Processors under $250

4 processors under $250 from Intel and AMD. Prices run $163 to $199.

Intel

10 Cores, 65W, Intel, Core Ultra 5

+65 W thermal design power for moderate cooling requirements

+Boost clock up to 4.9 GHz for responsive everyday performance

+Core Ultra 5 family from Intel for desktop builds

−No integrated graphics, so a separate graphics card is needed

$163.31-5%Was: ~~$171.99~~

as of 11/04/2026 16:09 PST - Details

IntelSpec score 9.0

14 Cores, Intel, Core Ultra 5, 5.0 to 5.4 GHz

+14 cores made of 6 P-cores and 8 E-cores

+Boost clock of 5.0 to 5.4 GHz for demanding tasks

+Intel Core Ultra 5 family for desktop systems

$184.94-5%Was: ~~$194.59~~

as of 11/04/2026 16:09 PST - Details

IntelSpec score 9.0

14 Cores, Intel, Core Ultra 5, No

+14 cores with 14 threads for heavy multitasking workloads

+Boost clock up to 5.4 GHz for fast single-core performance

+Core Ultra 5 family from Intel for desktop builds

−No integrated graphics, so a separate graphics card is needed

$199.00

as of 11/04/2026 16:09 PST - Details

IntelSpec score 8.6

10 Cores, Intel, Core Ultra 5, Yes

+10 cores with 14 threads for multitasking across demanding apps

+Integrated graphics included for display output without a graphics card

+Boost clock up to 4.9 GHz for responsive everyday performance

$178.55

as of 11/04/2026 16:09 PST - Details

Compare specs

Cores	Maker	Processor line	Spec score	Price
10	Intel	Core Ultra 5	n/a	$163.31 as of 11/04/2026 16:09 PST - Details
14	Intel	Core Ultra 5	9.0	$184.94 as of 11/04/2026 16:09 PST - Details
14	Intel	Core Ultra 5	9.0	$199.00 as of 11/04/2026 16:09 PST - Details
10	Intel	Core Ultra 5	8.6	$178.55 as of 11/04/2026 16:09 PST - Details

Spec scores, pros and cons, and prices are explained in the How it works section of the About page.