Intel Core 5 120 vs Qualcomm Snapdragon X1E-78-100 Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The data available for these two processors is asymmetrical. The Intel Core 5 120 has a complete set of recorded benchmark scores across multiple test suites, while the Qualcomm Snapdragon X1E-78-100 has no benchmark entries in the database. Consequently, the Intel part is the only one with measurable wins in any workload category. The Intel Core 5 120 delivers a multi-core Cinebench R23 score of 18255 and a single-core score of 2577, alongside a Passmark multithread score of 18597 and a single-thread score of 3595. The Snapdragon X1E-78-100 shows no recorded scores for Cinebench R15, R20, R23, or any Passmark workload, meaning it cannot claim a single benchmark win from the recorded data.

The Intel Core 5 120 holds an average benchmark score of 25362 and sits in the 77th percentile among all CPUs in the database. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D, averages 25365, a delta of 0 percent, which places the Intel part essentially at parity with that chip. The Intel Core i7-11700KF averages 25423, which is 0.2 percent higher than the Core 5 120, while the Intel Core i5-13400F averages 25292, 0.3 percent lower. The AMD Ryzen 7 7840U averages 25432, 0.3 percent higher. These deltas are all within a fraction of a percentage point, indicating the Core 5 120 clusters tightly with its nearest competition.

The Snapdragon X1E-78-100, by contrast, has a percentile rank of 50 and an average benchmark score of 0 in the database, with no nearest rivals listed. This means no comparative wins can be attributed to it. The use-case split is therefore one-sided: the Intel Core 5 120 is the only processor in this comparison with recorded performance data, and it wins every measurable workload category by default, including multi-core rendering, single-core responsiveness, and the various Passmark math and encryption tests.

Architecture Differences

The two chips diverge sharply in their underlying designs. The Intel Core 5 120 uses Raptor Lake architecture, specifically the Raptor Lake-R refresh, built on a 10 nm process node at Intel's own foundry. It has 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.50 GHz. The thermal design power is 65 watts. The Snapdragon X1E-78-100 uses the Oryon codename under the Snapdragon X (Elite) generation, fabricated on a 4 nm process at TSMC. It has 12 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and no boost clock listed. Its thermal design power is 35 watts.

Cache layouts differ substantially. The Intel part allocates 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 18 MB of shared L3 cache. The Snapdragon provides 288 KB of L1 per core, 12 MB of L2 per module, and 6 MB of shared L3. The Intel chip has a die size of 163 mm² and uses Intel Socket 1700, while the Snapdragon uses Qualcomm BGA 2073 with no die size recorded. The Intel processor supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, whereas the Snapdragon supports LPDDR5X with a recorded memory bandwidth of 135.2 GB/s.

PCIe connectivity also separates them. The Intel Core 5 120 offers PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU, while the Snapdragon X1E-78-100 provides PCIe Gen 4 with 12 lanes. Integrated graphics differ: Intel uses UHD Graphics 730, and Qualcomm uses the Adreno X1-85. Neither chip supports ECC memory, and both have locked multipliers. The Intel part has a launch MSRP of $211, while the Snapdragon has no launch MSRP recorded. Release dates place the Snapdragon in April 2024 and the Intel part in July 2025, with both currently listed as active production parts.

The Verdict

From the recorded data alone, the Intel Core 5 120 is the only processor with measurable performance. It posts a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 18255 and a single-core score of 2577, plus a Passmark multithread score of 18597 and single-thread score of 3595. The Snapdragon X1E-78-100 has zero benchmark entries, an average score of 0, and a 50th percentile rank, which places it below the Intel part's 77th percentile in the database distribution.

The Intel chip also aligns closely with established desktop rivals. Its average score of 25362 sits within 0.3 percent of the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D, the Intel Core i7-11700KF, the Intel Core i5-13400F, and the AMD Ryzen 7 7840U. That clustering suggests the Core 5 120 performs at a level consistent with those parts across the aggregate benchmark suite. The Snapdragon, lacking any scores, cannot be positioned relative to any rivals.

Architecturally, the Snapdragon offers more cores (12 versus 6), a higher base clock (3.40 GHz versus 2.50 GHz), a smaller process node (4 nm versus 10 nm), and lower TDP (35 watts versus 65 watts). However, none of those specifications translate into recorded benchmark outcomes. The Intel part is a desktop segment processor with a 65-watt TDP, Gen 5 PCIe lanes, and DDR4/DDR5 support, while the Snapdragon is a mobile part with LPDDR5X memory and a 35-watt TDP. For any user choosing strictly on measured performance, the Intel Core 5 120 is the only option with data to support it.

FAQ

Q: Does the Qualcomm Snapdragon X1E-78-100 have any benchmark scores in the database?

A: No. The Snapdragon X1E-78-100 has an empty benchmarks array, an average benchmark score of 0, and no nearest rivals listed.

Q: How does the Intel Core 5 120 compare to the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D?

A: The Intel Core 5 120 has an average benchmark score of 25362, while the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D averages 25365, a delta of 0 percent, indicating near-identical aggregate performance.

Q: What is the percentile ranking of each processor?

A: The Intel Core 5 120 sits in the 77th percentile among all CPUs, while the Snapdragon X1E-78-100 is in the 50th percentile.

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Snapdragon X1E-78-100 has 12 cores and 12 threads. The Intel Core 5 120 has 6 cores and 12 threads.

Q: What are the thermal design power ratings?

A: The Intel Core 5 120 has a TDP of 65 watts, and the Snapdragon X1E-78-100 has a TDP of 35 watts.

Q: What memory types does each processor support?

A: The Intel Core 5 120 supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory in dual-channel mode. The Snapdragon X1E-78-100 supports LPDDR5X with a recorded memory bandwidth of 135.2 GB/s.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head benchmark array is empty, so no direct matched test comparisons exist between the Intel Core 5 120 and the Snapdragon X1E-78-100. The available data consists solely of the Intel part's individual benchmark scores. In Cinebench R23, the Intel Core 5 120 scores 18255 multi-core and 2577 single-core. In Cinebench R20, it scores 7667 multi-core and 1082 single-core. In Cinebench R15, it scores 1840 multi-core and 259 single-core. These results show a consistent scaling pattern across the three Cinebench versions, with the multi-core scores increasing as the workload version updates.

Passmark results for the Intel chip cover several specific workloads. The data compression test records 219535, while data encryption scores 11131. Extended instructions reach 14264, and find prime numbers scores 77. Floating point math posts 45383, integer math reaches 60462, and the multithread score is 18597. Physics scores 1333, random string sorting scores 21499, and single-thread performance is 3595, recorded identically in both the passmark_single_thread and passmark_singlethread tests.

The Snapdragon X1E-78-100 has no corresponding scores in any of these tests. Its only recorded attributes are architectural: 12 cores, 12 threads, a 3.40 GHz base clock, 35-watt TDP, 4 nm process, and 135.2 GB/s memory bandwidth. The absence of benchmark entries means no head-to-head numeric comparison can be made for any workload. The largest wins for the Intel Core 5 120 are all of its recorded scores, since the Qualcomm part contributes no data to compare against.