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

✅Better for gaming: +5.4% higher average FPS across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $46 less on MSRP ($277 MSRP vs $323 MSRP).
✅Delivers 15.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 38.1 vs 32.9 PassMark/$ ($277 MSRP vs $323 MSRP).
✅Draws 15W instead of 35W, a 20W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1151 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (10,558 vs 10,618).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700T can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-9700T

2019

Why buy it

✅+0.6% higher PassMark.
✅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 5 120UL across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 32.9 vs 38.1 PassMark/$ ($323 MSRP vs $277 MSRP).
❌133.3% higher power demand at 35W vs 15W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1151 with DDR4, while Core 5 120UL moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Core 5 120UL

2024

Core i7-9700T

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.4% higher average FPS across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $46 less on MSRP ($277 MSRP vs $323 MSRP).
✅Delivers 15.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 38.1 vs 32.9 PassMark/$ ($277 MSRP vs $323 MSRP).
✅Draws 15W instead of 35W, a 20W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1151 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅+0.6% higher PassMark.
✅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

❌Lower PassMark (10,558 vs 10,618).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700T can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core 5 120UL across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 32.9 vs 38.1 PassMark/$ ($323 MSRP vs $277 MSRP).
❌133.3% higher power demand at 35W vs 15W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1151 with DDR4, while Core 5 120UL moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Core 5 120UL better than Core i7-9700T?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core 5 120UL is ahead with a 5.4% average FPS lead across 49 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-9700T pulls ahead with 0.6% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-9700T is the better fit. You are getting 0.6% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 8 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 $46 cheaper on MSRP at $277 MSRP versus $323 MSRP, and it gives you a 5.4% average FPS lead across 49 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Core i7-9700T is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 0.6% better PassMark. It is also 15.9% better value on MSRP (38.1 vs 32.9 PassMark/$), 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 2019) 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 i7-9700T Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core 5 120UL	Core i7-9700T
1080p
low	173 FPS	171 FPS
medium	141 FPS	147 FPS
high	117 FPS	118 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	99 FPS
1440p
low	144 FPS	146 FPS
medium	114 FPS	122 FPS
high	94 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	82 FPS
4K
low	79 FPS	79 FPS
medium	68 FPS	72 FPS
high	54 FPS	57 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	44 FPS

Open Core 5 120UL Open Core i7-9700T

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core 5 120UL	Core i7-9700T
1080p
low	201 FPS	163 FPS
medium	171 FPS	144 FPS
high	155 FPS	135 FPS
ultra	136 FPS	120 FPS
1440p
low	177 FPS	148 FPS
medium	155 FPS	132 FPS
high	143 FPS	124 FPS
ultra	123 FPS	110 FPS
4K
low	138 FPS	119 FPS
medium	125 FPS	109 FPS
high	118 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	91 FPS

Open Core 5 120UL Open Core i7-9700T

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core 5 120UL	Core i7-9700T
1080p
low	264 FPS	265 FPS
medium	264 FPS	265 FPS
high	264 FPS	265 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	265 FPS
1440p
low	264 FPS	265 FPS
medium	264 FPS	265 FPS
high	264 FPS	265 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	265 FPS
4K
low	264 FPS	265 FPS
medium	264 FPS	265 FPS
high	264 FPS	265 FPS
ultra	249 FPS	218 FPS

Open Core 5 120UL Open Core i7-9700T

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core 5 120UL	Core i7-9700T
1080p
low	264 FPS	265 FPS
medium	264 FPS	265 FPS
high	264 FPS	265 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	265 FPS
1440p
low	264 FPS	265 FPS
medium	264 FPS	265 FPS
high	264 FPS	265 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	265 FPS
4K
low	264 FPS	265 FPS
medium	264 FPS	265 FPS
high	264 FPS	265 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	265 FPS

Open Core 5 120UL Open Core i7-9700T

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

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

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 i7-9700T

The Core i7-9700T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 10,618 points. Launch price was $323.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core 5 120UL packs 10 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i7-9700T 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 4.3 GHz on the Core i7-9700T — a 6.7% clock advantage for the Core 5 120UL (base: 1.3 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Core 5 120UL uses the Raptor Lake-PS (2024) architecture (10 nm), while the Core i7-9700T uses Coffee Lake (2017−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core 5 120UL scores 10,558 against the Core i7-9700T's 10,618 — a 0.6% lead for the Core i7-9700T. Both processors carry 12 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core 5 120UL	Core i7-9700T
Cores / Threads	10 / 12+25%	8 / 8
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz+7%	4.3 GHz
Base Clock	1.3 GHz	2 GHz+54%
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 (2017−2019)
PassMark	10,558	10,618

🧠

Memory & Platform

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

Feature	Core 5 120UL	Core i7-9700T
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 i7-9700T). The Core i7-9700T includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Core 5 120UL requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-9700T targets Desktop.

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

💰

Value Analysis

The Core 5 120UL launched at $277 MSRP, while the Core i7-9700T debuted at $323. On MSRP ($277 vs $323), the Core 5 120UL is $46 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core 5 120UL delivers 38.1 pts/$ vs 32.9 pts/$ for the Core i7-9700T — making the Core 5 120UL the 14.8% better value option.