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

✅Costs $108 less on MSRP ($277 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
✅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 i7-9700K across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (10,558 vs 14,397).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-9700K

2018

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +35.0% 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 UHD Graphics 630, while Core 5 120UL needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌
39% HIGHER MSRP
$385 MSRPvs$277 MSRP
❌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 i7-9700K

2018

Why buy it

✅Costs $108 less on MSRP ($277 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
✅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: +35.0% 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 UHD Graphics 630, while Core 5 120UL needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-9700K across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (10,558 vs 14,397).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌
39% HIGHER MSRP
$385 MSRPvs$277 MSRP
❌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 i7-9700K better than Core 5 120UL?

Yes. Core i7-9700K is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 35.0% average FPS lead across 49 shared CPU game tests in our data and 36.4% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i7-9700K is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 35.0% more average FPS across 49 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-9700K is the better fit. You are getting 36.4% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 8 threads.

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

Core i7-9700K is still the faster CPU overall, but Core 5 120UL makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i7-9700K is 39.0% more expensive on MSRP at $385 MSRP versus $277 MSRP, and it gives you a 35.0% average FPS lead across 49 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core 5 120UL is also 1.9% better value on MSRP (38.1 vs 37.4 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds 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) and a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of LGA1151. 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 i7-9700K Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core 5 120UL	Core i7-9700K
1080p
low	173 FPS	308 FPS
medium	141 FPS	278 FPS
high	117 FPS	231 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	182 FPS
1440p
low	144 FPS	270 FPS
medium	114 FPS	221 FPS
high	94 FPS	178 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	143 FPS
4K
low	79 FPS	170 FPS
medium	68 FPS	140 FPS
high	54 FPS	108 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	95 FPS

Open Core 5 120UL Open Core i7-9700K

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core 5 120UL	Core i7-9700K
1080p
low	201 FPS	360 FPS
medium	171 FPS	321 FPS
high	155 FPS	291 FPS
ultra	136 FPS	259 FPS
1440p
low	177 FPS	324 FPS
medium	155 FPS	282 FPS
high	143 FPS	258 FPS
ultra	123 FPS	225 FPS
4K
low	138 FPS	249 FPS
medium	125 FPS	221 FPS
high	118 FPS	208 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	179 FPS

Open Core 5 120UL Open Core i7-9700K

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core 5 120UL	Core i7-9700K
1080p
low	264 FPS	360 FPS
medium	264 FPS	360 FPS
high	264 FPS	360 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	360 FPS
1440p
low	264 FPS	360 FPS
medium	264 FPS	360 FPS
high	264 FPS	360 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	360 FPS
4K
low	264 FPS	360 FPS
medium	264 FPS	360 FPS
high	264 FPS	360 FPS
ultra	249 FPS	318 FPS

Open Core 5 120UL Open Core i7-9700K

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core 5 120UL	Core i7-9700K
1080p
low	264 FPS	360 FPS
medium	264 FPS	360 FPS
high	264 FPS	360 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	360 FPS
1440p
low	264 FPS	360 FPS
medium	264 FPS	360 FPS
high	264 FPS	360 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	360 FPS
4K
low	264 FPS	360 FPS
medium	264 FPS	360 FPS
high	264 FPS	360 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	360 FPS

Open Core 5 120UL Open Core i7-9700K

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core 5 120UL and Core i7-9700K

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 i7-9700K

The Core i7-9700K 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 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 14,397 points. Launch price was $374.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core 5 120UL packs 10 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i7-9700K offers 8 cores / 8 threads — the Core 5 120UL has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core 5 120UL versus 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-9700K — a 6.3% clock advantage for the Core i7-9700K (base: 1.3 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Core 5 120UL uses the Raptor Lake-PS (2024) architecture (10 nm), while the Core i7-9700K uses Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core 5 120UL scores 10,558 against the Core i7-9700K's 14,397 — a 30.8% lead for the Core i7-9700K. Both processors carry 12 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core 5 120UL	Core i7-9700K
Cores / Threads	10 / 12+25%	8 / 8
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz	4.9 GHz+7%
Base Clock	1.3 GHz	3.6 GHz+177%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	12 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	14,397+36%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core 5 120UL uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core i7-9700K uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core 5 120UL	Core i7-9700K
Socket	LGA1700	LGA1151
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+67%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-2666
Max RAM Capacity	—	128 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	No
PCIe Lanes	—	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core 5 120UL) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-9700K). The Core i7-9700K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Core 5 120UL requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-9700K targets Desktop.

Feature	Core 5 120UL	Core i7-9700K
Integrated GPU	—	Yes
IGPU Model	—	UHD Graphics 630
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	—	Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The Core 5 120UL launched at $277 MSRP, while the Core i7-9700K debuted at $385. On MSRP ($277 vs $385), the Core 5 120UL is $108 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core 5 120UL delivers 38.1 pts/$ vs 37.4 pts/$ for the Core i7-9700K — making the Core 5 120UL the 1.9% better value option.