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 $22 less on MSRP ($277 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 5600X across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (10,558 vs 21,845).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 38.1 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($277 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +22.6% higher average FPS across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+166.7% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Delivers 91.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 73.1 vs 38.1 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $277 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌
7.9% HIGHER MSRP
$299 MSRPvs$277 MSRP
❌333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core 5 120UL moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Core 5 120UL

2024

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅Costs $22 less on MSRP ($277 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +22.6% higher average FPS across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+166.7% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Delivers 91.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 73.1 vs 38.1 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $277 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 5600X across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (10,558 vs 21,845).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 38.1 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($277 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌
7.9% HIGHER MSRP
$299 MSRPvs$277 MSRP
❌333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core 5 120UL moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 5600X better than Core 5 120UL?

Yes. Ryzen 5 5600X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 22.6% average FPS lead across 49 shared CPU game tests in our data and 106.9% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 5 5600X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 22.6% 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, Ryzen 5 5600X is the better fit. You are getting 106.9% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 166.7% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 12 MB).

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

Ryzen 5 5600X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 5 5600X is 7.9% more expensive on MSRP at $299 MSRP versus $277 MSRP, and it gives you a 22.6% average FPS lead across 49 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 91.7% better value on MSRP (73.1 vs 38.1 PassMark/$), 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 2020) and a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of AM4. 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

Ryzen 5 5600X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core 5 120UL	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	173 FPS	203 FPS
medium	141 FPS	174 FPS
high	117 FPS	140 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	107 FPS
1440p
low	144 FPS	169 FPS
medium	114 FPS	141 FPS
high	94 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	86 FPS
4K
low	79 FPS	85 FPS
medium	68 FPS	76 FPS
high	54 FPS	60 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	47 FPS

Open Core 5 120UL Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core 5 120UL	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	201 FPS	464 FPS
medium	171 FPS	387 FPS
high	155 FPS	324 FPS
ultra	136 FPS	291 FPS
1440p
low	177 FPS	397 FPS
medium	155 FPS	334 FPS
high	143 FPS	290 FPS
ultra	123 FPS	253 FPS
4K
low	138 FPS	263 FPS
medium	125 FPS	226 FPS
high	118 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	171 FPS

Open Core 5 120UL Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core 5 120UL	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	264 FPS	546 FPS
medium	264 FPS	473 FPS
high	264 FPS	432 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	358 FPS
1440p
low	264 FPS	508 FPS
medium	264 FPS	413 FPS
high	264 FPS	375 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	312 FPS
4K
low	264 FPS	348 FPS
medium	264 FPS	292 FPS
high	264 FPS	255 FPS
ultra	249 FPS	199 FPS

Open Core 5 120UL Open Ryzen 5 5600X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core 5 120UL	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	264 FPS	546 FPS
medium	264 FPS	546 FPS
high	264 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	546 FPS
1440p
low	264 FPS	546 FPS
medium	264 FPS	546 FPS
high	264 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	524 FPS
4K
low	264 FPS	529 FPS
medium	264 FPS	484 FPS
high	264 FPS	435 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	379 FPS

Open Core 5 120UL Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core 5 120UL and Ryzen 5 5600X

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.

Ryzen 5 5600X

The Ryzen 5 5600X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 5 November 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 21,845 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core 5 120UL packs 10 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 5 5600X offers 6 cores / 12 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 Ryzen 5 5600X — 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 Ryzen 5 5600X uses Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Core 5 120UL scores 10,558 against the Ryzen 5 5600X's 21,845 — a 69.7% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600X. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core 5 120UL vs 32 MB on the Ryzen 5 5600X.

Feature	Core 5 120UL	Ryzen 5 5600X
Cores / Threads	10 / 12+67%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz	4.6 GHz
Base Clock	1.3 GHz	3.7 GHz+185%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	32 MB+167%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+150%	512K (per core)
Process	10 nm	7 nm, 12 nm-30%
Architecture	Raptor Lake-PS (2024)	Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)
PassMark	10,558	21,845+107%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core 5 120UL uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 5 5600X uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core 5 120UL	Ryzen 5 5600X
Socket	LGA1700	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	—	128 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	Yes
PCIe Lanes	—	24

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core 5 120UL) / AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5600X). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5600X targets Desktop.

Feature	Core 5 120UL	Ryzen 5 5600X
Integrated GPU	—	No
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The Core 5 120UL launched at $277 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 5600X debuted at $299. On MSRP ($277 vs $299), the Core 5 120UL is $22 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core 5 120UL delivers 38.1 pts/$ vs 73.1 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 5600X — making the Ryzen 5 5600X the 62.9% better value option.