Intel Core 5 120U vs Intel Core Ultra 9 386H
59.8Single-core70.3
36.2Multi-core60
75.3Efficiencyspec-based81.4
—iGPU70
50.3Platformspec-based58.2
2 spec wins — Intel Core 5 120U15 spec wins — Intel Core Ultra 9 386H
InnoReviews verdict
Intel Core Ultra 9 386H wins this laptop processor face-off, 66.5 to 51.6, pulling ahead mainly in multi-core (+24) and single-core (+11). 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
- 40% lower Base TDP: 15 W vs 25 W
Reasons to pick the Intel Core Ultra 9 386H
- Stronger single-core score: 70 vs 60
- Stronger multi-core score: 60 vs 36
- 190% higher Cinebench R23 (multi): 19,307 vs 6,659
- 142% higher PassMark: 36,060 vs 14,877
- 100% higher Performance cores: 4 vs 2
General
| Spec | Intel Core 5 120U | Intel Core Ultra 9 386H |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2024 | 2026 |
| Process | 10 nm | 2 nm+80% |
| Base TDP | 15 W+40% | 25 W |
| Max TDP | 55 W | 80 W+45% |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Intel Core 5 120U | Intel Core Ultra 9 386H |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 10 | 16+60% |
| Performance cores | 2 | 4+100% |
| Efficiency cores | 8 | 12+50% |
| Threads | 12 | 16+33% |
| Base clock | 1.4 GHz | 2.1 GHz+50% |
| Boost clock | 5 GHz+2% | 4.9 GHz |
| L3 cache | 12 MB | 18 MB+50% |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Intel Core 5 120U | Intel Core Ultra 9 386H |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Intel Iris Xe (80 EU) | Intel Graphics (4 Xe3-cores) |
| iGPU clock | 1,300 MHz | 2,500 MHz |
Memory
| Spec | Intel Core 5 120U | Intel Core Ultra 9 386H |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | LPDDR5X-5200 / DDR5-5200 / DDR4-3200 / LPDDR4X-4267 | LPDDR5X, DDR5 |
| Max memory | 96 GB | 128 GB+33% |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Intel Core 5 120U | Intel Core Ultra 9 386H |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 2,469Bottom 50% | 2,876+16%Top 25% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 9,070Bottom 33% | 16,298+80%Top 21% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | 1,757Top 45% | 2,069+18%Top 16% |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | 6,659Bottom 19% | 19,307+190%Top 18% |
| PassMark | 14,877Bottom 30% | 36,060+142%Top 18% |
| 3DMark Time Spy Graphics (iGPU) | — | 2,846Top 19% |
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