5 Best Black Friday 2025 CPU Deals: Big Intel & AMD Processor Savings
Before getting too deep into the weeds though, we do want to take a moment to clarify how these CPUs were selected. To select the CPUs listed here, we tried to consider the overall platform, in addition to pricing relative to alternatives in the same range, and actual real-world performance. For example, the Intel Core i9-12900KF has a major Black Friday discount, but the Intel Core i5-14600K is the better option, and costs just $4 more. The 12900KF is a powerful CPU, but its older and we also try to avoid recommending any products that we wouldn't actually buy for ourselves. Many readers actively choose to buy PC hardware during this time of year, and we don't want to point you toward suboptimal choices just to save a few bucks. Don't be pennywise and pound foolish...
Hot Hardware's Best Black Friday CPU Deals 2025
AMD Ryzen 5 5600—Entry-Level Gaming CPU
- List MSRP: $199
- Current Price: $134.99 (32% off)
- Why We Picked It: AMD's Ryzen 5 5600 doesn't have AMD's latest and greatest architecture, but it's a killer CPU at this price point, and should serve the needs of any entry-level gaming rig quite well. 6 cores / 12 threads is more than enough for most everyday PC workloads and is definitely sufficient for gaming.
- Buy It Now
Intel Core i5-14600KF—The Best Frames-Per-Dollar Gaming CPU
- List MSRP: $294.99
- Current Price: $238.00 (21% off)
- Why We Picked It: This Intel 14th Gen CPU remains among the best Intel-made gaming CPUs per dollar. At this discounted price, the 14600KF is arguably the best frames-per-dollar gaming CPU available during Black Friday 2025. If you're building a brand-new rig, though, it may be worth allocating a few extra bucks for an AMD X3D CPU to ensure your socket / motherboard can support future upgrades.
- Buy It Now
AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D—The Second-Best Gaming CPU For $70 Less
- List MSRP: $449.99
- Current Price: $379.99 (15% off)
- Why We Picked It: One of the best gaming CPUs on the market, that outperforms even more expensive Intel and AMD CPU, that lack 3D V-Cache. It's not a massive discount, but if you're building or upgrading an AM5 socket PC today, it's still one of the best options, and gets you most of the way to the 9800X3D's level of performance for considerably less money.
- Buy It Now
Intel's Desktop Flagship, Intel Core Ultra 9 285K—24 Cores For 28% Off
- List MSRP: $599.99
- Current Price: $429.99 (28% off)
- Why We Picked It: Intel's current flagship desktop processor, though it does trail the best-performing 14th Gen Intel CPUs and AMD Ryzen X3D CPUs in many gaming workloads. If you want the latest Intel platform though, with killer multi-thread performance, and enough horsepower for virtually any workload, the Core Ultra 9 285K is worth a look. With all of the latest UEFI and drive updates, these chips are great all-around performers.
- Buy It Now
Gaming CPU King, AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D
- List MSRP: $479.00
- Current Price: $449.00 (6% off)
- Why We Picked It: The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is the current king of the hill for PC gaming. Sadly, it's not discounted significantly for Black Friday, but we'd be remiss to not recommend this CPU. If you've got the budget, there's currently no better CPU for gaming, and it utilizes AMD's latest platform so there will be ample opportunities to upgrade in the future, without ripping apart the entire system.
- Buy It Now
