Intel Core 5 120U vs Intel Core i5-14401E Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data records six direct comparisons between the Intel Core 5 120U and the Intel Core i5-14401E, and the results are unambiguous. The desktop part wins every single test, but the margins vary dramatically by workload type.

The most striking result appears in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the Intel Core i5-14401E scores 18,161 against the Core 5 120U's 6,659. That is a 63.3% advantage, the largest delta in the entire head-to-head set. The gap suggests the two processors occupy entirely different performance strata when all cores are engaged. Multi-core rendering workloads will show a massive divide.

The single-core picture is closer but still favors the desktop chip. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the i5-14401E records 2,564 points versus 1,756.5 for the 120U, a 31.5% lead. Cinebench R20 single-core shows a similar pattern: 1,076 for the i5-14401E versus 755 for the 120U, a 29.8% advantage. The mobile part's 5.00 GHz boost clock does not overcome the desktop chip's architectural advantages in this test.

Cinebench R15 results follow the same trend. Multi-core scores are 1,830 for the i5-14401E and 1,150.5 for the 120U, a 37.1% gap. Single-core is much tighter: 258 versus 245, only a 5% difference. That narrow margin indicates the 120U can hold its own in lightly threaded, short-duration tasks, but the gap widens as the workload scales.

Cinebench R20 multi-core lands at 7,627 for the i5-14401E versus 5,349 for the 120U, a 29.9% delta. This is notably smaller than the R23 multi-core gap, which suggests the longer R23 workload exposes thermal or power constraints on the mobile part that shorter tests do not.

The data shows the i5-14401E delivers its biggest wins in sustained multi-core rendering, with the R23 result standing out as the defining benchmark. The smallest margin, 5% in R15 single-core, shows the 120U is competitive in brief single-threaded bursts.

Architecture Differences

Both processors share the Raptor Lake architecture and are built on Intel's 10 nm process node, but they diverge sharply in their physical configuration and market positioning.

The Core 5 120U packs 10 cores and 12 threads, while the i5-14401E uses 6 cores and 12 threads. The extra cores in the mobile part do not translate into performance superiority, as the head-to-head data confirms. The i5-14401E compensates with a higher base clock of 2.50 GHz versus 1.40 GHz, though the 120U has a higher boost clock at 5.00 GHz versus 4.70 GHz. The base clock advantage appears to matter more in sustained workloads.

Cache allocation differs significantly. Both use 80 KB of L1 per core and 1.25 MB of L2 per core, but the shared L3 cache is 20 MB on the i5-14401E versus 12 MB on the 120U. That 8 MB difference likely contributes to the desktop part's multi-core dominance, as more shared cache reduces memory latency under heavy thread contention.

The process node is identical at 10 nm, and both come from Intel's foundry. The i5-14401E has a documented die size of 215 mm², while the 120U has no die size recorded in the database. The desktop chip also shows a substantially higher TDP of 65 watts against 15 watts for the mobile part, which aligns with its sustained performance advantage.

Memory support is the same on paper: both support DDR4 and DDR5 with dual-channel memory buses. Neither has ECC memory support on the 120U, but the i5-14401E does support ECC memory, a meaningful differentiator for workstation-style applications.

PCIe connectivity diverges strongly. The i5-14401E offers Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU, while the 120U provides Gen 4 with 8 lanes. This positions the desktop chip for discrete GPUs and high-bandwidth storage, while the mobile part targets integrated, power-constrained systems.

Integrated graphics also differ. The 120U uses Iris Xe Graphics with 80 execution units, while the i5-14401E ships with the more modest UHD Graphics 730. The mobile part's iGPU is likely the stronger of the two for media and light graphics work, though the database does not include graphics benchmarks for either chip.

The sockets are entirely different: the 120U uses Intel BGA 1744, meaning it is soldered to the motherboard, while the i5-14401E uses Intel Socket 1700, a desktop socket. The market segments reflect this: Mobile for the 120U, Desktop for the i5-14401E. Release dates also differ, with the 120U appearing on 2024-01-07 and the i5-14401E on 2024-06-30.

The Verdict

The recorded benchmark data supports a straightforward conclusion. The Intel Core i5-14401E wins all six head-to-head comparisons and delivers particularly crushing results in multi-core workloads. The 63.3% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core is the single most decisive data point in this comparison.

The Core 5 120U does have its strengths, but they do not appear in the head-to-head benchmark set. Its 15 watt TDP, integrated Iris Xe Graphics with 80 execution units, and mobile socket point to a design focused on power efficiency and portability. The i5-14401E, with its 65 watt TDP, ECC memory support, and PCIe Gen 5 connectivity, targets desktop systems where sustained performance matters more than power draw.

