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The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus briefly reached $145.99 at Amazon, a price Tom’s Hardware called an all-time low. That offer is now marked sold out on the outlet’s deal page, which lists a $210 Newegg price as its best observed offer. Those are reported, time-sensitive prices—not confirmation of what is available now. Check Tom’s Hardware’s deal report for its latest status before buying.
Is the $145 Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus deal still available?
No: Tom’s Hardware’s October 6, 2026 report says the $145.99 Amazon offer sold out. The article rounds that figure to $145 in its headline and describes it as an all-time low. Its page lists $210 at Newegg as the best price it had observed after the Amazon offer ended. Retail prices and stock can change, so neither figure guarantees a current offer.
What do you get with the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus?
Tom’s Hardware describes the processor as an 18-core Arrow Lake Refresh chip with six Lion Cove performance cores (P-cores) and twelve Skymont efficiency cores (E-cores). The report says it has no Hyper-Threading, a maximum boost clock of 5.3 GHz, and PL1/PL2 power ratings of 125W/250W. It also identifies the K-series processor as unlocked.
How does it perform in gaming and productivity?
The performance figures below are Tom’s Hardware’s results, not guarantees for every PC. Actual results depend on the test setup and workload.
#1 Best Overall
- Next‑Gen Platform Support: Compatible with Intel 800 Series Chipset‑based motherboards with LGA1851 Socket enabling PCIe 5.0/4.0 and high‑speed DDR5 memory (up to 7200 MT/s).
- Ultra‑Fast Boost Clocks: Reaches up to 5.5 GHz max turbo frequency for top‑tier responsiveness and performance
- Built for Enthusiasts: Unlocked for performance tuning when paired with Intel Z‑series chipsets, making it ideal for overclockers and power users.
- Robust Power & Thermal Design: Engineered with 125W base power and 250W max turbo power to sustain high‑intensity
Gaming
In Tom’s Hardware’s average gaming comparison, the 250K Plus was roughly comparable to the Core i5-14600K, slightly faster than the Ryzen 5 9600X, about 3% behind the Ryzen 7 9700X, and about 10% behind the Ryzen 5 7600X3D. Those percentages describe the outlet’s tested setup and average; they do not predict performance in every game.
Multithreaded productivity
In its multithreaded productivity geomean, Tom’s Hardware reported that the 250K Plus was 33% faster than the Ryzen 7 9700X and 80% faster than the Ryzen 5 9600X. These are results for the outlet’s benchmark suite, not a claim that the Intel chip will be faster by those amounts in every application.
Rank #2
- Next‑Gen Platform Support: Compatible with Intel 800 Series Chipset‑based motherboards with LGA1851 Socket enabling PCIe 5.0/4.0 and high‑speed DDR5 memory (up to 7200 MT/s).
- High‑Performance Core Configuration: Features up to 24 cores (8 P‑cores + 16 E‑cores) for demanding gaming and creator
- Ultra‑Fast Boost Clocks: Reaches up to 5.5 GHz max turbo frequency for top‑tier responsiveness and performance
- Built for Enthusiasts: Unlocked for performance tuning when paired with Intel Z‑series chipsets, making it ideal for overclockers and power users.
- Robust Power & Thermal Design: Engineered with 125W base power and 250W max turbo power to sustain high‑intensity
Is it a good budget gaming CPU buy?
It may be worth considering at a genuinely low, available price, but the sold-out $145.99 deal is not a current buying option according to the report. Tom’s Hardware’s gaming results put it behind the Ryzen 5 7600X3D in its average comparison, while showing stronger results in some productivity workloads. For a gaming-first build, compare the price and gaming performance of the complete platform—not just the CPU discount.
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The 250K Plus is unlocked, but Tom’s Hardware says overclocking requires a Z-series chipset motherboard. Include the cost of that board if overclocking is part of the plan; the deal report does not provide a complete system-cost comparison. If you do not intend to overclock, assess motherboard options and total build cost before treating the processor’s unlocked status as a benefit.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- 10 cores (6 P-cores + 4 E-cores) and 14 threads.
- Performance hybrid architecture integrates two core microarchitectures, prioritizing and distributing workloads to optimize performance
- Up to 4.9 GHz. 22 MB Cache
- Compatible with Intel 800 series chipset-based motherboards
- PCIe 5.0 & 4.0 support. Intel Optane Memory support. No thermal solution included. Discrete graphics required
Rank #3
- Original brand
- Three year warranty against manufacturing defects.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
