Intel Core 5 120U vs Intel Core i9-12900HK
59.8Single-core60.5
36.2Multi-core51
75.3Efficiencyspec-based40.5
—iGPU55.7
50.3Platformspec-based59
4 spec wins — Intel Core 5 120U10 spec wins — Intel Core i9-12900HK
InnoReviews verdict
Intel Core i9-12900HK wins this laptop processor face-off, 53.5 to 51.6, pulling ahead mainly in multi-core (+15) and single-core (+1). 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 Intel Core 5 120U
- 67% lower Base TDP: 15 W vs 45 W
- 50% higher Max memory: 96 GB vs 64 GB
Reasons to pick the Intel Core i9-12900HK
- Stronger multi-core score: 51 vs 36
- 200% higher Performance cores: 6 vs 2
- 164% higher Cinebench R23 (multi): 17,600 vs 6,659
- 109% higher Max TDP: 115 W vs 55 W
- 100% higher L3 cache: 24 MB vs 12 MB
General
| Spec | Intel Core 5 120U | Intel Core i9-12900HK |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2024 | 2022 |
| Process | 10 nm | 10 nm |
| Base TDP | 15 W+67% | 45 W |
| Max TDP | 55 W | 115 W+109% |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Intel Core 5 120U | Intel Core i9-12900HK |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 10 | 14+40% |
| Performance cores | 2 | 6+200% |
| Efficiency cores | 8 | 8 |
| Threads | 12 | 20+67% |
| Base clock | 1.4 GHz | 2.5 GHz+79% |
| Boost clock | 5 GHz | 5 GHz |
| L3 cache | 12 MB | 24 MB+100% |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Intel Core 5 120U | Intel Core i9-12900HK |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Intel Iris Xe (80 EU) | Intel Iris Xe (96 EU) |
| iGPU clock | 1,300 MHz | 1,450 MHz |
Memory
| Spec | Intel Core 5 120U | Intel Core i9-12900HK |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | LPDDR5X-5200 / DDR5-5200 / DDR4-3200 / LPDDR4X-4267 | DDR5-4800 / LPDDR5-5200 / DDR4-3200 |
| Max memory | 96 GB+50% | 64 GB |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Intel Core 5 120U | Intel Core i9-12900HK |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 2,469+1%Bottom 50% | 2,450Bottom 48% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 9,070Bottom 33% | 12,700+40%Top 40% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | 1,757Top 45% | 1,810+3%Top 36% |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | 6,659Bottom 19% | 17,600+164%Top 24% |
| PassMark | 14,877Bottom 30% | 24,954+68%Top 34% |
| 3DMark Time Spy Graphics (iGPU) | — | 1,496Top 42% |
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