(Image credit: AMD)

Who says you have to wait for Black Friday to get a good deal on a processor? AMD’s last-generation Ryzen 5 2600 targeted at mainstream PC owners is now just between $117-$120 at Amazon and Newegg days ahead of Black Friday.

Those who shop Amazon can get the CPU for $117.68. You can also buy the CPU from Newegg for $119.99 plus $0.99 shipping but with a free Xbox Game Pass for PC, said to be worth $29.99.

AMD’s Ryzen 5 2600 was a popular mid-range choice in 2018, featuring six cores and 12 threads. This year, AMD replaced it with the Ryzen 5 3600 based on the excellent Zen 2 architecture, which costs $194 at Amazon. However, for less than $120, the Ryzen 5 2600 seems like a no-brainer if you’re looking for upgrading your old PC on a budget and via a good deal.

The Ryzen 5 3600 may be 15-20% faster in most tasks, due to a 200 MHz advantage in clock speed and other Zen 2 optimizations. However, that improvement comes with an approximately 65% increase in price. With the Ryzen 5 2600, savings can be used on, perhaps, a more powerful graphics card that will allow you to play newer games at higher framerates for longer.

For an in-depth look at this CPU, check out our AMD Ryzen 5 2600 review. You can also find more CPU recommendations on our Best Cheap CPUs, Best Gaming CPUs and Best Productivity CPUs round-ups.