The best budget Intel CPU is the cheapest it's ever been right now

Intel i5 CPU in front of a green background. — (Image credit: Intel)

The goal for putting together any budget gaming PC is to make sure each component you choose gives you the best gaming bang for your gaming buck. Outside of your graphics card, the CPU will factor in a lot of your cost. Thankfully, Amazon has got a sale on the Intel Core i5 12400 desktop processor for only $175, the cheapest we've ever seen this CPU.

The 6-core, 12-thread Intel i5 12400 is already one of the best budget CPUs you can buy right for less than $250. When it is on sale, it usually goes for around $200. The $175 sale price is an all-time low and practically a steal. Keep in mind you this CPU requires a newer chipset and socket, which means you'll need a motherboard upgrade if weren't planning one already. Luckily there are now some cheaper chipsets for 12th Gen Intel chips, such as the B660 and H610.

Check our best CPUs for gaming to see how these two budget CPUs stack up against some of their more expensive, power-hungry cousins.

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Jorge is a hardware writer from the enchanted lands of New Jersey. When he's not filling the office with the smell of Pop-Tarts, he's reviewing all sorts of gaming hardware, from laptops with the latest mobile GPUs to gaming chairs with built-in back massagers. He's been covering games and tech for over ten years and has written for Dualshockers, WCCFtech, Tom's Guide, and a bunch of other places on the world wide web.