CPU Showdown

Core 5 120ULvsRyzen Threadripper 9970X

The Intel Core 5 120UL is a low-power chip for compact office PCs and embedded systems, while the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is a high-core workstation monster for professionals crunching through massive datasets.

Intel Core 5 120UL
10C / 12T · 15W
VS
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9970X
32C / 64T · 350W
Intel

Core 5 120UL

Raptor Lake-PS · 10 nm · 2024

6score
0/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
10 / 12
TDP
15W
Boost Clock
4.6 GHz
L3 Cache
12 MB

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AMD

Ryzen Threadripper 9970X

Shimada Peak · 4 nm · 2025

64score
4.4/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
32 / 64
TDP
350W
Boost Clock
5.4 GHz
L3 Cache
128 MB

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Aggregate Performance

Overall Performance Score

A unified score from combined synthetic and real-world benchmarks. 100 represents the fastest desktop CPU available.

Core 5 120UL
6
Ryzen Threadripper 9970XWinner
64
Ryzen Threadripper 9970X leads by 966.7% in aggregate performance.
Where they rank overall
#3Ryzen Threadripper 7980X82
#4Ryzen Threadripper 9970X64
#5Ryzen Threadripper 7970X60
#363Core i5-9600KF6
#364Core 5 120UL6
#365Core i7-9700T6
Technical Specifications

Side-by-Side Specs

Every detail compared. Highlighted cells indicate the leading value for that metric.

SpecsCore 5 120ULRyzen Threadripper 9970X
Cores
Total Cores1032
Threads1264
Base Clock1.3 GHz4.0 GHz
Boost Clock4.6 GHz5.4 GHz
Cache
L2 Cache12.5 MB32 MB
L3 Cache12 MB128 MB
Platform
Socket1700sTR5
MemoryDDR4DDR5
PCIePCIe 4.0PCIe 5.0
iGPUIntel Iris Xe Graphics 80EU
Power
Base TDP15W350W
General
Process10 nm4 nm
Verdict

Which should you buy?

Winner overall

The Ryzen Threadripper 9970X wins overall for users needing extreme multi-core performance, far outclassing the Core 5 120UL.

Best value

For budget-focused buyers, the Core 5 120UL is the smarter pick due to its low power draw and lower cost.

When the other wins

The Core 5 120UL is the right choice in a compact, fanless system where minimal heat output is critical.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is the Core 5 120UL better than the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X?

Overall the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is the stronger processor: it ranks higher in our aggregate performance score (64 vs 6 out of 100), so it leads the Core 5 120UL in most workloads.

How much faster is the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X than the Core 5 120UL?

Based on our aggregated benchmark scores the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is roughly 967% faster than the Core 5 120UL overall. The real-world gap varies by game, resolution and settings.

Which should you buy, the Core 5 120UL or the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X?

If you want the most performance, pick the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X. If the Core 5 120UL 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.