In an unexpected move shaking the x86 server chip market, AMD and Intel have both slashed prices on their high-end CPUs—some by as much as 50%. Flagship models like AMD’s EPYC 9965 (192 cores) now sell for just $9,713, down from $14,813. Intel’s Xeon 6980 (128 cores) dropped from $17,800 to as low as $5,836.
Although neither company has issued an official announcement, leading U.S. retailers like ShopBLT and Newegg have already listed the discounted prices. This aggressive price cut signals either a prelude to next-gen CPUs like Zen 5, or an intensified battle for market dominance.
For data centers and cloud service providers, this is a rare opportunity to upgrade computing infrastructure at a significantly lower cost.
