The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is the best gaming processor currently on the market and a much better option than the new Intel Core Ultra 9 285K. If you're waiting for a discount on this processor for Black Friday, though, don't hold your breath. It's very unlikely the price will drop before the end of the year.

AMD's new Ryzen 7 9800X3D is a monster gaming CPU, but there's one other chip that delivers similar gaming performance for less money.

AMD has dominated PC gaming CPU performance for more than two years. Its X3D chips have provided a boost that Intel has been unable to match, and its new $479 Ryzen 7 9800X3D goes a step further to not only improve gaming performance but also day-to-day tasks and creative workloads.

AMD’s Ryzen 9800X3D has been very well-received, but the problem with the CPU is that keen PC gamers who want to buy the chip aren’t able to – amidst scalping woes – and if a new rumor is right, they could be waiting for quite some time for an opportunity to pull the trigger on a purchase.

Pictures of the burned chips appeared on Reddit and QuasarZone in the past couple of days. Both CPUs are Ryzen 7 9800X3Ds, the model that has been rocking the CPU landscape with its out-of-the-gate performance and overclock ability.

If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement. While there’s bound to be some pent-up demand for the 9800X3D after the disappointment of Zen 5 desktop CPUs and Intel’s Core Ultra 9 285K,