Intel Core 5 120U vs Intel Core 9 273PTE Comparison

Intel Core 5 120U and Intel Core 9 273PTE occupy completely different segments of the desktop and mobile performance spectrum. The benchmark data shows a dominant overall victory for the Core 9 273PTE, which wins 15 of 17 head-to-head tests, while the Core 5 120U manages only 2 wins, both in identical single-threaded Passmark tests. The average benchmark score difference is substantial: the Core 9 273PTE records an average score of 31143, while the Core 5 120U sits at 17898. This places the Core 9 273PTE in the 82nd percentile of all CPUs, compared to the 72nd percentile for the Core 5 120U.

Where Each One Wins

The Core 9 273PTE is the clear winner in every multi-threaded and heavily parallel workload recorded in the database. Its largest margin comes in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where it scores 20445 against 6659 for the Core 5 120U, a deficit of 67.4% for the smaller chip. Similar patterns appear across Passmark tests: physics (1917 vs 937, a 51.1% gap), find prime numbers (142 vs 53, a 62.7% gap), and floating point math (60673 vs 36026, a 40.6% gap). The data indicates that any workload that scales with core count or sustained throughput will favor the Core 9 273PTE by a wide margin.

The Core 5 120U wins only in Passmark single-thread performance, scoring 3479 versus 3433 for the Core 9 273PTE. That is a narrow 1.3% advantage, recorded in both the single_thread and singlethread test entries. This indicates a slight edge in lightly threaded, short-burst tasks that rely on peak clock behavior rather than multi-core scaling. However, the Core 9 273PTE also wins every Cinebench single-core test, including R23 single-core at 2886 versus 1756.5 (a 39.1% gap), so the Core 5 120U's single-thread win is limited to the specific Passmark methodology. In practical terms, the Core 5 120U offers a marginal advantage only in that one benchmark family.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel families. The Core 5 120U uses Raptor Lake architecture with the Raptor Lake-U codename, while the Core 9 273PTE uses Bartlett Lake architecture. Both are built on a 10 nm process node at Intel's foundry. The Core 5 120U provides 10 cores and 12 threads, whereas the Core 9 273PTE provides 12 cores and 24 threads, meaning the larger chip doubles the thread count despite only adding 2 physical cores.

Cache configurations differ significantly. Both chips have 80 KB of L1 cache per core and 1.25 MB versus 2 MB of L2 cache per core for the Core 5 120U and Core 9 273PTE, respectively. The L3 cache difference is more pronounced: the Core 5 120U has 12 MB shared, while the Core 9 273PTE has 36 MB shared, a threefold increase. Memory support is identical in type (DDR4 and DDR5, dual-channel), but the Core 9 273PTE has a recorded memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s, whereas the Core 5 120U has no bandwidth figure in the database. The Core 9 273PTE also supports ECC memory, which the Core 5 120U does not.

The socket and platform differ completely. The Core 5 120U uses Intel BGA 1744, a mobile socket, and is classified as a mobile segment part. The Core 9 273PTE uses Intel Socket 1700 and is classified as a desktop segment part. PCIe support also differs: the Core 5 120U offers Gen 4 with 8 lanes (CPU only), while the Core 9 273PTE offers Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only). Integrated graphics differ as well: the Core 5 120U uses Iris Xe Graphics 80EU, while the Core 9 273PTE uses UHD Graphics 730.

The thermal design power (TDP) figures show a clear separation: 15 watts for the Core 5 120U versus 45 watts for the Core 9 273PTE. Base clocks are identical at 1.40 GHz for both, but boost clocks differ at 5.00 GHz for the Core 5 120U and 5.50 GHz for the Core 9 273PTE. The release dates are also distinct, with the Core 5 120U released in January 2024 and the Core 9 273PTE released in March 2026.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest single benchmark gap in the entire dataset is in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the Core 9 273PTE scores 20445 against 6659 for the Core 5 120U, a 67.4% deficit for the smaller chip. This result confirms that the Core 9 273PTE delivers more than three times the multi-threaded rendering performance in that test. The next largest gap is in Passmark find prime numbers, where the Core 9 273PTE scores 142 versus 53, a 62.7% deficit. This test stresses integer-heavy, latency-sensitive loops, and the Core 9 273PTE's larger cache and higher thread count produce a decisive advantage.

