Intel Core 5 120U vs Intel Core i9-14901E Comparison
Intel Core 5 120U
Core i9-14901E
PERFORMANCE BENCHMARKS
Analysis: Intel Core 5 120U vs Intel Core i9-14901E
The Verdict
The benchmark data separates these two Intel parts cleanly. The Intel Core i9-14901E wins every single head-to-head test in the database, 17 wins to 0. The average benchmark score for the i9-14901E is 37911, which places it at the 86th percentile of all CPUs. The Core 5 120U averages 17898, sitting at the 72nd percentile. That is a massive gap in overall performance.
The Core 5 120U is a mobile processor with a 15 TDP, built for Intel BGA 1744 sockets. The i9-14901E is a desktop part with a 65 TDP on Intel Socket 1700. The data indicates these are not competing for the same user. The 120U delivers a strong efficiency-oriented option for compact systems, while the i9-14901E is the clear choice for anyone needing high throughput in a desktop environment. The i9-14901E also supports ECC memory, a feature the 120U lacks, making it the appropriate pick for reliability-focused desktop workloads. For sheer processing power, the i9-14901E is the decisive winner in every recorded metric.
FAQ
Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?
A: The Intel Core i9-14901E has an average benchmark score of 37911, compared to 17898 for the Intel Core 5 120U.
Q: How do the two compare in multi-threaded Cinebench R23 performance?
A: The i9-14901E scores 25753 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, while the 120U scores 6659. The i9-14901E leads by 74.1%.
Q: Does the Intel Core 5 120U win any benchmark in the head-to-head comparison?
A: No. The recorded data shows the i9-14901E wins all 17 head-to-head benchmark comparisons, with the 120U recording zero wins.
Q: What are the memory support differences?
A: Both processors support DDR4 and DDR5 memory with a dual-channel bus. The i9-14901E adds ECC memory support, which the 120U does not have.
Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?
A: The i9-14901E boosts up to 5.60 GHz, while the Core 5 120U boosts up to 5.00 GHz.
Q: What is the market segment for each chip?
A: The Core 5 120U is classified as a Mobile processor, and the i9-14901E is classified as a Desktop processor.
Architecture Differences
Both processors are built on Intel's Raptor Lake architecture and use a 10 nm process node from Intel's own foundry. The Core 5 120U uses the Raptor Lake-U codename, while the i9-14901E uses Raptor Lake-R. The core configurations differ substantially. The 120U has 10 cores and 12 threads, while the i9-14901E has 8 cores and 16 threads. The i9-14901E has more threads despite fewer cores, indicating a different core type arrangement.
The cache hierarchy diverges significantly. Both have 80 KB of L1 cache per core. The L2 cache is 1.25 MB per core on the 120U, but the i9-14901E has 2 MB per core. The L3 cache difference is stark: 12 MB shared on the 120U versus 36 MB shared on the i9-14901E. The i9-14901E also has a known die size of 257 mm², while the 120U does not have a recorded die size.
The i9-14901E supports PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU, while the 120U supports PCIe Gen 4 with 8 lanes. Integrated graphics differ as well, with the 120U featuring Iris Xe Graphics 80EU and the i9-14901E using UHD Graphics 770. The i9-14901E includes ECC memory support, a feature absent from the 120U. The release dates show the 120U launched on 2024-01-07, and the i9-14901E launched later on 2024-06-30. Both processors are currently marked as Active in production status.
Specification Differences
The two processors differ on several core specifications in the database. The Core 5 120U has 10 cores and 12 threads, while the i9-14901E has 8 cores and 16 threads. Base clocks are 1.40 GHz for the 120U and 2.80 GHz for the i9-14901E. Boost clocks reach 5.00 GHz on the 120U and 5.60 GHz on the i9-14901E. The TDP rating is 15 for the mobile chip and 65 for the desktop chip.
The socket types are incompatible: Intel BGA 1744 for the 120U and Intel Socket 1700 for the i9-14901E. The L2 cache is 1.25 MB per core on the 120U versus 2 MB per core on the i9-14901E. The L3 cache is 12 MB shared versus 36 MB shared. PCIe support goes from Gen 4 with 8 lanes on the 120U to Gen 5 with 16 lanes on the i9-14901E. ECC memory is supported only on the i9-14901E. The integrated graphics differ, with Iris Xe Graphics 80EU on the 120U and UHD Graphics 770 on the i9-14901E. The market segment is Mobile for the 120U and Desktop for the i9-14901E. The die size for the i9-14901E is 257 mm², with no die size recorded for the 120U. The part numbers are SRM7P for the 120U and Q49ESRNJH for the i9-14901E.
Head-to-Head Benchmarks
The i9-14901E dominates every benchmark in the head-to-head data. The largest single gap appears in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the i9-14901E scores 25753 versus 6659 for the 120U, a delta of 74.1%. That result shows the desktop chip delivering nearly four times the multi-core rendering throughput in that test.
Cinebench R15 multi-core shows the i9-14901E at 2595 against 1150.5, a 55.7% lead. Cinebench R20 multi-core has the i9-14901E at 10816 versus 5349, a 50.5% lead. Single-core results follow the same pattern. Cinebench R15 single-core is 366 versus 245, a 33.1% lead. Cinebench R20 single-core is 1526 versus 755, a 50.5% lead. Cinebench R23 single-core is 3635 versus 1756.5, a 51.7% lead.
The PassMark suite confirms the pattern across varied workloads. The i9-14901E scores 288777 in data compression versus 166432, a 42.4% lead. Data encryption shows 18571 versus 10453, a 43.7% lead. Extended instructions score 17249 versus 9299, a 46.1% lead. Find prime numbers is 189 versus 53, a 72% lead. Floating point math is 81089 versus 36026, a 55.6% lead. Integer math is 112736 versus 52280, a 53.6% lead. The multithread score is 30298 versus 15042, a 50.4% lead. Physics is 3041 versus 937, a 69.2% lead. Random string sorting is 39138 versus 19060, a 51.3% lead. The single-thread PassMark score is 4354 versus 3479, a 20.1% lead.
The smallest victory for the i9-14901E is in PassMark single-thread performance, where it leads by 20.1%. That still represents a clear advantage in lightly threaded applications. The largest leads are in Cinebench R23 multi-core and PassMark find prime numbers, both above 70%. The benchmark results indicate the i9-14901E has a consistent, substantial advantage across rendering, encryption, compression, math workloads, and single-thread tasks. The 120U, for its part, delivers competitive scores for a 15-watt mobile processor, but the recorded data shows no workload category where it overtakes the i9-14901E.