Intel Core 5 120UL vs Intel Core i5-14501TE Comparison

The Verdict

The recorded data shows two very different Raptor Lake desktop parts sharing the same LGA 1700 socket. The Intel Core 5 120UL is a 10-core, 12-thread processor with a 15 W TDP and a 68th percentile standing among all CPUs. The Intel Core i5-14501TE is a 6-core, 12-thread processor with a 45 W TDP and a 50th percentile standing. The Core 5 120UL has a full benchmark record with an average score of 13594, while the Core i5-14501TE has no recorded benchmark scores in the database at all, which prevents any direct head-to-head comparison.

The Core 5 120UL is the only one of the two with measurable performance data, so any practical assessment must center on its results. Its average score of 13594 places it 0.7% ahead of the Intel Core i3-12100F, 0.8% ahead of the Intel Core 3 N355, and 1.1% ahead of the Intel Core i5-9500. It trails the Intel Core 3 304 by 1.1%. This positions the 120UL as a solid mid-pack desktop chip, competitive with mainstream quad-core and older six-core parts.

The i5-14501TE cannot be evaluated from benchmark data. Its specifications indicate a higher boost clock of 5.10 GHz versus 4.60 GHz, a larger 24 MB shared L3 cache versus 12 MB, support for PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes versus Gen 4 with 8 lanes, and ECC memory support that the 120UL lacks. It also draws more power at 45 W versus 15 W. Users requiring verified performance numbers should choose the Core 5 120UL; users who place priority on platform features like ECC memory, PCIe Gen 5, and a larger cache, and who can tolerate an unmeasured performance profile, would look at the i5-14501TE.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has more cores?

A: The Intel Core 5 120UL has 10 cores and 12 threads. The Intel Core i5-14501TE has 6 cores and 12 threads. Both support 12 threads, but the 120UL has 4 additional physical cores.

Q: How do the boost clocks compare?

A: The Core i5-14501TE boosts to 5.10 GHz, which is 0.50 GHz higher than the Core 5 120UL's 4.60 GHz boost. The i5-14501TE also has a higher base clock at 2.20 GHz versus 1.30 GHz.

Q: Do both CPUs support ECC memory?

A: No. The Core i5-14501TE supports ECC memory, while the Core 5 120UL does not list ECC memory support. Both support DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration.

Q: What is the difference in L3 cache?

A: The Core i5-14501TE has 24 MB of shared L3 cache, exactly double the 12 MB shared L3 cache on the Core 5 120UL. L1 and L2 cache are identical at 80 KB per core and 1.25 MB per core respectively.

Q: Which CPU has a higher benchmark percentile?

A: The Core 5 120UL sits at the 68th percentile among all CPUs, based on its recorded average benchmark score of 13594. The Core i5-14501TE sits at the 50th percentile but has no recorded benchmark scores, giving it an average benchmark score of 0 in the database.

Q: Do these CPUs use the same socket?

A: Yes. Both use Intel Socket 1700. Both are built on Intel's 10 nm process node and use the Raptor Lake architecture, though the Core 5 120UL is Raptor Lake-PS while the Core i5-14501TE is Raptor Lake-R.

Architecture Differences

Both processors belong to the Raptor Lake architecture family and are manufactured by Intel on a 10 nm process node. The Core 5 120UL carries the codename Raptor Lake-PS, while the Core i5-14501TE carries the codename Raptor Lake-R. The i5-14501TE is listed under the Core 14th Gen series and is described as Raptor Lake Refresh in its generation field, indicating it is a refresh iteration rather than a new microarchitecture.

The integrated graphics differ. The Core 5 120UL uses Iris Xe Graphics with 80 execution units. The Core i5-14501TE uses UHD Graphics 770. The database does not list execution unit counts for the i5-14501TE's graphics, so a direct EU comparison cannot be made.

The die size is another architectural distinction. The i5-14501TE has a recorded die size of 215 mm². The 120UL has no die size recorded. Transistor counts are absent for both parts.

The memory controllers are similar in that both support DDR4 and DDR5 in dual-channel mode, and neither has recorded memory bandwidth figures. The PCIe interfaces differ significantly. The 120UL provides PCIe Gen 4 with 8 CPU lanes, while the i5-14501TE provides PCIe Gen 5 with 16 CPU lanes. This reflects a substantial difference in expansion capability and bandwidth for storage and graphics.

Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier, so overclocking via multiplier adjustment is not supported on either. Both are listed as Active in production status and target the Desktop market segment. The release dates differ by about three months, with the 120UL released on 2024-04-07 and the i5-14501TE on 2024-06-30.

Specification Differences

The specifications where the two parts differ are clear and numerous.

