Core 5 120UL vs Core i3-12100TE

Core 5 120UL

10 Cores12 Thrd15 WWMax: 4.6 GHz2024

Core i3-12100TE

4 Cores8 Thrd35 WWMax: 4 GHz2022

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core 5 120UL

10 / 12

10,558

+1.2%

10,432

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

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 i3-12100TE in both compute-intensive tasks (1.2% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core 5 120UL	Core i3-12100TE
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($270)	✅ More affordable ($149)
Longevity	✨ Modern (Raptor Lake-PS (2024) / 10 nm)	✨ Modern (Alder Lake-S (2022) / 10 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Value Proposition: The Core i3-12100TE offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. Priced at $149 (vs $270), it costs 45% less. While offering competitive performance, it results in a 79% higher cost efficiency score compared to the Core 5 120UL.

Insight	Core 5 120UL	Core i3-12100TE
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+79%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($270)	✅ More affordable ($149)

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 i3-12100TE Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core 5 120UL and Core i3-12100TE

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 i3-12100TE

The Core i3-12100TE is manufactured by Intel. It was released in Janeiro 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 4 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): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 10,432 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core 5 120UL packs 10 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i3-12100TE offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core 5 120UL has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core 5 120UL versus 4 GHz on the Core i3-12100TE — a 14% clock advantage for the Core 5 120UL (base: 1.3 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Core 5 120UL uses the Raptor Lake-PS (2024) architecture (10 nm), while the Core i3-12100TE uses Alder Lake-S (2022) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Core 5 120UL scores 10,558 against the Core i3-12100TE's 10,432 — a 1.2% lead for the Core 5 120UL. Both processors carry 12 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core 5 120UL	Core i3-12100TE
Cores / Threads	10 / 12+150%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz+15%	4 GHz
Base Clock	1.3 GHz	2.1 GHz+62%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	12 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	1.25 MB (per core)
Process	10 nm	10 nm
Architecture	Raptor Lake-PS (2024)	Alder Lake-S (2022)
PassMark	10,558+1%	10,432
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,100

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA1700 socket with PCIe 5.0.

Feature	Core 5 120UL	Core i3-12100TE
Socket	LGA1700	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR5-4800
Max RAM Capacity	—	128 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	✅
PCIe Lanes	—	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core 5 120UL) / VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i3-12100TE). The Core i3-12100TE includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 730), while the Core 5 120UL requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-12100TE targets Embedded. Direct competitor: Core i3-12100TE rivals Ryzen Embedded V2000.