Core 5 120U vs Core i9-9900
Core 5 120U
Core i9-9900
Performance Spectrum - CPU
About PassMark
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.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core 5 120U
Performance Per Dollar Core i9-9900
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core 5 120U | Core i9-9900 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | Balanced gaming performance | Balanced gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($330) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Raptor Lake-U Refresh (2024) / 10 nm) | ✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core 5 120U | Core i9-9900 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($330) |
Performance Check
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Core 5 120U and Core i9-9900
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 i9-9900
The Core i9-9900 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 16,238 points. Launch price was $439.
Processing Power
The Core 5 120U packs 10 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i9-9900 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core 5 120U has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core 5 120U versus 5 GHz on the Core i9-9900 — identical boost frequencies (base: 1.4 GHz vs 3.1 GHz). The Core 5 120U uses the Raptor Lake-U Refresh (2024) architecture (10 nm), while the Core i9-9900 uses Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core 5 120U scores 16,225 against the Core i9-9900's 16,238 — a 0.1% lead for the Core i9-9900. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core 5 120U vs 16 MB (total) on the Core i9-9900.
| Feature | Core 5 120U | Core i9-9900 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 10 / 12+25% | 8 / 16 |
| Boost Clock | 5 GHz | 5 GHz |
| Base Clock | 1.4 GHz | 3.1 GHz+121% |
| L3 Cache | 12 MB (total) | 16 MB (total)+33% |
| L2 Cache | 1.25 MB (per core)+400% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 10 nm-29% | 14 nm |
| Architecture | Raptor Lake-U Refresh (2024) | Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) |
| PassMark | 16,225 | 16,238 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | — | 7,619 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 1,637 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 7,619 |
Memory & Platform
The Core 5 120U uses the FCBGA1744 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core i9-9900 uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core 5 120U | Core i9-9900 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1744 | LGA1151 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 5.0+67% | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR4-2666 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 128 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 16 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Core 5 120U) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i9-9900). The Core i9-9900 includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Core 5 120U requires a dedicated GPU.
| Feature | Core 5 120U | Core i9-9900 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | UHD Graphics 630 |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x, VT-d |
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