AMD Ryzen 5 5500 Linux Performance
Assuming robust availability and retailers offering the Ryzen 5 5500 close to the $159 price point, this is a nice mid-range desktop CPU though unfortunate it wasn't released earlier on in the Ryzen 5000 lifecycle.
Especially for those wanting a power efficient mid-range Linux desktop, the Ryzen 5 5500 consistently led over Intel for the CPU power efficiency as measured through the RAPL/PowerCap interfaces.