Amazon Prime Big Deal Days can be a great opportunity to grab discounted parts for an upgrade or a brand-new PC build. Sifting through the promotions can be hard work – the deal isn’t always as genuine as it appears – but we’re here to help separate the wheat from the chaff.
This time around, there are some stellar bargains to be had, as a variety of computer components are available at best-ever prices. This includes some of Intel’s latest-generation Core Ultra processors. If you are needing a new PC, but need to keep to a budget, these offers are worth investigating.
General customer reception to the Intel Core Ultra line might have been somewhat less than enthusiastic, but these chips are entirely capable of delivering solid levels of performance in gaming and productivity. Heck, at these prices, you could argue they’re now a preferred choice for mainstream builds.
Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF
Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF
“Get ultra-efficient with Intel Core Ultra desktop processors that improve both performance and efficiency, so your PC can run cooler, quieter, and quicker.”
The Core Ultra 5 245KF is a prime example, if you’ll excuse the pun. While not a high-end powerhouse, it is still a very capable processor for a range of applications. This particular model does not come with an integrated GPU, but at a knock-down price of only £140.97 on the UK Amazon store, it is an absolute steal. That’s cheaper than the average weekly food bill for a family of four! The reduction is almost as good on the US Amazon store, with a 36 percent discount dropping the price to only $194.99.
Those planning to pick one of these processors up will be able to take advantage of the 14 cores and 26MB of L2 cache, along with a max clock speed of 5.2GHz. This is easily enough processing power to run any number of modern AAA titles when paired with a decent graphics card.
Where this chip shines is in its efficiency. Users won’t need to worry about needing an expensive new power supply as it has a max TDP of only 159W. This also means it tends to not kick out too much heat, saving money again since a fairly simple air cooling unit will do for keeping the CPU chill.
The Core Ultra 5 245KF does require a motherboard equipped with the newer LGA1851 socket, but on the plus side this could provide runway for future upgrades. This CPU obviously doesn’t match the more powerful Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, which is also currently on offer, but at less than £150 it is an excellent choice for a budget build that has plenty of headroom for upgrades.
Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
“The performance you crave with the efficiency you need.”
If you do have a little bit more budget to play with, but still want to get the most bang for your buck, the Intel Core 7 265K is a great alternative. The discount is not quite as attractive as the Core Ultra 5 245KF, but the price has still dropped by a healthy 15 percent down to only £226. Over on the US Amazon store, news is even better, with a 36 percent price cut, bringing the cost down to a very agreeable $246.98.
Customers who pick up the Core Ultra 7 265K will have access to eight performance cores and 12 efficiency cores, for a grand total of 20 cores/threads. It has a max clock speed of 5.5GHz, and at this price point, is nothing short of very good value. Be it productivity or gaming, there’s plenty of muscle on offer here to get the job done.
Sure, it isn’t a match for something like the AMD Ryzen 9800X3D in the bragging rights department, but at this sort of price it really doesn’t need to be. If you are aiming for a cost-effective build, Intel Core Ultra is now shaping up to be an excellent choice. Here’s hoping these reduced prices stick, bringing welcome competition to the CPU space.
