that don't require lots of firepower, AMD's Ryzen 7000 non-X processors are a great option, especially if they pair the 65W Zen 4 chips with an affordable AM5 motherboard. Although it took a while, we're finally starting to see AM5 motherboards at $125, the starting price point AMD promised. AMD still has an ace up its sleeve: the even cheaper A620 chipset. The chipmaker hasn't confirmed when we can expect A620 motherboards. Judging from the chipmaker's previous cadence with the 500-series chipset, A620 motherboards could launch in the middle of this year.
AMD's departure from DDR4 means that even budget A620 and B650 motherboards still have to put up with DDR5, which has improved in pricing but is still much more expensive than its older counterpart. At least with cheaper motherboards, the AM5 platform may finally be within reach for really budget-limited consumers.
