Intel Xeon E3-1245 V2

The Intel Xeon E3-1245 V2 offers 4 cores and 8 threads. 16MB of L3 cache helps in cache-sensitive games and workloads. Integrated Intel HD Graphics P4000 graphics let it run headless-GPU builds and troubleshooting. It drops into the LGA1155 socket with a 77W TDP — about 19.3W per core. Clocks run from 3.4GHz base to 3.4GHz boost.

Match the socket to your motherboard first; cooler TDP rating second. At $315.00 it sits in the high-end processor bracket. 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 Intel, with terms that vary by region.