Intel Xeon E3-1275 V2

The Intel Xeon E3-1275 V2 packs 4 cores and 8 threads. Clocks span 3.5GHz base to 3.5GHz boost. 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. Board socket comes first when pairing parts — after that, make sure your cooler's rating covers the chip. At $498.95 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.