Core 5 120vsRyzen Threadripper 9960X
The Intel Core 5 120 is a mainstream 6-core processor for everyday computing and light multitasking, while the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9960X is a 24-core workstation chip built for heavy rendering and professional workloads.
Core 5 120
Raptor Lake-R · 10 nm · 2025
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Ryzen Threadripper 9960X
Shimada Peak · 4 nm · 2025
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Overall Performance Score
A unified score from combined synthetic and real-world benchmarks. 100 represents the fastest desktop CPU available.
Side-by-Side Specs
Every detail compared. Highlighted cells indicate the leading value for that metric.
Which should you buy?
The Ryzen Threadripper 9960X wins overall for anyone needing extreme multi-threaded performance, far outpacing the Core 5 120.
For budget buyers, the Core 5 120 is the smarter pick, offering adequate everyday performance at a fraction of the Threadripper's cost.
The Core 5 120 is the right choice for a basic office PC where low power draw and modest processing needs make the Threadripper overkill.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Core 5 120 better than the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X?
Overall the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X is the stronger processor: it ranks higher in our aggregate performance score (56 vs 11 out of 100), so it leads the Core 5 120 in most workloads.
How much faster is the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X than the Core 5 120?
Based on our aggregated benchmark scores the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X is roughly 409% faster than the Core 5 120 overall. The real-world gap varies by game, resolution and settings.
Which should you buy, the Core 5 120 or the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X?
If you want the most performance, pick the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X. If the Core 5 120 is meaningfully cheaper where you shop, it can be the better value for similar real-world results — check current prices and the full spec comparison above before deciding.