AM4 CPU Sales Surge as DDR5 Prices Spike, Ryzen 5 3600 Returns to the Top 10
The PC DIY market is showing a clear reversal in platform momentum, with more buyers pivoting back to AM4 and DDR4 builds as DDR5 pricing continues to climb. When memory costs inflate, the entire build equation changes, and the easiest lever for gamers to pull is the platform itself. Instead of stretching budgets for DDR5 and a newer motherboard, many are choosing proven AM4 parts that still deliver strong gaming performance per dollar, especially for mainstream rigs and upgrade paths.
Based on tracking shared by the source, AM4 CPUs have surged to nearly 34% of CPU sales at Mindfactory, up from roughly 24% just 2 weeks earlier. That kind of jump suggests buyers are actively recalculating total platform cost, not just CPU pricing. In parallel, AM5 share is described as sliding from around 70% of shipments to under 60%, reinforcing that this is not a minor fluctuation, it is a demand shift driven by affordability and availability pressure in the DDR5 ecosystem.
📈 CPU Retail Sales Week 51 '25 (mf)
— TechEpiphany (@TechEpiphanyYT) December 23, 2025
Total AM4 share rising to 34%, lowering ASP.
High-margin 5X00X3D sales could be cashed in on right now — but AMD EOL’d them.
ℹ️ Units
AMD: 1925 units sold, 91.45%, ASP: 259
Intel: 180, 8.55%, ASP: 248
ℹ️ Revenue
AMD: 498736, 91.77%
Intel:… pic.twitter.com/MJFaw1nGnZ
The same trend is also reflected in Amazon US rankings, where 4 AM4 CPUs reportedly hold spots in the Top 10 best sellers list, with 9 AM4 chips appearing in the Top 20. The standout detail is that the Ryzen 7 5800XT is described as the best selling CPU on Amazon US, while the Ryzen 5 3600 has unexpectedly re entered the Top 10 at the 6th spot. Seeing a Ryzen 5 3600 climb back into the spotlight in 2025 is a strong signal that a big slice of buyers are prioritizing total build value over chasing the newest socket.
This is also a reminder that AMD’s AM4 platform has unusual longevity. For gamers, it remains the most cost optimized path to a capable PC when DDR5 pricing moves 3x to 4x in some regions. If higher memory costs remain sticky, AM4 becomes the budget pressure relief valve for the market, and it could continue absorbing demand from buyers who want strong performance without paying 100s of dollars extra just to enter the DDR5 lane.
At the strategic level, the situation also raises an obvious product planning question: if AM4 demand is accelerating again, AMD may need to think carefully about how long it keeps Ryzen 5000 supply active, and whether there is room to re energize the AM4 stack with more clear positioning for gamers who are price sensitive but still performance hungry.
What is your move right now, are you building AM5 anyway, or does AM4 plus DDR4 feel like the smartest play until DDR5 prices normalize?
