Today was finally the day that AMD enthusiasts have been waiting for – the Ryzen 5000 series CPU launch. However, as with any tech launch in recent times, there was a huge worry for stock levels resulting in consumers floundering to get to the product pages on retailer websites before the expected release time. But, did AMD pull it out the bag and keep to the rumored promises of a healthy supply of all Ryzen 5000 series variants? Let’s find out.
Surprise surprise, retailer websites cracked under the pressure prospective buyers put them under. Both US and UK outlets had their websites slow down under the sheer number of Ryzen enthusiasts wanting to secure a launch day CPU. This was to be expected considering how the releases of Nvidia’s 30 series GPUs faired, as well as the notable releases of the Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5, but it is still disappointing all the same. On the flip side, if you did manage to get yourself on a live page of one of these sites, you were probably able to net the CPU of your choice.
More on that, stock seemed aplenty with users reporting all over social media that they were able to order whichever 5000 series CPU they liked with little to no trouble, even the more budget 5600X which is certainly the most popular of the chips due to its price vs performance levels. There did however seem to be a little less 5800X and 5900X processors available which was an annoyance for some.
Yes, the bots scalpers were rife as usual but as previously stated, due to the healthier stock levels as a whole, more actual buyers wanting to build a new PC or upgrade their current machine were able to check out with a Zen 3 processor in their basket. All we can say is if you didn’t manage to get the processor you wanted simply don’t buy from a scalper even if you are desperate. You’ll be paying twice the price where you could simply wait a month or two and get one at the retail level.
Overall, we’re not saying that AMD had mountains of stock but this was no paper launch (we’re looking at you Nvidia) and one where consumers actually had a chance of buying something.
At PC Guide, we ourselves managed to get our hands on the full AMD Ryzen 5000 series lineup – the 5600X, 5800X, 5900X, and the incredibly powerful 5950X for testing purposes so we can bring you all the up to date guides we can. Look out for any AMD Ryzen 5000 series content coming your way in the very near future!
So, was the Ryzen 5000 series launch a success for AMD? It most certainly was. There wasn’t too much complaining from consumers eagerly awaiting a purchase of one of the new processor lineup, with any of the annoyances sitting with the retailers themselves rather than directed at the manufacturer. This is a stark difference from the aforementioned launches and definitely something companies like Nvidia, Microsoft, and Sony can look at and learn from. Granted, there a lot of moving parts that go into GPU and console manufacturing over something like a CPU but to be frank, there should still have been more units available.
What does this mean for the AMD Radeon RX 6000 series graphics card launch? Well, we’ve heard from AMD higher-ups who claim that due to the same 7nm tech being used there will be more stock available in comparison to Nvidia’s. But, there are also rumors in the wild that there will still be shortages so only time will tell. Either way, to have your best chance, you’re going to need the links so, head to our Radeon RX 6000 series pages where we’ll have everything you need.
