You can build a 10-core gaming PC today with this $500 CPU and motherboard combo

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Save $123 on this Intel Core i9 10850K and Asus Prime Z490-A bundle.

You could build a really fast gaming PC around this $500 CPU and motherboard combo
Save $123 on this Intel Core i9 10850K and Asus Prime Z490-A bundle. (Image credit: Intel)

Right now is not necessarily the ideal time to build a new PC, because Intel is launching Rocket Lake next month and AMD's Ryzen 5000 series are still mostly MIA. However, timely discounts are there to test your patience and resolve, especially when you can snag a 10-core/20-thread CPU and motherboard bundle for well below market value.

More specifically, Newegg is selling an Intel 9th Gen Core i9 10850K processor and Asus Prime Z490-A motherboard combo for $499.98. That works out to $123 below the cost of buying these parts individually at the going rate.

Intel Core i9 10850K + Asus Prime Z490-A Combo |$622.98$499.98 at Newegg (save $123)
Bundle up and save

Intel Core i9 10850K + Asus Prime Z490-A Combo | $622.98 $499.98 at Newegg (save $123)
Amazing times we live in, when you can snag a 10-core/20-thread processor and a high-end motherboard for a couple pennies below $500. This could be the foundation for a monster PC capable of gaming, streaming, and everything else.

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I don't typically highlight combo deals, but that is enough of a saving to make this one worthwhile. Even with Rocket Lake around the corner, a strong case can be made for building a gaming and/or streaming PC around the Core i9 10850K, which sits near the top of Intel's Comet Lake stack (just a hair below the 10900K).

It's also worth noting that Rocket Lake will top out at eight-core/16-thread configurations, albeit with a promised 19 percent boost in IPC performance. The Core i9 10850K gets you two additional cores and four more threads to throw at multi-threaded workloads, if that is what you need.

As to the motherboard, the Prime Z490-A is a well-rounded option with features like 2.5Gbps LAN connectivity, USB 3.2 Type-C and Thunderbolt 3 support, dual M.2 slots, RGB lighting, and an enhanced power design to help facilitate stable overclocks.

There's nothing at all wrong with waiting for Rocket Lake or Ryzen 5000 availability if you'd rather have the latest and greatest. However, you could also build a high-end gaming PC around this foundation and get more bang for your buck.

Now, if you could just find a graphics card to go with it...

Paul Lilly
Paul Lilly

Paul has been playing PC games and raking his knuckles on computer hardware since the Commodore 64. He does not have any tattoos, but thinks it would be cool to get one that reads LOAD"*",8,1. In his off time, he rides motorcycles and wrestles alligators (only one of those is true).