Each week we scour the price engine circuit to find the lowest online prices for CPUs. CPU prices change frequently and the prices we obtain and post each week are a snapshot of the CPU price market for a given moment in time.
Prices can go up and down daily, depending on market conditions and availability.
OEM CPUs usually do not come equipped with a heat sink or fan. They also usually come with a weak warranty, often in the range of 15-30 days. That is usually enough time for you to burn-in your CPU and make sure it's ok. Retail prices are higher since they generally include the longer warranties, fans, heatsinks, etc. If we quote retail prices for certain CPU models, it will be noted as such.