The big picture: AMD is reportedly preparing to launch two new Ryzen 5000 series desktop CPUs in the coming weeks, further building out its lineup of Zen 3 chips. Before getting your hopes up, however, there’s one important caveat that you need to be aware of - neither will be available for consumers to purchase directly from retailers.

According to multiple sources on Twitter, the two inbound processors are the Ryzen 7 5800 and the Ryzen 9 5900. Both are alternative versions of their “X” counterparts with identical core counts (eight and 12, respectively), albeit with lower 65W TDPs and likely, reduced clock speeds.

The pair of processors are also expected to be about $50 cheaper than their respective “X” versions, sources note.

The kicker? Both chips are only for OEMs, meaning you won’t be able to buy them directly at retail. Instead, they’ll be installed in pre-built computers from third-party vendors.

This wouldn’t normally be a major concern, but this is 2020, a year when things are anything but normal.

Virtually all of the latest hardware and tech is unattainable at retail due to a combination of factors including limited supply due to production issues stemming from Covid-19, retailers’ unwillingness to carry said products in stores and a sharp increase in the use of automated bots scooping up inventory for scalpers to flip for a profit.

Image credit: KenSoftTH