Core 5 120UL vs Xeon E5-2470 v2

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

✅Draws 15W instead of 95W, a 80W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1356 and older memory support.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (10,558 vs 10,701).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 25 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E5-2470 v2, which brings 10 cores / 20 threads.
❌Launch MSRP is still $277 MSRP, while Xeon E5-2470 v2 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Xeon E5-2470 v2

2013

Why buy it

✅+1.4% higher PassMark.
✅+108.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 10 cores / 20 threads.

Trade-offs

❌533.3% higher power demand at 95W vs 15W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1356, while Core 5 120UL moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Core 5 120UL

2024

Xeon E5-2470 v2

2013

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 95W, a 80W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1356 and older memory support.

Why buy it

✅+1.4% higher PassMark.
✅+108.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 10 cores / 20 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (10,558 vs 10,701).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 25 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E5-2470 v2, which brings 10 cores / 20 threads.
❌Launch MSRP is still $277 MSRP, while Xeon E5-2470 v2 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Trade-offs

❌533.3% higher power demand at 95W vs 15W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1356, while Core 5 120UL moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Core 5 120UL better than Xeon E5-2470 v2?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon E5-2470 v2 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core 5 120UL is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon E5-2470 v2 is the better fit. You are getting 1.4% better PassMark, backed by 10 cores and 20 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 108.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 12 MB).

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 $277 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 0.8% average FPS lead across 49 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Xeon E5-2470 v2 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 1.4% better PassMark. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (38.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 2013) and a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of LGA1356. 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

Xeon E5-2470 v2 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core 5 120UL	Xeon E5-2470 v2
1080p
low	173 FPS	163 FPS
medium	141 FPS	138 FPS
high	117 FPS	110 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	90 FPS
1440p
low	144 FPS	139 FPS
medium	114 FPS	115 FPS
high	94 FPS	90 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	72 FPS
4K
low	79 FPS	65 FPS
medium	68 FPS	58 FPS
high	54 FPS	45 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	35 FPS

Open Core 5 120UL Open Xeon E5-2470 v2

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core 5 120UL	Xeon E5-2470 v2
1080p
low	201 FPS	268 FPS
medium	171 FPS	268 FPS
high	155 FPS	238 FPS
ultra	136 FPS	193 FPS
1440p
low	177 FPS	265 FPS
medium	155 FPS	244 FPS
high	143 FPS	212 FPS
ultra	123 FPS	170 FPS
4K
low	138 FPS	172 FPS
medium	125 FPS	159 FPS
high	118 FPS	138 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	109 FPS

Open Core 5 120UL Open Xeon E5-2470 v2

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core 5 120UL	Xeon E5-2470 v2
1080p
low	264 FPS	268 FPS
medium	264 FPS	268 FPS
high	264 FPS	268 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	268 FPS
1440p
low	264 FPS	268 FPS
medium	264 FPS	268 FPS
high	264 FPS	268 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	268 FPS
4K
low	264 FPS	268 FPS
medium	264 FPS	268 FPS
high	264 FPS	268 FPS
ultra	249 FPS	268 FPS

Open Core 5 120UL Open Xeon E5-2470 v2

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core 5 120UL	Xeon E5-2470 v2
1080p
low	264 FPS	268 FPS
medium	264 FPS	268 FPS
high	264 FPS	268 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	268 FPS
1440p
low	264 FPS	268 FPS
medium	264 FPS	268 FPS
high	264 FPS	268 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	268 FPS
4K
low	264 FPS	268 FPS
medium	264 FPS	268 FPS
high	264 FPS	268 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	268 FPS

Open Core 5 120UL Open Xeon E5-2470 v2

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core 5 120UL and Xeon E5-2470 v2

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.

Xeon E5-2470 v2

The Xeon E5-2470 v2 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Ivy Bridge-EN (2013−2014) architecture. It features 10 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 25 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 10,701 points. Launch price was $800.

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Processing Power

The Core 5 120UL packs 10 cores / 12 threads, matching the Xeon E5-2470 v2's 10 cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core 5 120UL versus 3.2 GHz on the Xeon E5-2470 v2 — a 35.9% clock advantage for the Core 5 120UL (base: 1.3 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Core 5 120UL uses the Raptor Lake-PS (2024) architecture (10 nm), while the Xeon E5-2470 v2 uses Ivy Bridge-EN (2013−2014) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core 5 120UL scores 10,558 against the Xeon E5-2470 v2's 10,701 — a 1.3% lead for the Xeon E5-2470 v2. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core 5 120UL vs 25 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-2470 v2.

Feature	Core 5 120UL	Xeon E5-2470 v2
Cores / Threads	10 / 12	10 / 20
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz+44%	3.2 GHz
Base Clock	1.3 GHz	2.4 GHz+85%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	25 MB (total)+108%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+400%	256 kB (per core)
Process	10 nm-55%	22 nm
Architecture	Raptor Lake-PS (2024)	Ivy Bridge-EN (2013−2014)
PassMark	10,558	10,701+1%

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Memory & Platform

The Core 5 120UL uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Xeon E5-2470 v2 uses LGA1356 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.