In Cinebench R20 multi-core, the Core 9 273PTE scores 8586 against 5349, a 37.7% gap. The same delta appears in Cinebench R20 single-core, with 1212 versus 755, also a 37.7% gap. Cinebench R15 shows a smaller single-core gap (290 vs 245, 15.5%) but a larger multi-core gap (2060 vs 1150.5, 44.2%). Passmark physics shows a 51.1% gap (1917 vs 937), and Passmark extended instructions shows a 41.7% gap (15952 vs 9299). Passmark floating point math is 40.6% in favor of the Core 9 273PTE (60673 vs 36026), and Passmark integer math is 36.6% (82411 vs 52280). Passmark data compression shows a 35.7% gap (258704 vs 166432), data encryption a 26.7% gap (14253 vs 10453), multithread a 37.5% gap (24054 vs 15042), and random string sorting a 34.2% gap (28973 vs 19060).

The only wins for the Core 5 120U are in Passmark single-thread and singlethread, both scoring 3479 versus 3433, a 1.3% margin. This is the narrowest delta in the entire head-to-head set, and it does not carry over to any Cinebench single-core result. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the Core 9 273PTE leads by 39.1%, indicating that the Core 5 120U's Passmark single-thread win is an outlier within the dataset rather than a consistent pattern.

The Verdict

The benchmark data indicates that the Intel Core 9 273PTE is the superior processor for virtually all recorded workloads. It wins 15 of 17 head-to-head tests, with a minimum multi-core advantage of 26.7% (data encryption) and a maximum of 67.4% (Cinebench R23 multi-core). The Core 9 273PTE also holds a higher average benchmark score (31143 vs 17898) and a higher percentile rank (82 vs 72). For users running rendering, physics simulation, encryption, compression, or any multi-threaded application, the Core 9 273PTE delivers between roughly a quarter and two-thirds more performance in the recorded tests.

The Intel Core 5 120U is only competitive in a single benchmark family: Passmark single-thread tests, where it beats the Core 9 273PTE by 1.3%. That is a negligible edge, and it is contradicted by the Cinebench single-core results, where the Core 9 273PTE leads by 15.5% to 39.1% depending on the version. The Core 5 120U also has a lower TDP (15 watts vs 45 watts) and a mobile socket (BGA 1744), which positions it for compact, low-power systems. The Core 9 273PTE, with its desktop socket (Socket 1700), higher TDP, ECC memory support, and PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes, is the appropriate choice for desktop workloads that require sustained multi-core performance.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core 9 273PTE has 12 cores and 24 threads, while the Intel Core 5 120U has 10 cores and 12 threads.

Q: What is the largest performance difference between the two in any benchmark?

A: The largest gap is in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the Core 9 273PTE scores 20445 and the Core 5 120U scores 6659, a 67.4% deficit for the Core 5 120U.

Q: Does the Core 5 120U win any benchmark tests?

A: Yes, it wins both Passmark single-thread and Passmark singlethread tests with a score of 3479 versus 3433 for the Core 9 273PTE, a 1.3% margin.

Q: What memory features differ between the two chips?

A: Both support DDR4 and DDR5 with dual-channel memory, but the Core 9 273PTE has a recorded memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s and supports ECC memory, while the Core 5 120U has no bandwidth figure and no ECC support.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core 9 273PTE has a boost clock of 5.50 GHz, while the Intel Core 5 120U has a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. Their base clocks are identical at 1.40 GHz.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each processor?

A: The Core 9 273PTE has an average benchmark score of 31143, and the Core 5 120U has an average benchmark score of 17898.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core 5 120U | Intel Core 9 273PTE |

|---|---|---|

| Cores | 10 | 12 |

| Threads | 12 | 24 |

| Boost Clock | 5.00 GHz | 5.50 GHz |

| TDP | 15 W | 45 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 1744 | Intel Socket 1700 |

| Codename | Raptor Lake-U | Bartlett Lake |

| L2 Cache | 1.25 MB (per core) | 2 MB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 12 MB (shared) | 36 MB (shared) |

| Memory Bandwidth | Not recorded | 89.6 GB/s |

| ECC Memory | No | Yes |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 8 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 5, 16 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | Iris Xe Graphics 80EU | UHD Graphics 730 |

| Market Segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Release Date | 2024-01-07 | 2026-03-08 |

| Launch MSRP | None recorded | $549 |

| Part Number | SRM7P | SA4QJ |