Core 5 120U vs Ryzen 7 1800X
Core 5 120U
Ryzen 7 1800X
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 Ryzen 7 1800X
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core 5 120U | Ryzen 7 1800X |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($120) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Raptor Lake-U Refresh (2024) / 10 nm) | ✨ Modern (Zen (2017−2020) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core 5 120U | Ryzen 7 1800X |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($120) |
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 Ryzen 7 1800X
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.
Ryzen 7 1800X
The Ryzen 7 1800X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2 March 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Zen (2017−2020) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 16384 kB. L2 cache: 4096 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 16,305 points. Launch price was $499.
Processing Power
The Core 5 120U packs 10 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 7 1800X offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core 5 120U has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core 5 120U versus 4 GHz on the Ryzen 7 1800X — a 22.2% clock advantage for the Core 5 120U (base: 1.4 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Core 5 120U uses the Raptor Lake-U Refresh (2024) architecture (10 nm), while the Ryzen 7 1800X uses Zen (2017−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core 5 120U scores 16,225 against the Ryzen 7 1800X's 16,305 — a 0.5% lead for the Ryzen 7 1800X. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core 5 120U vs 16384 kB on the Ryzen 7 1800X.
| Feature | Core 5 120U | Ryzen 7 1800X |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 10 / 12+25% | 8 / 16 |
| Boost Clock | 5 GHz+25% | 4 GHz |
| Base Clock | 1.4 GHz | 3.6 GHz+157% |
| L3 Cache | 12 MB (total) | 16384 kB+33% |
| L2 Cache | 1.25 MB (per core) | 4096 kB+220% |
| Process | 10 nm-29% | 14 nm |
| Architecture | Raptor Lake-U Refresh (2024) | Zen (2017−2020) |
| PassMark | 16,225 | 16,305 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | — | 9,314 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 1,130 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 5,700 |
Memory & Platform
The Core 5 120U uses the FCBGA1744 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 7 1800X uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core 5 120U | Ryzen 7 1800X |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1744 | AM4 |
| 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 | — | 20 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Core 5 120U) / AMD-V (Ryzen 7 1800X). Primary use case: Ryzen 7 1800X targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Ryzen 7 1800X rivals Core i7-8700.
| Feature | Core 5 120U | Ryzen 7 1800X |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| Unlocked | — | Yes |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | AMD-V |
| Target Use | — | Gaming |
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