Intel Core 5 120 vs Intel Core i7-13620H Comparison
Intel Core 5 120
Core i7-13620H
PERFORMANCE BENCHMARKS
Analysis: Intel Core 5 120 vs Intel Core i7-13620H
The Verdict
The benchmark data splits these two processors into distinct roles. The Intel Core i7-13620H wins 13 of the 17 head-to-head tests, dominating almost every multi-threaded and throughput-oriented workload. The Intel Core 5 120 wins only 4 tests, but those wins are concentrated in the Cinebench R23 suite and in single-thread PassMark scores. The recorded data shows the Core i7-13620H is the stronger overall performer for heavily threaded tasks, leading by margins from 7.7% to 28.5% across most benchmarks. However, the Core 5 120 posts a decisive 40.6% lead in Cinebench R23 single-core and a 20.3% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core, which flips the expected hierarchy in that specific test generation. Users prioritizing raw multi-threaded throughput, data compression, encryption, or physics calculations should choose the Core i7-13620H. Users who rely on Cinebench R23 rendering workloads or who need the edge in PassMark single-thread performance should select the Core 5 120. Both processors sit at the 77th percentile among all CPUs, indicating similar overall standing despite their divergent strengths.
Architecture Differences
Both processors share the Raptor Lake architecture and a 10 nm process node from Intel, but they target different market segments. The Core 5 120 is a desktop part using the Raptor Lake-R refresh generation, while the Core i7-13620H is a mobile part from the Raptor Lake-H generation. The Core 5 120 has 6 cores and 12 threads, whereas the Core i7-13620H has 10 cores and 16 threads. This core count difference drives many of the multi-threaded benchmark results. The Core 5 120 has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.50 GHz, while the Core i7-13620H has a slightly lower base clock of 2.40 GHz but a higher boost clock of 4.90 GHz. The Core 5 120 draws 65 W TDP, while the Core i7-13620H draws 45 W TDP, reflecting the desktop versus mobile design targets.
Cache configurations differ notably. The Core 5 120 has 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core and 18 MB of shared L3 cache, while the Core i7-13620H has 2 MB of L2 cache per core and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. Both share the same 80 KB per-core L1 cache. The Core i7-13620H's larger L2 and L3 caches likely contribute to its wins in data-heavy tasks like compression and encryption. The Core 5 120 uses Intel Socket 1700 and offers 16 PCIe Gen 5 lanes from the CPU, while the Core i7-13620H uses Intel BGA 1744 and offers only 8 PCIe Gen 5 lanes. Integrated graphics differ as well: the Core 5 120 has UHD Graphics 730, while the Core i7-13620H has the slightly higher tier UHD Graphics 770. Both support DDR4 and DDR5 memory in dual-channel mode, and neither supports ECC memory. The Core 5 120 has a die size of 163 mm², while the Core i7-13620H's die size is not recorded. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier.
Head-to-Head Benchmarks
The Core i7-13620H wins the Cinebench R15 and R20 suites convincingly. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, it scores 2281 against 1840 for the Core 5 120, a 19.3% lead. In R15 single-core, the gap narrows to 1.5% with scores of 263 versus 259. The R20 results show a 7.7% lead in both multi-core and single-core: 8305 versus 7667 for multi-core, and 1172 versus 1082 for single-core. The picture reverses sharply in Cinebench R23, where the Core 5 120 scores 18255 in multi-core versus 15176 for the Core i7-13620H, a 20.3% advantage. The single-core R23 result is even more lopsided: 2577 versus 1833, a 40.6% lead for the Core 5 120. This reversal suggests that the R23 test generation responds differently to the two processors' characteristics, possibly due to the desktop part's sustained power delivery versus the mobile part's power constraints.
