AMD Ryzen 9000 “Zen 5” Desktop CPU Launch Pushed Back To 15th August, QA Cited As Main Reason

AMD has a new update on its Ryzen 9000 "Zen 5" Desktop CPU launch which has been pushed back to 15th of August (sales windows).

In an update, AMD has disclosed that it will now be launching its Ryzen 9000 "Zen 5" Desktop CPUs on the 15th of August.

The company states that some samples failed to pass the testing & QA process and as a result will have to be recalled and new batches are now being sent out that have gone through the proper QA process.

We appreciate the excitement around Ryzen 9000 series processors.  During final checks, we found the initial production units that were shipped to our channel partners did not meet our full quality expectations.  Out of an abundance of caution and to maintain the highest quality experiences for every Ryzen user, we are working with our channel partners to replace the initial production units with fresh units. 

As a result, there will be a short delay in retail availability. The Ryzen 7 9700X and Ryzen 5 9600X processors will now go on sale on August 8th and the Ryzen 9 9950X and Ryzen 9 9900X processors will go on sale on August 15th.  We pride ourselves in providing a high-quality experience for every Ryzen user, and we look forward to our fans having a great experience with the new Ryzen 9000 series.

AMD PR to Wccftech

Originally, the AMD Ryzen 9000 "Zen 5" Desktop CPUs were meant to launch on the 31st of July or next week. The CPUs were originally introduced at Computex 2024 during AMD's keynote and the company lifted the first preview embargo while announcing the 31st July launch date on the 15th of July. The plan has now changed a bit and it looks like the 8th & 15th of August are the new targeted release dates.

The 15th August launch is the latest timeframe of when we can expect the sales of AMD's Ryzen 9000 "Zen 5" Desktop CPUs to commence on retail shelves. The 6 and 8-core parts, the Ryzen 5 9600X and Ryzen 7 9700X, will still hit shelves a bit earlier on the 8th of August while the 12 and 16-core parts, the Ryzen 9 9900X and Ryzen 9 9950X, start on the 15th of August.

So the current schedule is as follows:

This shouldn't be a major delay since it's about two weeks and this gives both customers and partners a bit more time to prep for the upcoming launch. Customers can spend the extra time to ensure that their PCs are ready and outfitted with the latest BIOS that offers support for Ryzen 9000 "Zen 5" Desktop CPUs while partners can do some last-minute bug sorting on their respective platforms.

This move by AMD should be appreciated as it's a lot of effort to not only push back a major CPU launch just a few days before launch but also to recall the bad batches from all retail partners to ensure they are tested properly before landing in the hands of users. AMD didn't want to end up in the same position as Intel who are facing major backlash surrounding their 14th and 13th Gen chips which have severe instability issues and a statement was only offered by Intel just recently despite the issues being reported for years. The new Ryzen 9000 launch also seem to coincide with the release of Intel's new microcode that is expected to resolve some of the issues the lineup is facing.

So far, AMD has shared the specifications and a few 1st party performance benchmarks of their entire Ryzen 9000 "Zen 5" Desktop portfolio but the company has not shared any pricing info with anyone yet. We can expect AMD to provide an update on the prices as we get closer to the new launch window but till then, you can check out our detailed article covering everything about the Ryzen 9000 CPUs including the Ryzen 9 9950X, Ryzen 9 9900X, Ryzen 7 9700X, and the Ryzen 5 9600X.