Core 5 120UL vs Ryzen 5 3600

Core 5 120UL vs Ryzen 5 3600 Performance Spectrum

Core 5 120UL

10 / 12

10,558

0.0%

17,685

+67.5%

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 120UL vs Ryzen 5 3600 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 120UL vs Ryzen 5 3600: 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 120UL

2024

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 3600 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (10,558 vs 17,685).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 38.1 vs 88.9 PassMark/$ ($277 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 3600.

Ryzen 5 3600

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +20.6% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+166.7% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Costs $78 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $277 MSRP).
✅Delivers 133.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 88.9 vs 38.1 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $277 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core 5 120UL moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 3600 better than Core 5 120UL?

Yes. Ryzen 5 3600 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 20.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 67.5% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 5 3600 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 20.6% 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 5 3600 is the stronger fit. You are getting 67.5% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 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 5 3600 is the better buy right now. Ryzen 5 3600 comes in $78 cheaper on MSRP at $199 MSRP versus $277 MSRP, and it still gives you a 20.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 133.2% better value on MSRP (88.9 vs 38.1 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible LGA1700 + DDR5 setup, Core 5 120UL can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap, but on MSRP alone you would want to find it meaningfully cheaper in real-world listings before that path becomes easy to justify.

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

Core 5 120UL makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2019) and a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of AM4. That gives you a healthier platform runway for motherboard, RAM, and later CPU upgrades.

Core 5 120UL vs Ryzen 5 3600 Technical Specifications

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

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.

Ryzen 5 3600

The Ryzen 5 3600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 July 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (2019−2020) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). 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: 17,685 points. Launch price was $199.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core 5 120UL packs 10 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 5 3600 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core 5 120UL has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core 5 120UL versus 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen 5 3600 — a 9.1% clock advantage for the Core 5 120UL (base: 1.3 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Core 5 120UL uses the Raptor Lake-PS (2024) architecture (10 nm), while the Ryzen 5 3600 uses Matisse (2019−2020) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Core 5 120UL scores 10,558 against the Ryzen 5 3600's 17,685 — a 50.5% lead for the Ryzen 5 3600. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core 5 120UL vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 3600.

Feature	Core 5 120UL	Ryzen 5 3600
Cores / Threads	10 / 12+67%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz+10%	4.2 GHz
Base Clock	1.3 GHz	3.6 GHz+177%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	32 MB (total)+167%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	512K (per core)+40860%
Process	10 nm	7 nm, 12 nm-30%
Architecture	Raptor Lake-PS (2024)	Matisse (2019−2020)
PassMark	10,558	17,685+68%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	9,500
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,295
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	1,898

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core 5 120UL uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 5 3600 uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core 5 120UL	Ryzen 5 3600
Socket	LGA1700	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	—	No
PCIe Lanes	—	24

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core 5 120UL) / Yes (Ryzen 5 3600). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 3600 targets Gaming/Budget Workstation. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 3600 rivals Core i5-10400.

Feature	Core 5 120UL	Ryzen 5 3600
Integrated GPU	—	No
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	Yes
Target Use	—	Gaming/Budget Workstation

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Core 5 120UL was priced at $277, while the Ryzen 5 3600 came in at $199. On launch pricing ($277 vs $199), Ryzen 5 3600 was $78 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core 5 120UL delivers 38.1 pts/$ vs 88.9 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 3600 — making the Ryzen 5 3600 the 79.9% better value option.

Feature	Core 5 120UL	Ryzen 5 3600
MSRP	$277	$199-28%
Performance per Dollar	38.1	88.9+133%
Release Date	2024	2019

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