Core 5 120U vs Core Ultra 7 155U

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 120U

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.1% higher average FPS across 46 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Core Ultra 7 155U

2023

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core 5 120U across 46 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (16,185 vs 16,225).

Core 5 120U

2024

Core Ultra 7 155U

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.1% higher average FPS across 46 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core 5 120U across 46 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (16,185 vs 16,225).

Quick Answers

So, is Core 5 120U better than Core Ultra 7 155U?

Yes. Core 5 120U is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 3.1% average FPS lead across 46 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.2% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core 5 120U is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 3.1% more average FPS across 46 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core 5 120U is the better fit. You are getting 0.2% better PassMark, backed by 10 cores and 12 threads.

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

Core 5 120U still looks like the safer overall buy. Core 5 120U is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 3.1% average FPS lead across 46 shared CPU game tests in our data.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core 5 120U is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2023) and more multi-core headroom with 10 cores / 12 threads instead of 12/14. 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 120U Benchmark Check

Core Ultra 7 155U Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core 5 120U	Core Ultra 7 155U
1080p
low	271 FPS	276 FPS
medium	243 FPS	248 FPS
high	205 FPS	209 FPS
ultra	177 FPS	180 FPS
1440p
low	230 FPS	230 FPS
medium	185 FPS	185 FPS
high	151 FPS	152 FPS
ultra	133 FPS	133 FPS
4K
low	160 FPS	160 FPS
medium	130 FPS	130 FPS
high	100 FPS	100 FPS
ultra	88 FPS	88 FPS

Open Core 5 120U Open Core Ultra 7 155U

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core 5 120U	Core Ultra 7 155U
1080p
low	233 FPS	214 FPS
medium	193 FPS	176 FPS
high	175 FPS	159 FPS
ultra	154 FPS	140 FPS
1440p
low	208 FPS	181 FPS
medium	179 FPS	155 FPS
high	162 FPS	143 FPS
ultra	138 FPS	122 FPS
4K
low	156 FPS	141 FPS
medium	140 FPS	124 FPS
high	134 FPS	118 FPS
ultra	114 FPS	101 FPS

Open Core 5 120U Open Core Ultra 7 155U

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core 5 120U	Core Ultra 7 155U
1080p
low	406 FPS	405 FPS
medium	406 FPS	405 FPS
high	406 FPS	405 FPS
ultra	406 FPS	405 FPS
1440p
low	406 FPS	405 FPS
medium	406 FPS	405 FPS
high	406 FPS	405 FPS
ultra	406 FPS	405 FPS
4K
low	406 FPS	405 FPS
medium	406 FPS	405 FPS
high	406 FPS	405 FPS
ultra	341 FPS	342 FPS

Open Core 5 120U Open Core Ultra 7 155U

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core 5 120U	Core Ultra 7 155U
1080p
low	406 FPS	405 FPS
medium	406 FPS	405 FPS
high	406 FPS	405 FPS
ultra	406 FPS	405 FPS
1440p
low	406 FPS	405 FPS
medium	406 FPS	405 FPS
high	406 FPS	405 FPS
ultra	406 FPS	405 FPS
4K
low	406 FPS	405 FPS
medium	406 FPS	405 FPS
high	406 FPS	405 FPS
ultra	406 FPS	403 FPS

Open Core 5 120U Open Core Ultra 7 155U

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core 5 120U and Core Ultra 7 155U

Core 5 120U

The Core 5 120U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 8 January 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-U Refresh (2024) architecture. It features 10 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 1.4 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1744. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5200, DDR4-3200, LPDDR4X-4267. Passmark benchmark score: 16,225 points. Launch price was $299.

Core Ultra 7 155U

The Core Ultra 7 155U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Meteor Lake-P (2023) architecture. It features 12 cores and 14 threads. Base frequency is 1.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2049. Thermal design power (TDP): + 12 MB. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 16,185 points. Launch price was $490.

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Processing Power

The Core 5 120U packs 10 cores / 12 threads, while the Core Ultra 7 155U offers 12 cores / 14 threads — the Core Ultra 7 155U has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core 5 120U versus 4.8 GHz on the Core Ultra 7 155U — a 4.1% clock advantage for the Core 5 120U (base: 1.4 GHz vs 1.7 GHz). The Core 5 120U uses the Raptor Lake-U Refresh (2024) architecture (10 nm), while the Core Ultra 7 155U uses Meteor Lake-P (2023) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core 5 120U scores 16,225 against the Core Ultra 7 155U's 16,185 — a 0.2% lead for the Core 5 120U. Both processors carry 12 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core 5 120U	Core Ultra 7 155U
Cores / Threads	10 / 12	12 / 14+20%
Boost Clock	5 GHz+4%	4.8 GHz
Base Clock	1.4 GHz	1.7 GHz+21%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	12 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	2 MB (per core)+60%
Process	10 nm	7 nm-30%
Architecture	Raptor Lake-U Refresh (2024)	Meteor Lake-P (2023)
PassMark	16,225	16,185

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Memory & Platform

The Core 5 120U uses the FCBGA1744 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core Ultra 7 155U uses FCBGA2049 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.