Intel Core 5 120UL vs Intel Core 5 330 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a decisive overall victory for the Intel Core 5 330, which wins 16 of the 17 head-to-head comparisons against the Intel Core 5 120UL. The average benchmark score for the Core 5 330 is 18345, placing it at the 72nd percentile of all CPUs, while the Core 5 120UL averages 13594, sitting at the 68th percentile. The performance gap is consistent across most workloads, with the Core 5 330 leading by roughly 31.8% in the majority of tests, and the Core 5 120UL taking a single win in integer math.

Starting with the Cinebench suite, the Core 5 330 dominates every single-core and multi-core test. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the Core 5 330 scores 1325 versus 904 for the Core 5 120UL, a difference of 31.8%. The single-core R15 result shows 186 versus 127, also a 31.7% gap. The pattern holds in R20, where the Core 5 330 posts 5523 multicore and 779 single-core, against 3769 and 531 respectively, both roughly 31.8% ahead. In R23, the Core 5 330 reaches 13150 multicore and 1856 single-core, while the Core 5 120UL manages 8974 and 1266, again a 31.8% difference.

The Passmark suite reinforces this trend. The Core 5 330 leads in data compression with 145287 versus 109090, a 24.9% advantage. Data encryption shows 11076 against 7685, a 30.6% gap. The largest single discrepancy appears in extended instructions, where the Core 5 330 scores 12808 versus 5203, a 59.4% margin. Prime number finding follows closely with 114 versus 47, a 58.8% difference. Floating point math shows 43885 versus 26311, a 40% lead for the Core 5 330.

The multithread Passmark score for the Core 5 330 is 15471, compared to 10558 for the Core 5 120UL, a 31.8% gap. Physics performance also favors the Core 5 330, with 1201 versus 807, a 32.8% difference. Random string sorting shows 17771 versus 13610, a 23.4% margin. Single-thread Passmark results are particularly lopsided: 4088 versus 2080, a 49.1% advantage for the Core 5 330.

The sole win for the Core 5 120UL comes in Passmark integer math, where it scores 38060 versus 33258, a 14.4% lead. This is the only test in the entire dataset where the Core 5 120UL outperforms its rival. Notably, the Core 5 120UL has 10 cores and 12 threads, while the Core 5 330 has 6 cores and 6 threads, so the integer math result indicates that the older chip's higher core count can still produce a win in a specific integer workload despite losing nearly everywhere else.

Where Each One Wins

The Core 5 330 wins across the full breadth of rendering, encryption, compression, physics, and single-threaded workloads. Its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 13150 and single-core score of 1856 make it the clear choice for CPU-bound tasks that rely on both parallel throughput and per-core speed. The Passmark extended instructions score of 12808, which is 59.4% higher than the Core 5 120UL, suggests strong support for specialized instruction sets, and the floating point math score of 43885 indicates robust numerical processing capability.

The Core 5 330 also leads in data encryption with 11076, data compression with 145287, and random string sorting with 17771. These results point to strong performance in data manipulation tasks, whether compressing archives, sorting records, or handling encrypted traffic. The single-thread Passmark score of 4088 is nearly double the 2080 of the Core 5 120UL, a 49.1% advantage that matters for applications that scale poorly across cores.

The Core 5 120UL, despite losing 16 tests, delivers a meaningful win in Passmark integer math with a score of 38060, 14.4% ahead of the Core 5 330's 33258. This suggests that for integer-heavy workloads, the additional cores and threads of the Core 5 120UL can translate into a tangible advantage. The 10-core, 12-thread configuration may help in scenarios where integer operations dominate, even if the per-core efficiency of the Core 5 330 is higher in most other areas.

It is also worth noting the overall context from the nearest rivals in the database. The Core 5 330 has an average score of 18345, with its closest competitor being the Intel Core i3-14100 at 18318, a 0.1% difference, and the Intel Core 7 360 at 18374, a 0.2% difference in the opposite direction. The Core 5 120UL, by contrast, sits at 13594, with the Intel Core i3-12100F at 13494 (0.7% behind) and the Intel Core 3 N355 at 13492 (0.8% behind). These figures show that the Core 5 330 competes in a higher performance tier than the Core 5 120UL.

The Verdict

The benchmark data indicates that the Intel Core 5 330 is the stronger processor in nearly every measured workload. Its 31.8% average lead across Cinebench tests, combined with a 49.1% single-thread Passmark advantage, makes it the logical pick for users prioritizing raw speed in both single-threaded and multi-threaded applications. The 72nd percentile ranking versus the 68th percentile for the Core 5 120UL confirms the overall performance hierarchy.

