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Intel Core 3 100U vs Intel Core 5 120U: Comparison
Core 3 100U vs Core 5 120U total cores compared
Expect a near tie. The closest thing to a difference is total cores, Core 3 100U 6 against Core 5 120U 10. Core 5 120U also leads on l3 cache, 10 MB on the Core 3 100U versus 12 MB on the Core 5 120U.
Who each one is for
Buy the Core 3 100U for ultra-thin laptops and business laptops, though it is not the pick for gaming laptops and heavy sustained workloads. The Core 5 120U suits affordable everyday and business thin-and-light laptops and office work, browsing, video calls and streaming, though it is not built for gaming beyond older or light titles at low settings and AI features that need an NPU, since it has none. It is equally the pick for buyers who want a quick, simple laptop without paying for AI features. It is not the one for heavy video rendering or code compiling, where H-series chips finish sooner. Our rating of the Core 3 100U (7.7/10): the Intel Core 3 100U prioritizes battery life and portability, fitting thin business and everyday laptops. Our rating of the Core 5 120U (7.7/10): the Intel Core 5 120U prioritizes battery life and portability, fitting thin business and everyday laptops.
What Core 3 100U and Core 5 120U have in common
Everything else lines up. Performance cores, tdp, integrated graphics, socket and form factor read the same on both, so those are not worth weighing. They match on 7 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the Core 3 100U and Core 5 120U differ on efficiency cores?
Yes. Efficiency Cores reads 4 on the Core 3 100U versus 8 on the Core 5 120U.
Is the Release Year the same on the Core 3 100U and Core 5 120U?
It is. Both are listed at 2024, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Form Factor
- Intel Core 3 100U
- Laptop
- Intel Core 5 120U
- Laptop
Codename
- Intel Core 3 100U
- Raptor Lake
- Intel Core 5 120U
- Raptor Lake
Release Year
- Intel Core 3 100U
- 2024
- Intel Core 5 120U
- 2024
TDP
- Intel Core 3 100U
- 15 W
- Intel Core 5 120U
- 15 W
iGPU
- Intel Core 3 100U
- Intel Iris Xe Graphics
- Intel Core 5 120U
- Intel Iris Xe Graphics
Market Segment
- Intel Core 3 100U
- Laptop
- Intel Core 5 120U
- Laptop
Socket
- Intel Core 3 100U
- BGA 1744
- Intel Core 5 120U
- BGA 1744
Process Node
- Intel Core 3 100U
- 7 nm
- Intel Core 5 120U
- 7 nm
Total Cores
- Intel Core 3 100U
- 6
- Intel Core 5 120U
- 10Best
Performance Cores
- Intel Core 3 100U
- 2
- Intel Core 5 120U
- 2
Efficiency Cores
- Intel Core 3 100U
- 4
- Intel Core 5 120U
- 8Best
Total Threads
- Intel Core 3 100U
- 8
- Intel Core 5 120U
- 12Best
SMT Enabled
- Intel Core 3 100U
- Yes
- Intel Core 5 120U
- Yes
P-Core Base Clock
- Intel Core 3 100U
- 1.2 GHz
- Intel Core 5 120U
- 1.4 GHz
P-Core Boost Clock
- Intel Core 3 100U
- 4.4 GHz
- Intel Core 5 120U
- 4.7 GHz
L3 Cache
- Intel Core 3 100U
- 10 MB-17%
- Intel Core 5 120U
- 12 MBBest
Base Power
- Intel Core 3 100U
- 15 W
- Intel Core 5 120U
- 15 W
Max Turbo Power
- Intel Core 3 100U
- 55 W
- Intel Core 5 120U
- 55 W
Memory Type
- Intel Core 3 100U
- DDR5, DDR4, LPDDR5, LPDDR5x, LPDDR4x
- Intel Core 5 120U
- DDR5, DDR4, LPDDR5, LPDDR5x, LPDDR4x
Integrated Graphics
- Intel Core 3 100U
- Yes
- Intel Core 5 120U
- Yes
Which one should you pick?
Choose 100U if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Choose 120U if you want the higher L3 cache (12 MB vs 10 MB).
Verdict
Intel Core 3 100U
7.7 / 10 Expert Rating
The Intel Core 3 100U prioritizes battery life and portability, fitting thin business and everyday laptops.
Intel Core 5 120U
7.7 / 10 Expert Rating
The Intel Core 5 120U prioritizes battery life and portability, fitting thin business and everyday laptops.