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 120UL

2024

Why buy it

✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 9 MB).
✅Draws 15W instead of 95W, a 80W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1151 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-9600K across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (10,558 vs 10,645).
❌
5.3% HIGHER MSRP
$277 MSRPvs$263 MSRP
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-9600K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-9600K

2018

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +18.4% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $14 less on MSRP ($263 MSRP vs $277 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 630, while Core 5 120UL needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (9 MB vs 12 MB).
❌533.3% higher power demand at 95W vs 15W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1151 with DDR4, while Core 5 120UL moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Core 5 120UL

2024

Core i5-9600K

2018

Why buy it

✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 9 MB).
✅Draws 15W instead of 95W, a 80W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1151 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +18.4% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $14 less on MSRP ($263 MSRP vs $277 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 630, while Core 5 120UL needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-9600K across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (10,558 vs 10,645).
❌
5.3% HIGHER MSRP
$277 MSRPvs$263 MSRP
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-9600K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (9 MB vs 12 MB).
❌533.3% higher power demand at 95W vs 15W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1151 with DDR4, while Core 5 120UL moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-9600K better than Core 5 120UL?

Yes. Core i5-9600K is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 18.4% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.8% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i5-9600K is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 18.4% more average FPS across 3 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-9600K is the better fit. You are getting 0.8% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 6 threads.

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

Core i5-9600K is the smarter buy today. Core i5-9600K is $14 cheaper on MSRP at $263 MSRP versus $277 MSRP, and it gives you a 18.4% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 6.2% better value on MSRP (40.5 vs 38.1 PassMark/$), 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 120UL 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?

Core 5 120UL is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2018), a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of LGA1151, and 33.3% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 9 MB). 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 120UL Benchmark Check

Core i5-9600K Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core 5 120UL	Core i5-9600K
1080p
low	173 FPS	211 FPS
medium	141 FPS	171 FPS
high	117 FPS	137 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	101 FPS
1440p
low	144 FPS	180 FPS
medium	114 FPS	144 FPS
high	94 FPS	115 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	86 FPS
4K
low	79 FPS	91 FPS
medium	68 FPS	78 FPS
high	54 FPS	62 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	48 FPS

Open Core 5 120UL Open Core i5-9600K

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core 5 120UL	Core i5-9600K
1080p
low	201 FPS	266 FPS
medium	171 FPS	266 FPS
high	155 FPS	266 FPS
ultra	136 FPS	254 FPS
1440p
low	177 FPS	266 FPS
medium	155 FPS	266 FPS
high	143 FPS	261 FPS
ultra	123 FPS	227 FPS
4K
low	138 FPS	266 FPS
medium	125 FPS	243 FPS
high	118 FPS	218 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	185 FPS

Open Core 5 120UL Open Core i5-9600K

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core 5 120UL	Core i5-9600K
1080p
low	264 FPS	266 FPS
medium	264 FPS	266 FPS
high	264 FPS	266 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	266 FPS
1440p
low	264 FPS	266 FPS
medium	264 FPS	266 FPS
high	264 FPS	266 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	266 FPS
4K
low	264 FPS	266 FPS
medium	264 FPS	249 FPS
high	264 FPS	211 FPS
ultra	249 FPS	166 FPS

Open Core 5 120UL Open Core i5-9600K

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core 5 120UL	Core i5-9600K
1080p
low	264 FPS	266 FPS
medium	264 FPS	266 FPS
high	264 FPS	266 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	266 FPS
1440p
low	264 FPS	266 FPS
medium	264 FPS	266 FPS
high	264 FPS	266 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	266 FPS
4K
low	264 FPS	266 FPS
medium	264 FPS	266 FPS
high	264 FPS	266 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	266 FPS

Open Core 5 120UL Open Core i5-9600K

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core 5 120UL and Core i5-9600K

Core 5 120UL

The Core 5 120UL is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 8 April 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-PS (2024) architecture. It features 10 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 1.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 10,558 points. Launch price was $149.

Core i5-9600K

The Core i5-9600K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture. It features 6 cores and 6 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 9 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 10,645 points. Launch price was $262.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core 5 120UL packs 10 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i5-9600K offers 6 cores / 6 threads — the Core 5 120UL has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core 5 120UL versus 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-9600K — identical boost frequencies (base: 1.3 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The Core 5 120UL uses the Raptor Lake-PS (2024) architecture (10 nm), while the Core i5-9600K uses Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core 5 120UL scores 10,558 against the Core i5-9600K's 10,645 — a 0.8% lead for the Core i5-9600K. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core 5 120UL vs 9 MB (total) on the Core i5-9600K.

Feature	Core 5 120UL	Core i5-9600K
Cores / Threads	10 / 12+67%	6 / 6
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz	4.6 GHz
Base Clock	1.3 GHz	3.7 GHz+185%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)+33%	9 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+400%	256K (per core)
Process	10 nm-29%	14 nm
Architecture	Raptor Lake-PS (2024)	Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019)
PassMark	10,558	10,645

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core 5 120UL uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core i5-9600K uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core 5 120UL	Core i5-9600K
Socket	LGA1700	LGA1151
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+67%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	—	2666
Max RAM Capacity	—	128
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	No
PCIe Lanes	—	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core 5 120UL) / true (Core i5-9600K). The Core i5-9600K includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 630), while the Core 5 120UL requires a dedicated GPU.

Feature	Core 5 120UL	Core i5-9600K
Integrated GPU	—	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Intel UHD Graphics 630
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	true

💰

Value Analysis

The Core 5 120UL launched at $277 MSRP, while the Core i5-9600K debuted at $263. On MSRP ($277 vs $263), the Core i5-9600K is $14 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core 5 120UL delivers 38.1 pts/$ vs 40.5 pts/$ for the Core i5-9600K — making the Core i5-9600K the 6% better value option.