Cores and threads: the Core 5 120UL has 10 cores and 12 threads, the Core i5-14501TE has 6 cores and 12 threads.

Clock speeds: the 120UL runs at 1.30 GHz base and 4.60 GHz boost, the i5-14501TE runs at 2.20 GHz base and 5.10 GHz boost.

TDP: the 120UL is rated at 15 W, the i5-14501TE at 45 W. This is a threefold difference in power envelope.

Cache: L1 and L2 are identical at 80 KB per core and 1.25 MB per core. L3 differs, with the 120UL at 12 MB shared and the i5-14501TE at 24 MB shared.

ECC memory: the i5-14501TE supports ECC, the 120UL does not.

PCIe: the 120UL uses PCIe Gen 4 with 8 CPU lanes, the i5-14501TE uses PCIe Gen 5 with 16 CPU lanes.

Integrated graphics: the 120UL has Iris Xe Graphics 80EU, the i5-14501TE has UHD Graphics 770.

Die size: the i5-14501TE has a die size of 215 mm², the 120UL has none recorded.

Generation naming: the 120UL is listed as "Core 5 (Raptor Lake-PS)", the i5-14501TE as "Core i5 (Raptor Lake Refresh)".

Release date: the 120UL released on 2024-04-07, the i5-14501TE on 2024-06-30.

Part number: the i5-14501TE has a recorded part number of Q49KSRNJN, the 120UL is listed as unknown.

Both share the same socket, process node, foundry, memory support, memory bus, market segment, production status, and multiplier-unlocked status. Neither has a recorded launch MSRP.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains no head-to-head benchmark results between the Core 5 120UL and the Core i5-14501TE. The head-to-head benchmark array is empty, and the i5-14501TE has no individual benchmark scores recorded. Its average benchmark score is 0, and its nearest rivals list is empty.

Because of this, all benchmark analysis must focus on the Core 5 120UL alone. Its recorded scores cover Cinebench and Passmark tests. In Cinebench R15, the 120UL scores 904 in multicore and 127 in single core. In Cinebench R20, it scores 3769 in multicore and 531 in single core. In Cinebench R23, it scores 8974 in multicore and 1266 in single core.

The Passmark results show a broad workload spread. The 120UL scores 109090 in data compression, 7685 in data encryption, and 5203 in extended instructions. Floating point math scores 26311, integer math scores 38060, and find prime numbers scores 47. The multithread score is 10558, physics scores 807, random string sorting scores 13610, and single thread scores 2080.

Relative to its nearest rivals, the 120UL's average score of 13594 is nearly identical to the Intel Core i3-12100F at 13494, a 0.7% advantage. It holds a 0.8% edge over the Intel Core 3 N355 at 13492 and a 1.1% edge over the Intel Core i5-9500 at 13452. The Intel Core 3 304 scores 13745, which is 1.1% higher than the 120UL. These margins are small enough that workload-specific behavior, not raw average, would determine the practical winner in any given task.

The absence of i5-14501TE scores means no statement can be made about which part wins any specific workload. The database simply does not contain that data.

Where Each One Wins

The Core 5 120UL wins on measured performance data. It has a complete benchmark record, an average score of 13594, and a 68th percentile ranking. It edges out the Core i3-12100F, Core 3 N355, and Core i5-9500 in average score. For any user who requires verified benchmark results, the 120UL is the only option with evidence behind it.

The Core i5-14501TE wins on platform capabilities. Its 24 MB L3 cache doubles the 120UL's 12 MB. Its PCIe Gen 5 interface with 16 lanes is two generations ahead of the 120UL's PCIe Gen 4 with 8 lanes. It supports ECC memory, which the 120UL does not. Its boost clock of 5.10 GHz is 0.50 GHz higher, and its base clock of 2.20 GHz is 0.90 GHz higher. Its die size of 215 mm² is recorded, while the 120UL's is not.

The thermal and power profiles favor the 120UL. At 15 W TDP, it draws one third of the i5-14501TE's 45 W TDP. For compact or low-power builds, the 120UL is the more efficient choice on paper. The i5-14501TE's higher TDP suggests it is intended for systems that can supply and dissipate more power, but without benchmark data its performance return on that power cannot be quantified.

The 120UL also leads in physical core count at 10 versus 6, which may benefit heavily threaded workloads, though the i5-14501TE's higher clocks and larger cache could offset that in single-threaded or cache-sensitive tasks. The database cannot confirm this because the i5-14501TE has no scores.

In summary, the data supports choosing the Core 5 120UL for any application where measured performance matters, and choosing the Core i5-14501TE only when its specific feature set, ECC memory, PCIe Gen 5, larger cache, or higher clock speeds, is the deciding factor. The i5-14501TE remains an unmeasured quantity in every benchmark category.