Intel's Core Ultra 7 265KF CPU is currently down to just $209 US at Microcenter, its lowest price ever this month, making it a superb option for Arrow Lake builders.
Limited Micro Center Deal is Offering Intel Core Ultra 7 265KF at $209; This 20-core CPU is Now Down by around $130
While discounts on CPUs are common to see, what's not common is seeing them dropping in price to an extent that it doesn't feel like a usual discount. We spotted a similar deal on Micro Center, which is now selling the . The CPU usually goes for around $300 in various retail stores, and its price fluctuates around it. Considering it was launched at around $380, you are getting it for almost a huge $170 discount. This is even lower than the MSRP of the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K and offers a 20-core solution, which is currently rare to find at this price tag. The CPU was previously down to $229 US , just last week.
The Intel Core Ultra 7 265KF is one of the best productivity CPUs, and at $209, there is no rival to outperform it. The CPU belongs to the Arrow Lake-S series and uses the LGA 1851 socket from the 800-series motherboards. It was launched as a competitor to the Ryzen 7 9700X, but the latter offers just 8 cores/16 threads. So, you do have a good lead in productivity and multi-tasking, although gaming benchmarks can be somewhat inferior to the Ryzen 9000 series.
Intel Core Ultra 7 265KF uses a hybrid architecture, featuring 8 Performance cores and 12 Efficient cores to get intensive tasks done in minutes. The CPU can boost up to 5.5 GHz and operates in a 125-250W TDP range. It also brings a dedicated NPU onboard that can offer entry-level performance in AI workloads, but you will need a discrete GPU to get a display on your monitor. This is one of the reasons why the 265KF is generally cheaper than the 265K but still, a $209 price tag is a deal breaker, considering you are already throwing a discrete GPU for playing demanding titles.
Make sure to use a good CPU cooler and possibly a Z890 motherboard if you don't want to miss out on its overclocking potential. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265KF can result in a noticeable performance increase with overclocking, but you need a good dual-tower air cooler or an AIO to ensure it doesn't overheat. Meanwhile, you can also check , but it usually sells out quickly.