Intel Core 5 120 vs Intel Core 7 350 Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark split between these two processors is stark and heavily favors the Intel Core 5 120, which takes 13 of the 17 recorded head-to-head tests. The Core 5 120 is a desktop part built around Raptor Lake, and the data shows it dominates in any workload that scales with multiple threads. Its 6 cores and 12 threads give it a structural advantage over the Core 7 350, which has 6 cores but only 6 threads, meaning no simultaneous multithreading on the mobile chip.

The Core 5 120 wins across all three Cinebench multicore tests, and the margins grow as the workload becomes more demanding. In Cinebench R23 multicore, it delivers a 127.3% advantage, which is the largest win recorded between the two. The same pattern appears in PassMark integer math, where the Core 5 120 leads by 79.2%, and in data compression, where it holds a 53.4% edge. These are throughput-oriented tasks that reward additional thread resources, and the desktop chip uses that headroom decisively.

The Core 7 350, by contrast, wins only 4 tests, and its victories are concentrated in single-threaded or specific algorithm workloads. It takes Cinebench R15 singlecore with an 11.3% margin, PassMark single-thread with a 12.3% margin, and PassMark find prime numbers with a 28% margin. The single-thread wins make sense given its higher boost clock of 4.80 GHz versus 4.50 GHz on the Core 5 120. The prime number test is a notable outlier: it favors the Core 7 350 despite the Core 5 120 winning most other compute tests, suggesting the mobile chip's architecture handles that particular integer sequence more efficiently.

For general desktop productivity, multithreaded rendering, or data-heavy workloads, the recorded data points firmly to the Core 5 120. For lightly threaded tasks where a single core carries the load, or for workloads similar to prime number searching, the Core 7 350 shows a clear advantage. The Core 7 350 sits at the 71st percentile among all CPUs, while the Core 5 120 sits at the 77th percentile, confirming the desktop part's higher overall standing.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel design families and target different market segments. The Core 5 120 uses the Raptor Lake architecture with the Raptor Lake-R codename, built on a 10 nm process node with a die size of 163 mm². It is a desktop processor designed for Intel Socket 1700. The Core 7 350 uses the Wildcat Lake codename, built on a 3 nm process node with no die size recorded, and is a mobile processor designed for the Intel BGA 1516 socket.

Core counts match at 6, but thread counts differ: the Core 5 120 has 12 threads, while the Core 7 350 has only 6. This is the single most important architectural difference for multithreaded performance. Cache configurations also diverge significantly. The Core 5 120 has 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 18 MB of shared L3. The Core 7 350 has larger per-core L1 and L2 allocations at 192 KB and 2.5 MB respectively, but its shared L3 is only 6 MB. The mobile chip has more private cache per core, which likely contributes to its single-thread wins, but the desktop chip has three times the total L3 capacity for shared data.

Base clocks tell a similar story. The Core 5 120 runs at 2.50 GHz base and boosts to 4.50 GHz. The Core 7 350 runs at a much lower 1.50 GHz base but boosts to 4.80 GHz. The lower base clock reflects the mobile thermal envelope, while the higher boost clock explains the Core 7 350's single-thread victories. Thermal design power also differs sharply: the Core 5 120 is rated at 65 watts, while the Core 7 350 is rated at 15 watts. The desktop part consumes substantially more power to sustain its multithreaded throughput.

Memory support and PCIe lanes also separate the two. The Core 5 120 supports DDR4 and DDR5 in a dual-channel configuration, with PCIe Gen 5 and 16 CPU lanes. The Core 7 350 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X in a single-channel configuration with a recorded memory bandwidth of 59.7 GB/s, and uses PCIe Gen 4 with only 6 CPU lanes. The integrated graphics differ as well: the Core 5 120 uses UHD Graphics 730, while the Core 7 350 uses Intel Xe3 Graphics with 2 Xe cores. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier. The release dates place the Core 5 120 in 2025 and the Core 7 350 in 2026, with the mobile part arriving later.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest single win belongs to the Core 5 120 in Cinebench R23 multicore, where it scores 18255 against 8030 for the Core 7 350. That is a 127.3% delta, more than double the mobile chip's output. Cinebench R15 multicore shows a 50.8% lead for the Core 5 120 (1840 versus 1220), and Cinebench R20 multicore shows a 42.7% lead (7667 versus 5373). The desktop chip also wins Cinebench R20 singlecore by 42.7% (1082 versus 758), which is surprising given the Core 7 350's higher boost clock, but the desktop part's higher base clock and larger L3 likely carry it through this specific test.

