MICRO CENTER CPU Motherboard Combo
Bottom line: The MICRO CENTER CPU Motherboard Combo is a specs-and-price decision rather than a crowd-consensus one in the retro motherboards category. Check the specification table below against one or two close alternatives — on price and spec fit, not on star ratings.
As an Amazon Associate, SpecPicks earns from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure →
Pros & Cons
Pros
- ✓ Lightning Fast Game experience: PCIe 5.0 slot and Lightning Gen 5 x4 M.2
- ✓ Backed by Micro Center's warranty and support channels
Cons
- ✗ Confirm socket / form-factor / power-rating compatibility against your build before ordering
- ✗ Price, stock, shipping and returns are set by the retailer and may have changed since this page was last updated
SpecPicks Verdict
SpecPicks scored MICRO CENTER CPU Motherboard Combo using a rating × review-volume × price-fit model applied to published specs and reviews across the retro motherboards category. Micro Center's retro motherboards lineup sits within the broader category mid-tier; price and specs are the deciding factors over brand loyalty here. Judge it on the specification table and the price rather than on sentiment: check the figures that decide your use case, then put it side-by-side with two or three close alternatives in the Compare tool before clicking through.
Common buyer scenarios for retro motherboards of this kind: matching it to an existing build, replacing a failing part, or upgrading from a previous-generation equivalent. Check the spec table below against your current setup — particularly socket / form-factor / power-rating fields — and confirm compatibility on the retailer's listing before purchase. Prices and stock are set by the retailer and may have moved since this page was last updated.
Key Features
- Get ultra-efficient with Intel Ultra desktop processors that improve both performance and efficiency so your PC can run cooler, quieter, and quicker
- 20 cores (8 P-cores + 12 E-cores) and 20 threads, performance unlocked Up to 5.5 GHz. 36MB Cache, Intel LGA 1851 Socket and 125W Processor Base Power. Discrete graphics required
- PRO Z890-S WIFI offers a simple design with a harmonious silver color scheme that perfectly matches both white and black PC builds
- Enhanced Power Design: 12+1+1+1 Duet Rail Power System with P-PAK , dual 8-pin CPU power connectors, Core Boost, Memory Boost, 6-layer server-grade PCB
- Frozr Guard: Extended Heatsink, MOSFET thermal pads rated for 7W/mK, additional choke thermal pads and M.2 Shield Frozr are built for high performance system and non-stop experience
- Lightning Fast Game experience: PCIe 5.0 slot and Lightning Gen 5 x4 M.2
Full Specifications
| Brand | Micro Center |
|---|---|
| EZ DIY | EZ M.2 Clip II, EZ PCIe Clip II and EZ Antenna |
| Weight | 2.5g |
| Wattage | 125 watts |
| Platform | Windows |
| CPU Model | Intel Core Ultra 7 |
| CPU Speed | 5.5 GHz |
| CPU Socket | LGA 1851 |
| Unit Count | 1 Count |
| Connectivity | USB-C, WiFi |
| Model Number | 265KPROZ890SWF |
| Compatibility | PC |
| Thunderbolt 4 | brings Thunderbolt to USB-C at true 40 Gb/s speeds, 8K display support, Daisy-Chain, Multi-Port Accessory Architecture and USB 4.0 compliant |
| Number of Packs | 1 |
| Processor Brand | Intel |
| Processor Count | 20 |
| Processor Speed | 5.5 GHz |
| Secondary Cache | 33 MB |
| CPU Manufacturer | Intel |
| Processor Series | Intel Core Ultra 7 |
| Full listing title | MICRO CENTER CPU Motherboard Combo - Ultra 7 265KF Desktop Processor 20 cores up to 5.5 GHz with Pro Z890-S WiFi lga 1851 Motherboard |
Benchmark data for other processors
Ready to buy?
MICRO CENTER CPU Motherboard Combo - Ultra 7 265KF Desktop Processor 20 cores up to 5.5 GHz with Pro Z890-S WiFi lga 1851 Motherboard is listed on Amazon. Price, availability, shipping and returns are set by Amazon and its sellers — check the listing for current terms. SpecPicks earns a small commission on qualifying purchases — thank you for supporting independent review work.
Related Retro Motherboards
More guides & deep dives from the SpecPicks archive
Browse all articles & guides →- RTX 4070 Super vs RX 7800 XT — Which to Buy in 2026
- Best 1440p Gaming GPUs in 2026
- Best Retro Handhelds in 2026 — From $35 to $500
- Emulation Hardware in 2026: FPGA, Software, and Cart-Reader Ecosystems
- Best Budget Gaming PC Build 2026 — ~$1,000 Parts List
- The Complete Voodoo5 5500 AGP Driver Guide (2026 Edition)
- How to Build a Windows 98 Retro PC in 2026
More reviews from the SpecPicks archive
Browse all reviews →- Local PDF-to-Audiobook on a Raspberry Pi 5: Kokoro 82M + Qwen + llama.cpp
- Building a Period-Correct 2001 Win98 Rig With Parts You Can Still Buy
- NVIDIA Nemotron 3 Ultra (550B/55B-Active): What a 12GB Rig Can Run
- Best GPU for Running Llama 70B Locally in 2026
- Build a Budget Local-LLM Workstation Under $1,500: Ryzen 7 5800X + RTX 3060 12GB Benchmarks
- Intel Arc Pro B70 vs RTX 3060 12GB: Budget AI + 1440p in 2026
- Best 27-Inch 4K Gaming Monitor: KOORUI QD-Mini LED vs Samsung Odyssey
- Steam Deck OLED vs Legion Go S: 2026 Comparison
- Best Parts for a Long-Context Local LLM Workstation in 2026
- llama.cpp vs Ollama on an RTX 3060: Which Runs GLM-5.2 Faster?
- Raspberry Pi 5 + Hailo-8L vs Coral Dual Edge TPU: Which AI Accelerator HAT Wins in 2026?
- Kingston 2GB DDR Modules: Identifying and Buying RAM for a 2004-Era Retro PC
- Ryzen 7 5800X vs 5700X: Best 8-Core AM4 CPU 2026
- Prime Day 2026: Gaming Monitor and Logitech Peripheral Deals to Watch
- Pi Pico Puts Bluetooth Keyboards on the I2C Bus
- A Red Hat Engineer Went Back to AMD Ryzen for His Linux Desktop
- RTX 3060 12GB vs Ryzen 5 5600G iGPU for Entry Local LLM Inference
- Claude Code Telemetry Flap: Why a Local RTX 3060 Rig Is the Privacy Play
- Turtle Beach Recon 50 in 2026: Is the $40 Gaming Headset Still Worth It?
- SteamOS Boots on Intel Hardware: Enthusiast Hack Lands
- How to run Llama 3.1 70B on Apple M3 Ultra
- Samsung's 240Hz 1440p Gaming Monitor Drops to $169
- Building a Period-Correct Windows 98 Gaming PC in 2026: Parts, Pitfalls, and Driver Archaeology
- Best Budget Streaming Mic + Capture Setup: Blue Yeti vs HyperX QuadCast 2 S
Earliest SpecPicks reviews
Browse full archive →- Best GPU for Llama 3.1 8B (2026)
- Best GPU for Qwen 3 14B (2026)
- Best GPU for Qwen 3 32B (2026)
- Best GPU for Llama 3.1 70B (2026)
- Best GPU for DeepSeek-R1 32B (2026)
- Best GPU for Llama 3.1 405B (2026)
- How to run Llama 3.1 8B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run Qwen 3 14B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run Qwen 3 32B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run Llama 3.1 70B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run DeepSeek-R1 32B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run Llama 3.1 8B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090