Low-End Intel Core i3 2120: $128, £96 or €107 Kicking things off is a dual core i3 clocked at 3.
3Ghz and immediately we know that our mileage is going to vary simply because we've only got two cores.
Multi threaded applications and games will take a hit but dual core isn't out of the running just yet.
Many games still aren't making full use of quad core CPUs and in the case of Arkham Asylum running on the Unreal engine, it's running only three frames slower than an i5 2500k at high resolutions.
Theoretical benchmark applications will show huge dips in performance but the real world hit isn't any where near representative of that, Civilization V is only four frames slower than an i5 2500K and that's a game you'd expect to see a difference.
The i3 shows unexpected punch at it's price point.
AMD Phenom II X4 980 BE: $145 or €150 Upping your budget by $30 and steering away from Intel will net you an affordable quad core from AMD.
The Black Edition is clocked at a surprisingly high 3.
7Ghz and is the Deneb architecture's swan song.
While it was designed to be a potential competitor to the i5 line up it falls short in all the theoretical and productivity tests.
Gaming however is a mixed bag with Far Cry 2 taking a 23% frame hit from the i5 2500K but matching it entirely in Battlefield: Bad Company 2 at high resolutions.
So it may not be an i5 alternative despite it's blistering stock clocks, but it's a $100 cheaper and should one-up the i3 on things like video encoding.
It should be noted here though that the unit at this price doesn't come with a stock cooler, so make sure you have one lying around or budget a little on top for an after market heat sink.
Mid-Range Intel Core i5 2400: $190, £149 or €163 For those without an interest in overclocking and who want to save a $35, the i5 2400 will provide most of the oomph of the 2500K at a lower price point.
It trounces my two low-end selections in the theoretical and productivity benchmarks but again gaming tends to bring all the competition much closer together.
Crysis at medium resolutions shows barely any difference between the i5 2400 and lesser CPUs, but Far Cry 2 and X3 both show the AMD trailing behind the Intels mentioned so far.
Intel Core i5 2500K: $225, £167 or €186 This is my ultimate bang for buck pick.
The i5 2500K has already been touted all over the internet as one of the best CPU deals out there, and it won't be any different here.
The K marks it as binned and unlocked so right out of the gate you know you're dealing with an enthusiast chip.
At stock speeds the 2500K will prove a force to be reckoned with in both the theoretical benchmarks as well as gaming.
Paying $35 more for such well rounded performance as well the huge overclocking potential on air are what make this such a great deal.
Reaching 4.
5Ghz with a $34 Cooler Master Hyper 212+ is practically considered easy and it would be a crime to leave all that potential dormant.
At stock speeds it won't fall too short of an i7 2600K and in many gaming situations the i5 overtakes it as the i7's Hyper-Threading proves more detrimental than beneficial.
If you interested in building the ultimate bang for buck machine, this is the one to buy.
High-End Intel Core i7 2600K: $330, £239 or €268 Tied for top place on the high-end segment is the i7 2600K for those who have gone the Z68 route.
Honestly though there isn't a lot here that you aren't getting with the 2500K and for gaming it's very difficult to recommend.
For production and encoding though you may find the Hyper-Threading gives you a boost that you consider worth the price over the i5.
Other than that though you're better off saving your money and sticking with an i5 2500K instead.
Intel Core i7 3820: $320, £239 or €272 For those who've decided to become early adopters of the new LGA 2011 platform this is just about your cheapest option.
Oddly enough even though you're on the high-end 2011 platform and spent just as much or more than you would have on an i7 2600K, the 3820 doesn't beat either of the Sandy Bridge chips in any gaming benchmarks.
It makes up that ground in productivity and encoding where it can flex it's muscle but again it's a difficult option to recommend when the i5 2500K is such an attractive alternative.
As you start looking higher up the LGA 2011 tree you really start to learn the lesson of diminishing returns, some of these CPUs are so expensive (around the $600 mark) and give you so little back that there's not much point in considering them unless you're swimming in money or those benchmark scores really mean that much to you.
Also take a look at the Best Graphics Cards for February 2012.