Core 5 120UL vs Core i7-1365UE

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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core 5 120UL

2024

Why buy it

✅+1.7% higher PassMark.
✅Costs $152 less on MSRP ($277 MSRP vs $429 MSRP).
✅Delivers 57.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 38.1 vs 24.2 PassMark/$ ($277 MSRP vs $429 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-1365UE across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Core i7-1365UE

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +10.4% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (10,379 vs 10,558).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 24.2 vs 38.1 PassMark/$ ($429 MSRP vs $277 MSRP).

Core 5 120UL

2024

Core i7-1365UE

2023

Why buy it

✅+1.7% higher PassMark.
✅Costs $152 less on MSRP ($277 MSRP vs $429 MSRP).
✅Delivers 57.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 38.1 vs 24.2 PassMark/$ ($277 MSRP vs $429 MSRP).

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +10.4% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-1365UE across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (10,379 vs 10,558).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 24.2 vs 38.1 PassMark/$ ($429 MSRP vs $277 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Core 5 120UL better than Core i7-1365UE?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i7-1365UE is ahead with a 10.4% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core 5 120UL pulls ahead with 1.7% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core 5 120UL is the better fit. You are getting 1.7% better PassMark, backed by 10 cores and 12 threads.

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

Core 5 120UL is the smarter buy today. Core 5 120UL is $152 cheaper on MSRP at $277 MSRP versus $429 MSRP, and it gives you 1.7% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Core i7-1365UE is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 10.4% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 57.5% better value on MSRP (38.1 vs 24.2 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

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

Core 5 120UL is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2023) and more multi-core headroom with 10 cores / 12 threads instead of 10/12. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Games Benchmarks

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 i7-1365UE Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core 5 120UL	Core i7-1365UE
1080p
low	173 FPS	259 FPS
medium	141 FPS	238 FPS
high	117 FPS	204 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	174 FPS
1440p
low	144 FPS	228 FPS
medium	114 FPS	182 FPS
high	94 FPS	152 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	133 FPS
4K
low	79 FPS	160 FPS
medium	68 FPS	129 FPS
high	54 FPS	100 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	87 FPS

Open Core 5 120UL Open Core i7-1365UE

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core 5 120UL	Core i7-1365UE
1080p
low	201 FPS	217 FPS
medium	171 FPS	184 FPS
high	155 FPS	166 FPS
ultra	136 FPS	146 FPS
1440p
low	177 FPS	184 FPS
medium	155 FPS	162 FPS
high	143 FPS	149 FPS
ultra	123 FPS	128 FPS
4K
low	138 FPS	144 FPS
medium	125 FPS	130 FPS
high	118 FPS	123 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	106 FPS

Open Core 5 120UL Open Core i7-1365UE

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core 5 120UL	Core i7-1365UE
1080p
low	264 FPS	259 FPS
medium	264 FPS	259 FPS
high	264 FPS	259 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	259 FPS
1440p
low	264 FPS	259 FPS
medium	264 FPS	259 FPS
high	264 FPS	259 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	259 FPS
4K
low	264 FPS	259 FPS
medium	264 FPS	259 FPS
high	264 FPS	259 FPS
ultra	249 FPS	259 FPS

Open Core 5 120UL Open Core i7-1365UE

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core 5 120UL	Core i7-1365UE
1080p
low	264 FPS	259 FPS
medium	264 FPS	259 FPS
high	264 FPS	259 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	259 FPS
1440p
low	264 FPS	259 FPS
medium	264 FPS	259 FPS
high	264 FPS	259 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	259 FPS
4K
low	264 FPS	259 FPS
medium	264 FPS	259 FPS
high	264 FPS	259 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	259 FPS

Open Core 5 120UL Open Core i7-1365UE

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core 5 120UL and Core i7-1365UE

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 i7-1365UE

The Core i7-1365UE is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-U (2023) architecture. It features 10 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 1.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 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: DDR4, DDR5 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 10,379 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

Both the Core 5 120UL and Core i7-1365UE share an identical 10-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core 5 120UL versus 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-1365UE — a 6.3% clock advantage for the Core i7-1365UE (base: 1.3 GHz vs 1.7 GHz). The Core 5 120UL uses the Raptor Lake-PS (2024) architecture (10 nm), while the Core i7-1365UE uses Raptor Lake-U (2023) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Core 5 120UL scores 10,558 against the Core i7-1365UE's 10,379 — a 1.7% lead for the Core 5 120UL. Both processors carry 12 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core 5 120UL	Core i7-1365UE
Cores / Threads	10 / 12	10 / 12
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz	4.9 GHz+7%
Base Clock	1.3 GHz	1.7 GHz+31%
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)	Raptor Lake-U (2023)
PassMark	10,558+2%	10,379

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Memory & Platform

The Core 5 120UL uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core i7-1365UE uses FCBGA1744 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core 5 120UL	Core i7-1365UE
Socket	LGA1700	FCBGA1744
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0

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Value Analysis

The Core 5 120UL launched at $277 MSRP, while the Core i7-1365UE debuted at $429. On MSRP ($277 vs $429), the Core 5 120UL is $152 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core 5 120UL delivers 38.1 pts/$ vs 24.2 pts/$ for the Core i7-1365UE — making the Core 5 120UL the 44.7% better value option.