Image used with permission by copyright holderBuilding a PC gaming system involves a host of decisions that impact the price and performance of the resulting machine. One of the most important is the CPU, which can both crank up the performance and empty your bank account.

　　Intel has a relatively low-cost option for gamers, the Core i3-7350K, that lets you squeeze out every ounce of lower-end performance via overclocking, without bankrupting you. And now, it seems like Intel might be cutting the chip’s price to an even more reasonable $150, as Hexus.net reports.

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　　It would make some sense for Intel to get more aggressive on its CPU pricing, given the price-performance provided by AMD’s latest Ryzen CPUs based on its new Zen processor architecture. Ryzen chips provide very competitive performance compared to Intel’s Core processors, and often come in at lower prices. Intel needs to respond to Ryzen or face losing some of its market dominance.

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　　Right now, the Intel Core i3-7350K can be had from retailers like Newegg and Amazon for $150, an almost 20 percent reduction from the standard price of around $180. With a stock base frequency of 4.2GHz but with no Turbo Boost, the CPU is best for boosting entry-level gaming systems with a stable overclocking speed of up to 4.9GHz.

　　At a price of $150, therefore, the low-end chip is a real bargain for anyone whose gaming, or other computing needs, don’t require massive thread counts.

　　The current pricing might just be promotional, however, and so if you are looking for good performance at a lower price, then you will want to get your order in sooner rather than later. Intel is likely to keep putting the pressure on AMD through discounts and faster CPUs, however, and so this latest development just complicates the already challenging process of choosing the right brains for your new PC.