AMD Athlon II X2 240

The AMD Athlon II X2 240 packs 2 cores and 4 threads. It drops into the AM3 socket with a 65W TDP — about 32.5W per core. Clocks run from 2.8GHz base to 2.8GHz boost. Board socket comes first when pairing parts — after that, make sure your cooler's rating covers the chip.

Its $24.95 price tag places it squarely in budget territory. Drop it into the PlanMyPC builder to check compatibility with the rest of your parts and compare current processor prices across retailers. Support and warranty service run through AMD, with terms that vary by region. Scroll down for the complete spec table; the builder's compatibility checker will warn you about any conflicts with components you have already picked.