Core 5 120UL vs Core 3 N355

Core 5 120UL

10 Cores12 Thrd15 WWMax: 4.6 GHz2024

Core 3 N355

8 Cores8 Thrd15 WWMax: 3.9 GHz2025

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core 5 120UL

10 / 12

10,558

+0.5%

10,502

0.0%

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.

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 120UL

#356

Ryzen Embedded V1605B

MSRP: $150|Avg: $150

115%

#357

Core i9-10900K

MSRP: $499|Avg: $500

114%

#358

Celeron G4930

MSRP: $42|Avg: $57

114%

#359

Ryzen 7 2700E

MSRP: $329|Avg: $329

114%

#360

Ryzen Embedded V2516

MSRP: $300|Avg: $300

114%

#361

Ryzen Threadripper 9970X

MSRP: $2499|Avg: $2442

114%

#362

Core i9-14901E

MSRP: $557|Avg: $689

112%

#363

Celeron G5900T

MSRP: $42|Avg: $50

112%

#364

Celeron G6900TE

MSRP: $53|Avg: $64

111%

#365

Core i5-8600T

MSRP: $213|Avg: $213

110%

#366

Celeron G4950

MSRP: $52|Avg: $63

110%

#367

Core i9-10900E

MSRP: $488|Avg: $450

110%

#368

Core i7-9700KF

MSRP: $374|Avg: $333

109%

#369

Core i5-8400T

MSRP: $182|Avg: $179

106%

#370

Athlon 240GE

MSRP: $75|Avg: $110

106%

#371

Core 5 120UL

MSRP: $277|Avg: $270

100%

#372

Ryzen Embedded V3C14

MSRP: $305|Avg: $305

100%

#373

Core i7-9700T

MSRP: $323|Avg: $276

98%

#374

Core i9-13900TE

MSRP: $554|Avg: $554

95%

#375

Ryzen Embedded V2546

MSRP: $300|Avg: $300

93%

#376

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7945WX

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $1399

91%

#377

Core i3-9100HL

MSRP: $225|Avg: $100

88%

#378

Core i9-12900TE

MSRP: $494|Avg: $664

88%

#379

Core i9-9940X

MSRP: $1387|Avg: $850

85%

#380

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

MSRP: $1899|Avg: $1836

84%

#381

Ryzen Embedded V1756B

MSRP: $250|Avg: $250

83%

#382

Ryzen Embedded R2544

MSRP: $280|Avg: $280

78%

#383

Ryzen Threadripper 9980X

MSRP: $4999|Avg: $4999

73%

#384

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

MSRP: $3990|Avg: $2850

72%

#385

Celeron G4900

MSRP: $42|Avg: $85

71%

#386

Ryzen Embedded V3C18I

MSRP: $500|Avg: $500

71%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core 3 N355

#187

Core Ultra 9 288V

MSRP: $600|Avg: $600

97%

#613

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

838%

#614

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

826%

#615

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

758%

#616

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

755%

#617

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

748%

#619

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

722%

#620

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

692%

#621

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

691%

#622

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

673%

#625

Core 3 N355

MSRP: $300|Avg: $300

100%

#628

Core i5-1335UE

MSRP: $312|Avg: $312

100%

#638

Celeron Dual-Core T1400

MSRP: $80|Avg: $10

97%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core 5 120UL delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core 3 N355 in both compute-intensive tasks (0.5% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core 5 120UL	Core 3 N355
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	✅ More affordable ($270)	⚠️ Higher cost ($300)
Longevity	✨ Modern (Raptor Lake-PS (2024) / 10 nm)	✨ Modern (Twin Lake (2024−2025) / Intel 7 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: The Core 5 120UL leads not only in performance but also in value. It is effectively 10% cheaper ($270 vs $300) while identifying as the stronger performer.

Insight	Core 5 120UL	Core 3 N355
Cost Efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+12%)	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($270)	⚠️ Higher cost ($300)

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 120UL Benchmark Check

Core 3 N355 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core 5 120UL and Core 3 N355

Core 5 120UL

The Core 5 120UL is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 8 April 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-PS (2024) architecture. It features 10 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 1.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 10,558 points. Launch price was $149.

Core 3 N355

The Core 3 N355 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 7 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Twin Lake (2024−2025) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 0.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (total). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1264. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 10,502 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core 5 120UL packs 10 cores / 12 threads, while the Core 3 N355 offers 8 cores / 8 threads — the Core 5 120UL has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core 5 120UL versus 3.9 GHz on the Core 3 N355 — a 16.5% clock advantage for the Core 5 120UL (base: 1.3 GHz vs 0.1 GHz). The Core 5 120UL uses the Raptor Lake-PS (2024) architecture (10 nm), while the Core 3 N355 uses Twin Lake (2024−2025) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core 5 120UL scores 10,558 against the Core 3 N355's 10,502 — a 0.5% lead for the Core 5 120UL. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core 5 120UL vs 6 MB (total) on the Core 3 N355.

Feature	Core 5 120UL	Core 3 N355
Cores / Threads	10 / 12+25%	8 / 8
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz+18%	3.9 GHz
Base Clock	1.3 GHz+1200%	0.1 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)+100%	6 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	2 MB (total)+60%
Process	10 nm	Intel 7 nm-30%
Architecture	Raptor Lake-PS (2024)	Twin Lake (2024−2025)
PassMark	10,558	10,502

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core 5 120UL uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core 3 N355 uses FCBGA1264 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core 5 120UL	Core 3 N355
Socket	LGA1700	FCBGA1264
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0

💰

Value Analysis

The Core 5 120UL launched at $277 MSRP, while the Core 3 N355 debuted at $300. At current prices ($270 vs $300), the Core 5 120UL is $30 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core 5 120UL delivers 39.1 pts/$ vs 35.0 pts/$ for the Core 3 N355 — making the Core 5 120UL the 11.1% better value option.