Apple M2 Pro (12-core) vs Intel Core 5 120U
60.1Single-core59.8
51.4Multi-core36.2
80Efficiencyspec-based75.3
42.2Platformspec-based50.3
7 spec wins — Apple M2 Pro (12-core)5 spec wins — Intel Core 5 120U
InnoReviews verdict
Apple M2 Pro (12-core) wins this laptop processor face-off, 57 to 51.6, pulling ahead mainly in multi-core (+15) and single-core (+0). Intel Core 5 120U still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the Apple M2 Pro (12-core)
- Stronger multi-core score: 51 vs 36
- 300% higher Performance cores: 8 vs 2
- 116% higher Cinebench R23 (multi): 14,400 vs 6,659
- 80% higher PassMark: 26,735 vs 14,877
- 57% higher Geekbench 6 (multi): 14,200 vs 9,070
Reasons to pick the Intel Core 5 120U
- 200% higher Max memory: 96 GB vs 32 GB
- 100% higher Efficiency cores: 8 vs 4
- 36% higher Boost clock: 5 GHz vs 3.7 GHz
- 11% higher Cinebench R23 (single): 1,757 vs 1,590
General
| Spec | Apple M2 Pro (12-core) | Intel Core 5 120U |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2023 | 2024 |
| Process | 5 nm+50% | 10 nm |
| Base TDP | — | 15 W |
| Max TDP | — | 55 W |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Apple M2 Pro (12-core) | Intel Core 5 120U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 12+20% | 10 |
| Performance cores | 8+300% | 2 |
| Efficiency cores | 4 | 8+100% |
| Threads | 12 | 12 |
| Base clock | — | 1.4 GHz |
| Boost clock | 3.7 GHz | 5 GHz+36% |
| L3 cache | — | 12 MB |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Apple M2 Pro (12-core) | Intel Core 5 120U |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Apple 19-core GPU | Intel Iris Xe (80 EU) |
| iGPU clock | — | 1,300 MHz |
Memory
| Spec | Apple M2 Pro (12-core) | Intel Core 5 120U |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | LPDDR5-6400 | LPDDR5X-5200 / DDR5-5200 / DDR4-3200 / LPDDR4X-4267 |
| Max memory | 32 GB | 96 GB+200% |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple M2 Pro (12-core) | Intel Core 5 120U |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 2,750+11%Top 36% | 2,469Bottom 50% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 14,200+57%Top 31% | 9,070Bottom 33% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | 1,590Bottom 40% | 1,757+11%Top 45% |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | 14,400+116%Top 41% | 6,659Bottom 19% |
| PassMark | 26,735+80%Top 30% | 14,877Bottom 30% |
Related comparisons
Apple M2 Pro (12-core)vs Intel Core Ultra 9 185HVSApple M2 Pro (12-core)vs AMD Ryzen 7 8840UVSApple M2 Pro (12-core)vs Intel Core Ultra 7 256VVSApple M2 Pro (12-core)vs Intel Core Ultra 7 258VVSIntel Core 5 120Uvs Intel Core i7-13620HVSIntel Core 5 120Uvs Intel Core i7-1360PVSIntel Core 5 120Uvs Intel Core Ultra 7 155UVSIntel Core 5 120Uvs Intel Core i7-1355UVS