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Intel Core 5 120U vs Intel Core i3-1215U: Comparison
What is the difference between Core 5 120U and Core i3-1215U?
There is no decisive spec gap here. Total cores splits them by a margin most buyers will never feel, Core 5 120U 10 against Core i3-1215U 6. Add l3 cache to that, 12 MB on the Core 5 120U versus 10 MB on the Core i3-1215U, and the pattern holds.
Who each one is for
Buy the Core 5 120U for affordable everyday and business thin-and-light laptops and office work, browsing, video calls and streaming, though it is the wrong buy for gaming beyond older or light titles at low settings and AI features that need an NPU, since it has none. It also earns its place with 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. The Core i3-1215U is the one to take for ultra-thin laptops and business laptops, though it is not built for gaming laptops and heavy sustained workloads. 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. Our rating of the Core i3-1215U (7.7/10): the Intel Core i3-1215U prioritizes battery life and portability, fitting thin business and everyday laptops rather than performance-first designs.
Where the two are identical
Everything else lines up. Performance cores, tdp, integrated graphics, form factor and market segment read the same on both, so those are not worth weighing. They match on 3 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the Core 5 120U and Core i3-1215U differ on efficiency cores?
Yes. Efficiency Cores reads 8 on the Core 5 120U versus 4 on the Core i3-1215U.
Is the SMT Enabled the same on the Core 5 120U and Core i3-1215U?
It is. Both are listed at Yes, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Form Factor
- Intel Core 5 120U
- Laptop
- Intel Core i3-1215U
- Laptop
Codename
- Intel Core 5 120U
- Raptor Lake
- Intel Core i3-1215U
- Alder Lake
Release Year
- Intel Core 5 120U
- 2024
- Intel Core i3-1215U
- 2022
TDP
- Intel Core 5 120U
- 15 W
- Intel Core i3-1215U
- 15 W
iGPU
- Intel Core 5 120U
- Intel Iris Xe Graphics
- Intel Core i3-1215U
- Intel UHD Graphics
Market Segment
- Intel Core 5 120U
- Laptop
- Intel Core i3-1215U
- Laptop
Socket
- Intel Core 5 120U
- BGA 1744
- Intel Core i3-1215U
- BGA 1744 (BGA, soldered)
Process Node
- Intel Core 5 120U
- 7 nm
- Intel Core i3-1215U
- 7 nm
Total Cores
- Intel Core 5 120U
- 10Best
- Intel Core i3-1215U
- 6
Performance Cores
- Intel Core 5 120U
- 2
- Intel Core i3-1215U
- 2
Efficiency Cores
- Intel Core 5 120U
- 8Best
- Intel Core i3-1215U
- 4
Total Threads
- Intel Core 5 120U
- 12Best
- Intel Core i3-1215U
- 8
SMT Enabled
- Intel Core 5 120U
- Yes
- Intel Core i3-1215U
- Yes
P-Core Base Clock
- Intel Core 5 120U
- 1.4 GHz
- Intel Core i3-1215U
- 1.2 GHz
P-Core Boost Clock
- Intel Core 5 120U
- 4.7 GHz
- Intel Core i3-1215U
- 4.4 GHz
L3 Cache
- Intel Core 5 120U
- 12 MBBest
- Intel Core i3-1215U
- 10 MB-17%
Base Power
- Intel Core 5 120U
- 15 W
- Intel Core i3-1215U
- 15 W
Max Turbo Power
- Intel Core 5 120U
- 55 W
- Intel Core i3-1215U
- 55 W
Memory Type
- Intel Core 5 120U
- DDR5, DDR4, LPDDR5, LPDDR5x, LPDDR4x
- Intel Core i3-1215U
- DDR5, DDR4, LPDDR5, LPDDR4x
Integrated Graphics
- Intel Core 5 120U
- Yes
- Intel Core i3-1215U
- Yes
Which one should you pick?
Choose 120U if you want the higher L3 cache (12 MB vs 10 MB).
Choose 1215U if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Verdict
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.
Intel Core i3-1215U
7.7 / 10 Expert Rating
The Intel Core i3-1215U prioritizes battery life and portability, fitting thin business and everyday laptops rather than performance-first designs.