Why AMD’s AM4 Ryzen CPUs are topping Amazon as DDR5 prices spike

AMD processors on the AM4 platform have unexpectedly climbed back to the top of Amazon’s sales charts in the United States and the United Kingdom. The older Ryzen 5 5800X and the refreshed 5800XT, both based on the Zen 3 architecture and launched several years ago, have taken prominent spots despite the presence of newer Zen 4 and Zen 5 offerings.

In the UK, the Ryzen 5 5800X leads Amazon’s list of best-selling CPUs, while in the US the Ryzen 5 5800XT has entered the top five, landing in fourth place. It’s an unusual turn for chips running on a platform nearing its first decade, but the answer lies in the current state of the memory market.

A sharp rise in DDR5 prices is pushing buyers toward more affordable upgrade paths. In some cases, 64 GB DDR5 kits cost more than a PlayStation 5, and analysts do not expect a noticeable price drop at least until 2026. Against this backdrop, DDR4 remains a significantly cheaper option, making older platforms newly attractive.

Demand for CPUs that pair with DDR4 has grown so much that the Ryzen 7 5800X3D, AMD’s first chip with 3D V-Cache, has become pricier on the secondary market than the new Ryzen 7 9800X3D. However, the 5800X3D is long out of production, so buyers are turning to the Ryzen 5 5800X and 5800XT, which are still widely available at retail.

Lower prices have helped, too. In the UK, the Ryzen 5 5800X sells for around £184, and in the US the Ryzen 5 5800XT can be found for $199—roughly on par with newer processors that require costly DDR5. That balance of CPU pricing and accessible memory is making AMD’s previous generation surprisingly relevant for mainstream builds. It’s a timely reminder that the total cost of a platform—rather than headline specs—often decides what wins at checkout.