2026?! No way, don't do that to yourself! Waiting two whole years for a CPU while your current rig is literally dying sounds like an absolute nightmare! I remember back in 2021 I had this old build that would blue screen every single time I tried to export a 4K timeline. I kept telling myself I could wait for the perfect sale, but it got so bad I was actually losing work because my computer was such a brick. I finally cracked, went out and bought a Ryzen 9, and honestly? It was the best decision I ever made for my sanity! Waiting until 2026 is basically torture if you're doing video work every day. You're gonna burn out way before then! Here is what I would do instead:

• Get the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X 16-Core 4.5GHz Processor right now if you find a decent deal. It handles 4K like a total dream and prices have dropped a lot!
• If you really want the latest tech, look for the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X 16-Core 5.7GHz Desktop Processor. It is absolutely incredible for those heavy rendering speeds!
• Since you are in Seattle, take the drive down to the Micro Center in Tukwila. I go there all the time and their CPU and motherboard bundles are basically legendary. Seriously, your time is worth way more than the few bucks you might save by waiting two years. Just jump in now and start actually enjoying your edits again! It is gonna feel amazing to finally have a working PC that doesnt crash every five minutes.