Intel Pentium E5500

The Intel Pentium E5500 packs 2 cores and 4 threads. It drops into the LGA775 socket with a 65W TDP — about 32.5W per core. Clocks run from 2.8GHz base to 2.8GHz boost. Confirm motherboard socket compatibility before anything else, then size the cooler to the TDP.

Expect to pay around $29.95, which lands it among budget options. PlanMyPC's builder flags compatibility problems automatically and tracks the latest processor deals from multiple stores. Intel backs the product through its standard warranty channels; check the listing for region-specific terms. The full specification sheet below breaks out every listed detail, and the compatibility checker flags conflicts with parts already in your build.