Core 5 120U vs Core i5-12450H

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Core 5 120U

#158

Core i9-13900H

MSRP: $617|Avg: N/A

110%

#161

Core Ultra 7 268V

MSRP: $450|Avg: $400

108%

#162

Core Ultra 7 256V

MSRP: $450|Avg: $350

107%

#167

Core Ultra 7 258V

MSRP: $450|Avg: $400

104%

#169

Core i7-1280P

MSRP: $482|Avg: $482

103%

#172

Core 5 120U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#173

Core Ultra 5 238V

MSRP: $454|Avg: $454

99%

#176

Core i9-13900HK

MSRP: $697|Avg: N/A

96%

#178

Core i7-1360P

MSRP: $480|Avg: $280

95%

#179

Core i7-1260P

MSRP: $432|Avg: $432

95%

#184

Core Ultra 7 266V

MSRP: $520|Avg: $520

91%

#185

Ryzen 7 5825C

MSRP: $400|Avg: $400

90%

#187

Core Ultra 9 288V

MSRP: $600|Avg: $600

83%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-12450H

#119

Ryzen 7 PRO 250

MSRP: $400|Avg: $380

105%

#120

Core i7-11850HE

MSRP: $400|Avg: $75

103%

#124

Core i5-1240P

MSRP: $309|Avg: $200

101%

#125

Core i7-13700H

MSRP: $502|Avg: N/A

100%

#127

Core i5-12450H

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core 5 120U delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i5-12450H in both compute-intensive tasks (0.6% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core 5 120U	Core i5-12450H
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	✨ Modern (Raptor Lake-U Refresh (2024) / 10 nm)	✨ Modern (Alder Lake-H (2022) / Intel 7 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core 5 120U	Core i5-12450H
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Core 5 120U Benchmark Check

Core i5-12450H Benchmark Check

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Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core 5 120U and Core i5-12450H

Core 5 120U

The Core 5 120U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 8 January 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-U Refresh (2024) architecture. It features 10 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 1.4 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1744. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5200, DDR4-3200, LPDDR4X-4267. Passmark benchmark score: 16,225 points. Launch price was $299.

Core i5-12450H

The Core i5-12450H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in Janeiro 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-H (2022) architecture. It features 8 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1744. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 16,133 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core 5 120U packs 10 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i5-12450H offers 8 cores / 12 threads — the Core 5 120U has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core 5 120U versus 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12450H — a 12.8% clock advantage for the Core 5 120U (base: 1.4 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Core 5 120U uses the Raptor Lake-U Refresh (2024) architecture (10 nm), while the Core i5-12450H uses Alder Lake-H (2022) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core 5 120U scores 16,225 against the Core i5-12450H's 16,133 — a 0.6% lead for the Core 5 120U. Both processors carry 12 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core 5 120U	Core i5-12450H
Cores / Threads	10 / 12+25%	8 / 12
Boost Clock	5 GHz+14%	4.4 GHz
Base Clock	1.4 GHz	2 GHz+43%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	12 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	1.25 MB (per core)
Process	10 nm	Intel 7 nm-30%
Architecture	Raptor Lake-U Refresh (2024)	Alder Lake-H (2022)
PassMark	16,225	16,133
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,100

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the FCBGA1744 socket with PCIe 5.0.

Feature	Core 5 120U	Core i5-12450H
Socket	FCBGA1744	FCBGA1744
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	—	LPDDR5-5200
Max RAM Capacity	—	64 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	28

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core 5 120U) / VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12450H). The Core i5-12450H includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics for 12th Gen), while the Core 5 120U requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12450H targets Performance Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i5-12450H rivals Ryzen 5 6600H.