The percentile rankings tell an interesting side story. The 120U sits at the 72nd percentile among all CPUs in the database, while the i5-14401E sits at the 60th percentile. This seems contradictory given the head-to-head results, but the percentile figures are based on average benchmark scores across different test suites. The 120U has a much larger benchmark profile in the database, with 19 recorded scores including PassMark tests, while the i5-14401E has only six Cinebench results. The average benchmark score for the 120U is 17,898, while the i5-14401E averages just 5,253, reflecting the broader test coverage rather than a genuine performance reversal.

The nearest rival data reinforces the positioning. The 120U's closest competitors in the database include the AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT with an average score of 17,891 (0% delta), the Intel Core 5 221TE at 17,860 (0.2%), the AMD Ryzen 5 1600 at 17,994 (-0.5%), and the Intel Core 7 350 at 17,779 (0.7%). The i5-14401E's nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon E5-2699A v4 at 5,259 (-0.1%), the Intel Core i7-11700B at 5,241 (0.2%), the Intel Core i9-10850K at 5,240 (0.2%), and the Intel Core i5-13400T at 5,210 (0.8%). These rival groups have essentially no overlap, confirming that the two processors serve different market tiers.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several key specifications:

| Specification | Intel Core 5 120U | Intel Core i5-14401E |

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

| Cores | 10 | 6 |

| Threads | 12 | 12 |

| Base Clock | 1.40 GHz | 2.50 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 5.00 GHz | 4.70 GHz |

| TDP | 15 W | 65 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 1744 | Intel Socket 1700 |

| Codename | Raptor Lake-U | Raptor Lake-R |

| Generation | Core 5 (Raptor Lake-U) | Core i5 (Raptor Lake Refresh) |

| Die Size | Not recorded | 215 mm² |

| L3 Cache | 12 MB (shared) | 20 MB (shared) |

| 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 | 2024-06-30 |

| Part Number | SRM7P | Q49JSRNJS |

| Multiplier Unlocked | No | No |

Shared specifications include the Raptor Lake architecture, 10 nm process node, Intel foundry, 80 KB L1 cache per core, 1.25 MB L2 cache per core, DDR4 and DDR5 memory support, and dual-channel memory bus. Both are currently active production parts with no launch MSRP recorded in the database.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Core 5 120U has 10 cores, while the Intel Core i5-14401E has 6 cores. Both have 12 threads.

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core 5 120U boosts to 5.00 GHz, while the Intel Core i5-14401E boosts to 4.70 GHz. However, the i5-14401E has a higher base clock at 2.50 GHz versus 1.40 GHz.

Q: How much faster is the i5-14401E in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The i5-14401E scores 18,161 versus 6,659 for the 120U, a 63.3% advantage. This is the largest performance gap in the head-to-head benchmark set.

Q: Does the 120U support ECC memory?

A: No. The Intel Core 5 120U does not support ECC memory. The Intel Core i5-14401E does support ECC memory.

Q: What PCIe generations do the two processors support?

A: The i5-14401E supports PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU. The 120U supports PCIe Gen 4 with 8 lanes from the CPU.

Q: Which processor has more L3 cache?

A: The Intel Core i5-14401E has 20 MB of shared L3 cache, while the Intel Core 5 120U has 12 MB of shared L3 cache.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i5-14401E wins every recorded head-to-head benchmark, but the context matters. Its most decisive victory comes in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the 63.3% margin indicates a clear advantage for sustained, heavily threaded workloads like video rendering, 3D modeling, and batch processing. The 29.9% and 29.8% leads in R20 multi-core and single-core respectively show consistent strength across both threaded and single-threaded tasks. The 37.1% R15 multi-core win and the 31.5% R23 single-core win round out a profile of broad superiority. The 65 watt TDP, 20 MB L3 cache, and PCIe Gen 5 support make it the choice for desktop systems that need consistent throughput without power constraints.

The Intel Core 5 120U wins no head-to-head benchmarks, but its specification profile suggests different strengths. The 15 watt TDP makes it suited for thermally constrained mobile designs. The Iris Xe Graphics with 80 execution units offers more integrated graphics horsepower than the UHD Graphics 730 in the desktop chip. The higher boost clock of 5.00 GHz provides a theoretical advantage in short, bursty single-threaded tasks, though the R15 single-core result shows only a 5% gap in practice. Its 10 cores provide more parallel hardware threads than the 6-core desktop part, even though both expose 12 threads. The mobile socket and Raptor Lake-U codename indicate a design intended for thin-and-light laptops where battery life and thermals take priority over raw performance. The nearest rival data places the 120U among desktop-class processors like the AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT and Ryzen 5 1600 in average score, but that reflects its broader benchmark coverage rather than head-to-head competitiveness with the i5-14401E.