CPU Comparison
Intel Core 5 120U vs Core 7 150U
A side-by-side comparison of specs, performance and value. A 15-watt, 10-core (2P+8E) mobile processor from Intel’s Core (Series 1) lineup built on the Intel 7 process. It pairs high P-core boost clocks up to 5.0 GHz with an 80 EU Iris Xe iGPU, dual-channel DDR4/DDR5 or LPDDR4x/LPDDR5 memory, and up to 20 total PCIe lanes, targeting everyday thin-and-light laptops.
The Bottom Line
Overview & Launch
Specifications Compared
Performance Compared
Productivity
Handles office suites, browsers with many tabs, and light creative workflows well. Multi-thread performance is limited by the 15W PL1 and lack of Hyper-Threading on E-cores.
Handles office suites and web applications with ease,得益于 the efficient core layout.
Gaming
Fine for esports and older/light titles at 1080p with low–medium settings; not intended for AAA gaming at high settings.
Efficiency
The 15W base power and Intel 7 process help thin-and-lights achieve long battery life in typical office use, especially with LPDDR memory.
Very competitive power efficiency within the 15W TDP limit.
Specialized Performance
AI / ML
- No dedicated NPU; AI workloads rely on CPU and GPU.
- Intel DL Boost (VNNI) is supported on the CPU, enabling some acceleration for inference.
- Suitable for small-scale, occasional local inference; not intended for heavy AI training or large LLM serving.
- Lacks a dedicated NPU (Neural Processing Unit).
- Relies on CPU and GPU for AI inference tasks.
- Gaussian NPU acceleration is not present on this silicon.
Content Creation
Gaming
- Integrated Iris Xe 80 EU is sufficient for e-sports titles and older games at 1080p.
- Modern AAA titles will generally require low settings and may still struggle; not a gaming-focused part.
- Iris Xe graphics are suitable for esports titles like League of Legends.
- AAA titles will require low settings and 720p resolution.
- Performance heavily dependent on dual-channel memory configuration.
Industry Impact
Best CPU by Use Case
Target Audience
Strengths & Weaknesses
Pros
- Good single-thread performance for office and browsing at 15W.
- Modern I/O with Thunderbolt 4 and PCIe 4.0 from the CPU.
- Flexible memory support (DDR4/DDR5 and LPDDR variants) up to 96 GB.
- Integrated Iris Xe 80 EU GPU with AV1 decode and multi-display support.
- Business features (vPro Essentials eligibility, TXT, Boot Guard, CET) on supported systems.
Cons
- Only 15W base power; multi-core throughput is limited under sustained loads.
- No Hyper-Threading on E-cores; long multi-thread tasks don’t scale as well as higher-TDP parts.
- No dedicated NPU for AI workloads.
- Gaming performance is limited to light or older titles.
- Locked multiplier; no enthusiast overclocking.
Pros
- Excellent efficiency for battery life
- Strong single-core burst performance
- 10 cores provide smooth multitasking
- Support for fast DDR5/LPDDR5 memory
- Mature and reliable Intel 7 process node
Cons
- No dedicated Neural Processing Unit (NPU)
- Integrated graphics are limited compared to modern Arc iGPUs
- Performance heavily throttles under sustained loads
- BGA socket means it cannot be upgraded
- Multimedia performance lags behind H-series chips
Competitors & Alternatives
Intel Core 5 120U
- AMD Ryzen 5 7530URival
Thin-and-light 15W mobile
- AMD Ryzen 5 7535URival
Thin-and-light 15W mobile
- Intel Core i5-1335URival
13th Gen Raptor Lake-U 15W
- Intel Core i5-1345URival
13th Gen Raptor Lake-U 15W
- Apple M2 (7-core or 8-core GPU)Rival
Thin-and-light ARM-based laptop
- Intel Core Ultra 5 125U (Arrow Lake)Alt
Newer architecture with an NPU and more modern features if AI features and efficiency are priorities.
Core 7 150U
- AMD Ryzen 7 7840URival
Mobile
- AMD Ryzen 7 8840URival
Mobile
- Compare head-to-headApple M2Rival
Mobile
- Intel Core Ultra 7 155HRival
Mobile
- Qualcomm Snapdragon X EliteRival
Mobile
Lower cost option for basic tasks.
Compare head-to-head- AMD Ryzen 5 7640UAlt
Better integrated graphics for casual gaming.
Includes NPU and Arc graphics for modern AI workloads.
Compare head-to-head- Apple MacBook Air M3Alt
Superior battery life and efficiency.
- Intel Core i7-1355UAlt
Nearly identical performance at a potentially lower price.
Our Verdict on Each
A competent 15W chip that delivers snappy day-to-day performance and solid battery life in mainstream laptops, but it’s not built for sustained heavy workloads or AAA gaming. The 2P+8E layout and 5.0 GHz P-core boost are strong for the segment; the 80 EU iGPU handles everyday graphics and light gaming adequately. Choose it for everyday work and study rather than intensive creator tasks.
Best for: Everyday productivity, study, and light creative work in a thin-and-light laptop where battery life and cost matter more than peak multi-core performance.
Read the full reviewA solid incremental update over previous generations, offering excellent multi-core efficiency for a 15W chip, though it lacks the AI capabilities of the newer Core Ultra series.
Best for: Buying a thin-and-light laptop for work or study in 2024.
Read the full reviewFrequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Intel Core 5 120U or Core 7 150U?
Based on our editorial ratings, the Core 7 150U comes out ahead with a score of 7.5/10. That said, the best choice depends on your workload — check the spec and performance breakdown above for gaming, productivity and efficiency differences.
Which is faster for gaming, Intel Core 5 120U or Core 7 150U?
For gaming, the Intel Core 5 120U leads with a gaming performance score of 55/100 among Intel Core 5 120U and Core 7 150U.
Do Intel Core 5 120U and Core 7 150U use the same socket?
No. They use different sockets (Intel Core 5 120U: FCBGA1744 (Intel BGA 1744), Core 7 150U: Intel BGA 1744), so each needs a compatible motherboard.
Which is faster in multi-core benchmarks?
The Core 7 150U posts the highest multi-core benchmark score. Multi-core results: Intel Core 5 120U (9,946), Core 7 150U (11,500). Benchmark figures are approximate and workload-dependent.