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

✅Draws 65W instead of 105W, a 40W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 7600X across 45 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (21,629 vs 28,325).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 63.6 vs 94.7 PassMark/$ ($340 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 5 7600X can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen 5 7600X

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +19.8% higher average FPS across 45 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+77.8% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Costs $41 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $340 MSRP).
✅Delivers 48.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 94.7 vs 63.6 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $340 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌61.5% higher power demand at 105W vs 65W.

Core 5 120

2025

Ryzen 5 7600X

2022

Why buy it

✅Draws 65W instead of 105W, a 40W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +19.8% higher average FPS across 45 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+77.8% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Costs $41 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $340 MSRP).
✅Delivers 48.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 94.7 vs 63.6 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $340 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 7600X across 45 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (21,629 vs 28,325).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 63.6 vs 94.7 PassMark/$ ($340 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 5 7600X can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌61.5% higher power demand at 105W vs 65W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 7600X better than Core 5 120?

Yes. Ryzen 5 7600X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 19.8% average FPS lead across 45 shared CPU game tests in our data, 31% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 5 7600X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 19.8% more average FPS across 45 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 7600X is the better fit. You are getting 31% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 77.8% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 18 MB).

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

Ryzen 5 7600X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 5 7600X is $41 cheaper on MSRP at $299 MSRP versus $340 MSRP, and it gives you a 19.8% average FPS lead across 45 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 48.9% better value on MSRP (94.7 vs 63.6 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible LGA1700 + DDR5 setup, Core 5 120 can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap.

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

Ryzen 5 7600X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 77.8% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 18 MB) and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 6/12. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

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

Ryzen 5 7600X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core 5 120	Ryzen 5 7600X
1080p
low	170 FPS	266 FPS
medium	147 FPS	246 FPS
high	118 FPS	210 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	179 FPS
1440p
low	145 FPS	226 FPS
medium	123 FPS	189 FPS
high	99 FPS	154 FPS
ultra	83 FPS	134 FPS
4K
low	79 FPS	157 FPS
medium	72 FPS	131 FPS
high	57 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	44 FPS	87 FPS

Open Core 5 120 Open Ryzen 5 7600X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core 5 120	Ryzen 5 7600X
1080p
low	471 FPS	649 FPS
medium	401 FPS	524 FPS
high	338 FPS	436 FPS
ultra	298 FPS	386 FPS
1440p
low	409 FPS	544 FPS
medium	355 FPS	455 FPS
high	309 FPS	388 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	329 FPS
4K
low	274 FPS	341 FPS
medium	243 FPS	290 FPS
high	223 FPS	271 FPS
ultra	191 FPS	232 FPS

Open Core 5 120 Open Ryzen 5 7600X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core 5 120	Ryzen 5 7600X
1080p
low	541 FPS	708 FPS
medium	541 FPS	652 FPS
high	541 FPS	571 FPS
ultra	496 FPS	484 FPS
1440p
low	541 FPS	708 FPS
medium	491 FPS	554 FPS
high	445 FPS	479 FPS
ultra	388 FPS	409 FPS
4K
low	411 FPS	463 FPS
medium	347 FPS	392 FPS
high	303 FPS	341 FPS
ultra	244 FPS	281 FPS

Open Core 5 120 Open Ryzen 5 7600X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core 5 120	Ryzen 5 7600X
1080p
low	541 FPS	708 FPS
medium	541 FPS	708 FPS
high	541 FPS	708 FPS
ultra	541 FPS	708 FPS
1440p
low	541 FPS	708 FPS
medium	541 FPS	708 FPS
high	541 FPS	658 FPS
ultra	534 FPS	571 FPS
4K
low	541 FPS	560 FPS
medium	499 FPS	502 FPS
high	440 FPS	452 FPS
ultra	376 FPS	391 FPS

Open Core 5 120 Open Ryzen 5 7600X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core 5 120 and Ryzen 5 7600X

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.

Ryzen 5 7600X

The Ryzen 5 7600X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 27 September 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 4.7 GHz, with boost up to 5.3 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 6 MB. Built on 5 nm, 6 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5200. Passmark benchmark score: 28,325 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core 5 120 and Ryzen 5 7600X share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.5 GHz on the Core 5 120 versus 5.3 GHz on the Ryzen 5 7600X — a 16.3% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 7600X (base: 2.5 GHz vs 4.7 GHz). The Core 5 120 uses the Raptor Lake-R (2023−2025) architecture (10 nm), while the Ryzen 5 7600X uses Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) (5 nm, 6 nm). In PassMark, the Core 5 120 scores 21,629 against the Ryzen 5 7600X's 28,325 — a 26.8% lead for the Ryzen 5 7600X. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core 5 120 vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 7600X.

Feature	Core 5 120	Ryzen 5 7600X
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.5 GHz	5.3 GHz+18%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	4.7 GHz+88%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	32 MB (total)+78%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	6 MB+380%
Process	10 nm	5 nm, 6 nm-50%
Architecture	Raptor Lake-R (2023−2025)	Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023)
PassMark	21,629	28,325+31%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	15,300
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,900
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	13,800

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core 5 120 uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 5 7600X uses AM5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core 5 120	Ryzen 5 7600X
Socket	LGA1700	AM5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR5-5200
Max RAM Capacity	—	128 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	Yes
PCIe Lanes	—	28

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core 5 120) / AMD-V (Ryzen 5 7600X). The Ryzen 5 7600X includes integrated graphics (AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core)), while the Core 5 120 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 5 7600X targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 7600X rivals Intel Core i5-13600K.

Feature	Core 5 120	Ryzen 5 7600X
Integrated GPU	—	Yes
IGPU Model	—	AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core)
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	Yes
Virtualization	—	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Gaming

💰

Value Analysis

The Core 5 120 launched at $340 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 7600X debuted at $299. On MSRP ($340 vs $299), the Ryzen 5 7600X is $41 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core 5 120 delivers 63.6 pts/$ vs 94.7 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 7600X — making the Ryzen 5 7600X the 39.3% better value option.