Get an Intel Core i5-9400F processor for just $120

Get an Intel Core i5-9400F processor for just $120
One of the steepest discounts on an Intel U ever. (Image credit: Intel)

Intel released the Core i5-9400F processor in early 2019 as a budget gaming U. The low price was thanks to the removal of all integrated graphics, which is a fine trade-off if you're going to be installing a dedicated graphics card anyway (and if you're serious about gaming, you should be). The U has already dropped in price a few times since its release, but now it has fallen to an all-time low of $119.99. That's $30 below the usual price, and $80 below the original MSRP.

The 9400F has six cores (no Hyper-Threading), a boost clockspeed of up to 4.10GHz and base clock of 2.9GHz, a TDP of 65W, and for up to 128GB of memory. The 'F' means there's no integrated graphics , so you absolutely need a dedicated GPU to get any kind of video output—just like with most of AMD's Ryzen processors.

Intel Core i5-9400F Processor | $119.99 (save $30)

Intel Core i5-9400F Processor | $119.99 (save $30)
One of Intel's budget Core i5 chips is at its lowest price ever. It's a great option for a mid-range gaming PC. You can also get the U from Best Buy.

It's worth noting that you can currently get a Ryzen 5 2600 processor for just a few bucks more. That U has twice as many threads as the 9400F, but the Intel chip comes out slightly ahead in gaming and other tasks that depend on strong single-threaded performance.

Just make sure to you have a compatible motherboard before buying. Any B360, H310, H370, Q370, Z370, or Z390 model should work.

Corbin Davenport

Corbin is a tech journalist, software developer, and longtime PC Gamer freelance writer, currently based in North Carolina. He now focuses on the world of Android as a full-time writer at XDA-Developers. He plays a lot of Planet Coaster and Fallout and hosts a podcast all about forgotten stories from tech history.