PassMark results consistently favor the Core i7-13620H across nearly every subtest. Data compression shows 281335 versus 219535, a 22% lead. Data encryption shows 15568 versus 11131, a 28.5% lead. Extended instructions score 17513 versus 14264, an 18.6% lead. Finding prime numbers yields 99 versus 77, a 22.2% lead. Floating point math scores 59762 versus 45383, a 24.1% lead. Integer math scores 80948 versus 60462, a 25.3% lead. The PassMark multi-thread test shows 24192 versus 18597, a 23.1% lead. Physics scores 1671 versus 1333, a 20.2% lead. Random string sorting shows 29395 versus 21499, a 26.9% lead. The only PassMark test where the Core 5 120 wins is single-thread, where it scores 3595 versus 3589, a narrow 0.2% margin. The Core i7-13620H also has additional 3DMark results recorded (not available for the Core 5 120): 7056 in 16 threads, 7178 in max threads, 5443 in 8 threads, 3621 in 4 threads, 1963 in 2 threads, and 1008 in single-thread, which further demonstrate its multi-threaded capability.
Specification Differences
The two processors differ in several key specifications. The Core 5 120 has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Core i7-13620H has 10 cores and 16 threads. Base clocks are 2.50 GHz versus 2.40 GHz, and boost clocks are 4.50 GHz versus 4.90 GHz. TDP is 65 W versus 45 W. Sockets are Intel Socket 1700 versus Intel BGA 1744. The Core 5 120 has a die size of 163 mm², while the Core i7-13620H has no recorded die size. L2 cache is 1.25 MB per core versus 2 MB per core, and L3 cache is 18 MB shared versus 24 MB shared. PCIe lanes are 16 versus 8, both Gen 5 from the CPU. Integrated graphics are UHD Graphics 730 versus UHD Graphics 770. The Core 5 120 has a launch MSRP of $211, while the Core i7-13620H has a launch MSRP of $502. The Core 5 120 was released in 2025, while the Core i7-13620H was released in 2023. The Core 5 120 has part number SA35V, while the Core i7-13620H has part number SRMJ0. The Core 5 120 has no series designation, while the Core i7-13620H belongs to the Core 13th Gen series. Market segments are Desktop versus Mobile. Both have the same L1 cache, memory support, memory bus, ECC status, process node, foundry, and unlocked multiplier status.
FAQ
Q: Which processor wins more head-to-head benchmarks?
A: The Intel Core i7-13620H wins 13 of the 17 head-to-head tests, while the Intel Core 5 120 wins 4.
Q: How do they compare in Cinebench R23 multi-core?
A: The Intel Core 5 120 scores 18255, which is 20.3% ahead of the Intel Core i7-13620H's 15176.
Q: What is the single-core performance difference in Cinebench R23?
A: The Intel Core 5 120 scores 2577, a 40.6% lead over the Intel Core i7-13620H's 1833.
Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?
A: The Intel Core i7-13620H has 10 cores and 16 threads, compared to the Intel Core 5 120's 6 cores and 12 threads.
Q: How do the cache sizes differ?
A: The Intel Core i7-13620H has 2 MB of L2 cache per core and 24 MB of shared L3 cache, while the Intel Core 5 120 has 1.25 MB of L2 per core and 18 MB of shared L3.
Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?
A: The Intel Core i7-13620H boosts to 4.90 GHz, while the Intel Core 5 120 boosts to 4.50 GHz.
Where Each One Wins
The Intel Core i7-13620H wins in nearly every throughput-oriented task. Data compression, encryption, extended instructions, prime number finding, floating point math, integer math, multi-threaded PassMark, physics, and random string sorting all go to the mobile part by margins between 18.6% and 28.5%. The Cinebench R15 and R20 suites also favor the Core i7-13620H, with multi-core leads of 19.3% and 7.7% respectively. The 3DMark results, which are only recorded for the Core i7-13620H, show strong scaling from 1008 in single-thread to 7178 in max threads, indicating robust multi-threaded performance. This processor is the clear choice for users running heavily parallel workloads, data manipulation tasks, or physics simulations.
The Intel Core 5 120 wins in Cinebench R23, both multi-core and single-core, with substantial margins of 20.3% and 40.6% respectively. It also edges out the Core i7-13620H in PassMark single-thread by a 0.2% margin. The desktop part's higher base clock of 2.50 GHz and its 65 W TDP may explain its advantage in the R23 test, which appears to reward sustained single-core and multi-core performance under desktop power conditions. Users who rely on Cinebench R23 for rendering workloads, or who prioritize single-thread responsiveness, should favor the Core 5 120 despite its lower core count. The two processors match at the 77th percentile overall, so neither is a universal winner; the choice depends entirely on which benchmark suite best represents the intended workload.