AMD may resurrect some older CPUs to help users dodge the worst of the RAM crisis
David McAfee says it's something AMD is "very actively working on" but hasn't confirmed yet.
(Image credit: Future)
AMD may bring back some older products to allow users to dodge the worst of the RAM crisis.
In a roundtable discussion that our sister site, Tom's Hardware, took part in, Ryzen chief David McAfee responded to a question about the difficulties facing PC builders in 2026.
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(Image credit: Future)
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You can thank the RAM crisis for that. DDR5 RAM kits that were selling under $100 until August, 2025 are now as much as $440. You can purchase 32 GB of DDR4 RAM for around $179—nowhere near as affordable as it once was, likely as it was planned to be phased out until recently, but far cheaper than the newer standard. While performance is reduced through the use of DDR4 and older processors that support it, you can still get great performance.
It's not much of a stretch for AMD to reintroduce older CPUs. The company has continued selling older AM4 chips for some time, including new X3D processors as recently reviewed as 2024. Though last we heard, AMD had discontinued the famed Ryzen 7 5700X3D as it phases out the last of AM4 and moved onto pastures new, including old/new chips like the Ryzen 5 7500X3D.
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But this might be tacit confirmation of those older CPUs returning once again. We shouldn't need these chips in the market, but unfortunately, they're maybe our best hope for keeping budget PC gaming alive and well through the year.