The Core 5 120 also wins Cinebench R23 singlecore by 26% (2577 versus 2046). This is a critical result: the Core 7 350 only wins the older Cinebench R15 singlecore test, where it scores 292 against 259, an 11.3% margin. In PassMark tests, the Core 5 120 wins data compression by 53.4% (219535 versus 143123), integer math by 79.2% (60462 versus 33734), multithread by 22.6% (18597 versus 15170), random string sorting by 24.7% (21499 versus 17238), extended instructions by 18.4% (14264 versus 12045), floating point math by 6% (45383 versus 42809), physics by 13.6% (1333 versus 1173), and data encryption by a narrow 1.8% (11131 versus 10933).

The Core 7 350 takes PassMark single-thread by 12.3% (4100 versus 3595) and PassMark find prime numbers by 28% (107 versus 77). These wins confirm that the mobile chip's per-core efficiency is real, but they are isolated to workloads that do not benefit from the Core 5 120's extra threads. The prime number result is especially interesting because the Core 5 120 wins integer math overall, yet loses this specific integer workload by a wide margin. That indicates the Core 7 350's larger per-core L1 and L2 caches help it execute the prime number algorithm with less memory latency.

In the aggregate, the average benchmark score for the Core 5 120 is 25362, while the Core 7 350 averages 17779. The nearest rival data places the Core 5 120 alongside the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D with a 0% delta and the Intel Core i5-13400F with a 0.3% delta. The Core 7 350 sits near the Intel Core 5 221TE with a -0.5% delta and the AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT with a -0.6% delta. These relative standings reinforce the overall performance gap between the two.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more head-to-head benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core 5 120 wins 13 of the 17 recorded tests, while the Intel Core 7 350 wins 4.

Q: Why does the Core 5 120 dominate multithreaded workloads?

A: The Core 5 120 has 12 threads versus 6 threads on the Core 7 350, and it has 18 MB of shared L3 cache versus 6 MB. The multithread advantage shows in Cinebench R23 multicore, where it leads by 127.3%.

Q: Where does the Core 7 350 perform better?

A: The Core 7 350 wins PassMark single-thread by 12.3%, Cinebench R15 singlecore by 11.3%, and PassMark find prime numbers by 28%. Its 4.80 GHz boost clock and larger per-core L1 and L2 caches support these wins.

Q: What are the socket and market differences?

A: The Core 5 120 is a desktop processor on Intel Socket 1700, while the Core 7 350 is a mobile processor on Intel BGA 1516.

Q: How do the process nodes compare?

A: The Core 5 120 uses a 10 nm process node, while the Core 7 350 uses a 3 nm process node with no die size recorded.

Q: What memory types does each support?

A: The Core 5 120 supports DDR4 and DDR5 in dual-channel mode. The Core 7 350 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X in single-channel mode with a recorded memory bandwidth of 59.7 GB/s.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every measurable specification except core count, manufacturer, foundry, ECC support, and unlocked multiplier status.

• Threads: 12 on the Core 5 120, 6 on the Core 7 350
• Base clock: 2.50 GHz on the Core 5 120, 1.50 GHz on the Core 7 350
• Boost clock: 4.50 GHz on the Core 5 120, 4.80 GHz on the Core 7 350
• TDP: 65 watts on the Core 5 120, 15 watts on the Core 7 350
• Socket: Intel Socket 1700 on the Core 5 120, Intel BGA 1516 on the Core 7 350
• Architecture: Raptor Lake on the Core 5 120, no architecture listed for the Core 7 350
• Codename: Raptor Lake-R on the Core 5 120, Wildcat Lake on the Core 7 350
• Generation: Core 5 (Raptor Lake Refresh) on the Core 5 120, Core 5 (Wildcat Lake) on the Core 7 350
• Process node: 10 nm on the Core 5 120, 3 nm on the Core 7 350
• Die size: 163 mm² on the Core 5 120, none recorded for the Core 7 350
• L1 cache: 80 KB per core on the Core 5 120, 192 KB per core on the Core 7 350
• L2 cache: 1.25 MB per core on the Core 5 120, 2.5 MB per core on the Core 7 350
• L3 cache: 18 MB shared on the Core 5 120, 6 MB shared on the Core 7 350
• Memory support: DDR4 and DDR5 on the Core 5 120, DDR5 and LPDDR5X on the Core 7 350
• Memory bus: Dual-channel on the Core 5 120, single-channel on the Core 7 350
• Memory bandwidth: none recorded for the Core 5 120, 59.7 GB/s on the Core 7 350
• PCIe: Gen 5 with 16 CPU lanes on the Core 5 120, Gen 4 with 6 CPU lanes on the Core 7 350
• Integrated graphics: UHD Graphics 730 on the Core 5 120, Intel Xe3 Graphics with 2 Xe cores on the Core 7 350
• Market segment: Desktop on the Core 5 120, mobile on the Core 7 350
• Release date: 2025-07-30 for the Core 5 120, 2026-04-15 for the Core 7 350
• Launch MSRP: $211 for the Core 5 120, $469 for the Core 7 350
• Part number: SA35V on the Core 5 120, SAE3F on the Core 7 350