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 5 120

2025

Why buy it

✅Costs $117 less on MSRP ($340 MSRP vs $457 MSRP).
✅Delivers 33.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 63.6 vs 47.6 PassMark/$ ($340 MSRP vs $457 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-12650H across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (21,629 vs 21,742).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 24 MB).
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-12650H can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-12650H

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +13.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 64EU, while Core 5 120 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 47.6 vs 63.6 PassMark/$ ($457 MSRP vs $340 MSRP).

Core 5 120

2025

Core i7-12650H

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $117 less on MSRP ($340 MSRP vs $457 MSRP).
✅Delivers 33.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 63.6 vs 47.6 PassMark/$ ($340 MSRP vs $457 MSRP).

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +13.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 64EU, while Core 5 120 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-12650H across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (21,629 vs 21,742).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 24 MB).
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-12650H can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 47.6 vs 63.6 PassMark/$ ($457 MSRP vs $340 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-12650H better than Core 5 120?

Yes. Core i7-12650H is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 13.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.5% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i7-12650H is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 13.1% 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, Core i7-12650H is the better fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 10 cores and 16 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 18 MB).

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

Core i7-12650H is still the faster CPU overall, but Core 5 120 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i7-12650H is 34.4% more expensive on MSRP at $457 MSRP versus $340 MSRP, and it gives you a 13.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core 5 120 is also 33.7% better value on MSRP (63.6 vs 47.6 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Core 5 120 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2022). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

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 5 120 Benchmark Check

Core i7-12650H Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core 5 120	Core i7-12650H
1080p
low	170 FPS	176 FPS
medium	147 FPS	163 FPS
high	118 FPS	136 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	116 FPS
1440p
low	145 FPS	147 FPS
medium	123 FPS	127 FPS
high	99 FPS	103 FPS
ultra	83 FPS	87 FPS
4K
low	79 FPS	84 FPS
medium	72 FPS	77 FPS
high	57 FPS	62 FPS
ultra	44 FPS	48 FPS

Open Core 5 120 Open Core i7-12650H

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core 5 120	Core i7-12650H
1080p
low	471 FPS	544 FPS
medium	401 FPS	483 FPS
high	338 FPS	407 FPS
ultra	298 FPS	372 FPS
1440p
low	409 FPS	478 FPS
medium	355 FPS	420 FPS
high	309 FPS	365 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	318 FPS
4K
low	274 FPS	293 FPS
medium	243 FPS	260 FPS
high	223 FPS	245 FPS
ultra	191 FPS	216 FPS

Open Core 5 120 Open Core i7-12650H

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core 5 120	Core i7-12650H
1080p
low	541 FPS	544 FPS
medium	541 FPS	544 FPS
high	541 FPS	544 FPS
ultra	496 FPS	462 FPS
1440p
low	541 FPS	544 FPS
medium	491 FPS	544 FPS
high	445 FPS	483 FPS
ultra	388 FPS	415 FPS
4K
low	411 FPS	498 FPS
medium	347 FPS	416 FPS
high	303 FPS	373 FPS
ultra	244 FPS	314 FPS

Open Core 5 120 Open Core i7-12650H

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core 5 120	Core i7-12650H
1080p
low	541 FPS	544 FPS
medium	541 FPS	544 FPS
high	541 FPS	544 FPS
ultra	541 FPS	544 FPS
1440p
low	541 FPS	544 FPS
medium	541 FPS	544 FPS
high	541 FPS	544 FPS
ultra	534 FPS	496 FPS
4K
low	541 FPS	520 FPS
medium	499 FPS	474 FPS
high	440 FPS	421 FPS
ultra	376 FPS	366 FPS

Open Core 5 120 Open Core i7-12650H

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core 5 120 and Core i7-12650H

Core 5 120

The Core 5 120 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 31 July 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-R (2023−2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 18 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 21,629 points. Launch price was $211.

Core i7-12650H

The Core i7-12650H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in Janeiro 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-H (2022) architecture. It features 10 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1744. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 21,742 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core 5 120 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i7-12650H offers 10 cores / 16 threads — the Core i7-12650H has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.5 GHz on the Core 5 120 versus 4.7 GHz on the Core i7-12650H — a 4.3% clock advantage for the Core i7-12650H (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.3 GHz). The Core 5 120 uses the Raptor Lake-R (2023−2025) architecture (10 nm), while the Core i7-12650H uses Alder Lake-H (2022) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core 5 120 scores 21,629 against the Core i7-12650H's 21,742 — a 0.5% lead for the Core i7-12650H. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core 5 120 vs 24 MB (total) on the Core i7-12650H.

Feature	Core 5 120	Core i7-12650H
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	10 / 16+67%
Boost Clock	4.5 GHz	4.7 GHz+4%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+9%	2.3 GHz
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	24 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	1.25 MB (per core)
Process	10 nm	Intel 7 nm-30%
Architecture	Raptor Lake-R (2023−2025)	Alder Lake-H (2022)
PassMark	21,629	21,742
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	13,500
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,780
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	10,920

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core 5 120 uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core i7-12650H uses FCBGA1744 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core 5 120	Core i7-12650H
Socket	LGA1700	FCBGA1744
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR5-4800
Max RAM Capacity	—	64 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	No
PCIe Lanes	—	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core 5 120) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-12650H). The Core i7-12650H includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 64EU), while the Core 5 120 requires a dedicated GPU.

Feature	Core 5 120	Core i7-12650H
Integrated GPU	—	Yes
IGPU Model	—	UHD Graphics 64EU
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	Yes
Virtualization	—	VT-x, VT-d

💰

Value Analysis

The Core 5 120 launched at $340 MSRP, while the Core i7-12650H debuted at $457. On MSRP ($340 vs $457), the Core 5 120 is $117 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core 5 120 delivers 63.6 pts/$ vs 47.6 pts/$ for the Core i7-12650H — making the Core 5 120 the 28.9% better value option.