The Core 5 120UL, however, retains a specific niche. Its win in Passmark integer math with a 14.4% margin suggests that workloads dominated by integer operations could favor the 10-core, 12-thread configuration. For users running such tasks, the Core 5 120UL may be the better fit, particularly given that its average benchmark score of 13594 still places it close to competitors like the Intel Core i5-9500 at 13452.

The data does not support recommending the Core 5 120UL for general-purpose use, as the Core 5 330 leads in all rendering tests, all encryption and compression tests, and all single-threaded tests. The Core 5 330 is the clear winner for most users, while the Core 5 120UL is only preferable in the narrow case of integer math dominance.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core 5 330 has an average benchmark score of 18345, while the Intel Core 5 120UL has an average score of 13594.

Q: What is the largest performance difference between the two processors?

A: The largest difference is in Passmark extended instructions, where the Core 5 330 scores 12808 versus 5203, a 59.4% lead.

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

A: Yes, the Core 5 120UL wins Passmark integer math with a score of 38060, compared to 33258 for the Core 5 330, a 14.4% advantage.

Q: How do the single-thread scores compare?

A: The Core 5 330 scores 4088 in Passmark single-thread, while the Core 5 120UL scores 2080, a 49.1% difference.

Q: What are the percentile rankings for each processor?

A: The Core 5 330 is at the 72nd percentile of all CPUs, and the Core 5 120UL is at the 68th percentile.

Q: Which processor has the higher core count?

A: The Core 5 120UL has 10 cores and 12 threads, while the Core 5 330 has 6 cores and 6 threads.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Core 5 120UL uses the Raptor Lake architecture with the Raptor Lake-PS codename, built on a 10 nm process node. The Intel Core 5 330 uses the Wildcat Lake codename, built on a 3 nm process node. Both are manufactured by Intel, but the process node difference is substantial, with the 3 nm node offering a smaller feature size.

The Core 5 120UL has 10 cores and 12 threads, while the Core 5 330 has 6 cores and 6 threads. The cache structures differ as well. The Core 5 120UL lists L1 cache as 80 KB per core, L2 as 1.25 MB per core, and L3 as 12 MB shared. The Core 5 330 lists L1 as 192 KB, L2 as 2.5 MB, and L3 as 6 MB shared. The Core 5 120UL has a higher total L3 cache at 12 MB, while the Core 5 330 has 6 MB.

Memory support also differs. The Core 5 120UL supports DDR4 and DDR5 with a dual-channel memory bus, while the Core 5 330 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X with a single-channel memory bus. The Core 5 330 has a recorded memory bandwidth of 59.7 GB/s, while the Core 5 120UL has no memory bandwidth figure in the data.

Integrated graphics differ as well. The Core 5 120UL uses Iris Xe Graphics with 80 execution units, while the Core 5 330 uses Intel Xe3 Graphics with 2 Xe cores. The Core 5 120UL has a socket of Intel Socket 1700, while the Core 5 330 uses Intel BGA 1516. The market segment for the Core 5 120UL is Desktop, while the Core 5 330 is classified as Mobile.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several key specifications. The Core 5 120UL has 10 cores and 12 threads, while the Core 5 330 has 6 cores and 6 threads. Base clocks are 1.30 GHz for the Core 5 120UL and 1.50 GHz for the Core 5 330. Both have a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. Both have a TDP of 15 watts.

The process node is 10 nm for the Core 5 120UL and 3 nm for the Core 5 330. The Core 5 120UL uses the Raptor Lake-PS codename, while the Core 5 330 uses Wildcat Lake. The generation field lists the Core 5 120UL as Core 5 (Raptor Lake-PS) and the Core 5 330 as Core 5 (Wildcat Lake).

L1 cache is 80 KB per core for the Core 5 120UL and 192 KB for the Core 5 330. L2 cache is 1.25 MB per core for the Core 5 120UL and 2.5 MB for the Core 5 330. L3 cache is 12 MB shared for the Core 5 120UL and 6 MB shared for the Core 5 330.

Memory support differs, with the Core 5 120UL supporting DDR4 and DDR5 on a dual-channel bus, and the Core 5 330 supporting DDR5 and LPDDR5X on a single-channel bus. The Core 5 330 has a memory bandwidth of 59.7 GB/s, while the Core 5 120UL has no recorded bandwidth. PCIe support is Gen 4 with 8 lanes for the Core 5 120UL and Gen 4 with 6 lanes for the Core 5 330. The Core 5 330 has a launch MSRP of $309, and its part number is SAE3G, while the Core 5 120UL has no part number recorded. The release dates are 2024-04-07 for the Core 5 120UL and 2026-04-15 for the Core 5 330.