Intel U prices are dropping like stones right now, and the latest gaming U to get the bargain treatment is the Core i5 14600K. Now available for just $164, this overclockable 14-core chip makes for a great upgrade if you're still using an Intel 12th-gen system, or if you want to upgrade from a budget LGA1700 U, such as the Core i5 13400F.
As we found in our Ryzen 7 7800X3D. It was overpriced at its $329 launch MSRP, but at $164, it's a veritable bargain, being less than half the launch price in under two years.
What's good about this U is that it uses the LGA1700 socket, which, unlike some Intel U sockets, actually lasted for three generations of chips. That means you can drop it into your existing Intel 12th-gen motherboard as an easy upgrade, as long as you flash your BIOS to the latest version. If you've been using a Core i5 12400F for the last few years, then this U is a great upgrade at its new price.
You'll want to flash your BIOS anyway, even if you have the how to update your BIOS if you've never done it before.
Unlike most cut-price Intel Us, the 14600K also has an unlocked multiplier (that's what the K at the end of its model number means), which makes it easy to overclock. By default, it runs at a peak clock speed of 5.3GHz, but I've found you can easily push it up to 5.5GHz across all six of its P-Cores, following the same principles in our guide on best U cooler you can afford for the job.
To take advantage of this deal, you just need to click on AMD Ryzen 5 7600X, which is the nearest equivalent from AMD.
For more advice on upgrading your processor, check out our guide to the how to install a U, which guides you through the whole upgrade process from start to finish.
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