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

✅+0.8% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 15W instead of 28W, a 13W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of FCBGA1449 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-1195G7 across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $277 MSRP, while Core i7-1195G7 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-1195G7 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-1195G7

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.3% higher average FPS across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Iris Xe Graphics (96 EU), while Core 5 120UL needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (10,472 vs 10,558).
❌86.7% higher power demand at 28W vs 15W.
❌Older platform position on FCBGA1449 with DDR4, while Core 5 120UL moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Core 5 120UL

2024

Core i7-1195G7

2021

Why buy it

✅+0.8% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 15W instead of 28W, a 13W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of FCBGA1449 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.3% higher average FPS across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Iris Xe Graphics (96 EU), while Core 5 120UL needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-1195G7 across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $277 MSRP, while Core i7-1195G7 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-1195G7 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (10,472 vs 10,558).
❌86.7% higher power demand at 28W vs 15W.
❌Older platform position on FCBGA1449 with DDR4, while Core 5 120UL moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Core 5 120UL better than Core i7-1195G7?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i7-1195G7 is ahead with a 6.3% average FPS lead across 49 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core 5 120UL pulls ahead with 0.8% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core 5 120UL is the better fit. You are getting 0.8% better PassMark, backed by 10 cores and 12 threads.

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

Core 5 120UL is the smarter buy today. Core 5 120UL is at an unclear MSRP at $277 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you 0.8% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Core i7-1195G7 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 6.3% average FPS lead across 49 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (38.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

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 2021), a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of FCBGA1449, and more multi-core headroom with 10 cores / 12 threads instead of 4/8. 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 i7-1195G7 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core 5 120UL	Core i7-1195G7
1080p
low	173 FPS	262 FPS
medium	141 FPS	247 FPS
high	117 FPS	207 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	177 FPS
1440p
low	144 FPS	239 FPS
medium	114 FPS	191 FPS
high	94 FPS	155 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	136 FPS
4K
low	79 FPS	167 FPS
medium	68 FPS	135 FPS
high	54 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	90 FPS

Open Core 5 120UL Open Core i7-1195G7

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core 5 120UL	Core i7-1195G7
1080p
low	201 FPS	262 FPS
medium	171 FPS	262 FPS
high	155 FPS	262 FPS
ultra	136 FPS	239 FPS
1440p
low	177 FPS	262 FPS
medium	155 FPS	262 FPS
high	143 FPS	254 FPS
ultra	123 FPS	211 FPS
4K
low	138 FPS	251 FPS
medium	125 FPS	211 FPS
high	118 FPS	180 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	146 FPS

Open Core 5 120UL Open Core i7-1195G7

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core 5 120UL	Core i7-1195G7
1080p
low	264 FPS	262 FPS
medium	264 FPS	262 FPS
high	264 FPS	262 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	262 FPS
1440p
low	264 FPS	262 FPS
medium	264 FPS	262 FPS
high	264 FPS	262 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	262 FPS
4K
low	264 FPS	262 FPS
medium	264 FPS	262 FPS
high	264 FPS	262 FPS
ultra	249 FPS	262 FPS

Open Core 5 120UL Open Core i7-1195G7

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core 5 120UL	Core i7-1195G7
1080p
low	264 FPS	262 FPS
medium	264 FPS	262 FPS
high	264 FPS	262 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	262 FPS
1440p
low	264 FPS	262 FPS
medium	264 FPS	262 FPS
high	264 FPS	262 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	262 FPS
4K
low	264 FPS	262 FPS
medium	264 FPS	262 FPS
high	264 FPS	262 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	262 FPS

Open Core 5 120UL Open Core i7-1195G7

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core 5 120UL and Core i7-1195G7

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 i7-1195G7

The Core i7-1195G7 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 31 May 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Tiger Lake-UP3 (2020−2021) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm SuperFin process technology. Socket: FCBGA1449. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 10,472 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core 5 120UL packs 10 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i7-1195G7 offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core 5 120UL has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core 5 120UL versus 5 GHz on the Core i7-1195G7 — a 8.3% clock advantage for the Core i7-1195G7 (base: 1.3 GHz vs 2.9 GHz). The Core 5 120UL uses the Raptor Lake-PS (2024) architecture (10 nm), while the Core i7-1195G7 uses Tiger Lake-UP3 (2020−2021) (10 nm SuperFin). In PassMark, the Core 5 120UL scores 10,558 against the Core i7-1195G7's 10,472 — a 0.8% lead for the Core 5 120UL. Both processors carry 12 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core 5 120UL	Core i7-1195G7
Cores / Threads	10 / 12+150%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz	5 GHz+9%
Base Clock	1.3 GHz	2.9 GHz+123%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	12 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	1.25 MB (per core)
Process	10 nm	10 nm SuperFin
Architecture	Raptor Lake-PS (2024)	Tiger Lake-UP3 (2020−2021)
PassMark	10,558	10,472
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	6,806
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,930
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	5,426

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core 5 120UL uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core i7-1195G7 uses FCBGA1449 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core 5 120UL	Core i7-1195G7
Socket	LGA1700	FCBGA1449
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-3200, LPDDR4x-4267
Max RAM Capacity	—	64 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	No
PCIe Lanes	—	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core 5 120UL) / VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i7-1195G7). The Core i7-1195G7 includes integrated graphics (Iris Xe Graphics (96 EU)), while the Core 5 120UL requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-1195G7 targets Productivity. Direct competitor: Core i7-1195G7 rivals Ryzen 7 5700U.