Core 5 120U vs Ryzen 7 3700X

Core 5 120U vs Ryzen 7 3700X Performance Spectrum

Core 5 120U

10 / 12

16,225

0.0%

22,430

+38.2%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen 9 9900X3D

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5975WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

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.

Core 5 120U vs Ryzen 7 3700X FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Core 5 120U vs Ryzen 7 3700X: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Core 5 120U

2024

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1744 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 3700X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (16,225 vs 22,430).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 32 MB).

Ryzen 7 3700X

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +20.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+166.7% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 12 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $329 MSRP, while Core 5 120U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core 5 120U moves to FCBGA1744 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 3700X better than Core 5 120U?

Yes. Ryzen 7 3700X is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 20.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 38.2% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 7 3700X is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 20.7% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 3700X is the stronger fit. You are getting 38.2% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 166.7% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 12 MB).

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Ryzen 7 3700X is the better buy right now. Ryzen 7 3700X comes in at an unclear MSRP at $329 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 20.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (68.2 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core 5 120U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2019) and a healthier platform with FCBGA1744 and DDR5 instead of AM4. That gives you a healthier platform runway for motherboard, RAM, and later CPU upgrades.

Core 5 120U vs Ryzen 7 3700X Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

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 3700X

The Ryzen 7 3700X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 July 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 22,430 points. Launch price was $329.

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Processing Power

The Core 5 120U packs 10 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 7 3700X offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core 5 120U has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core 5 120U versus 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 7 3700X — a 12.8% 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 3700X uses Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Core 5 120U scores 16,225 against the Ryzen 7 3700X's 22,430 — a 32.1% lead for the Ryzen 7 3700X. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core 5 120U vs 32 MB on the Ryzen 7 3700X.

Feature	Core 5 120U	Ryzen 7 3700X
Cores / Threads	10 / 12+25%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	5 GHz+14%	4.4 GHz
Base Clock	1.4 GHz	3.6 GHz+157%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	32 MB+167%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	512K (per core)+40860%
Process	10 nm	7 nm, 12 nm-30%
Architecture	Raptor Lake-U Refresh (2024)	Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020)
PassMark	16,225	22,430+38%

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Memory & Platform

The Core 5 120U uses the FCBGA1744 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 7 3700X uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core 5 120U	Ryzen 7 3700X
Socket	FCBGA1744	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	—	128 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	Yes
PCIe Lanes	—	24