CPU Comparison
Intel Core 5 120U vs Core i5-1345U
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.
Snappy for everyday office apps, web, and light coding.
Gaming
Fine for esports and older/light titles at 1080p with low–medium settings; not intended for AAA gaming at high settings.
Can run older or e-sports titles at low settings via Iris Xe, but not suited for modern AAA games.
Virtualization
Can handle light VMs for development, but limited by memory and core allocation.
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.
Outstanding power efficiency for all-day battery life in ultrabooks.
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.
- No dedicated NPU
- Basic AI inferencing on CPU/GPU
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.
- Depends heavily on RAM configuration
- Suitable for e-sports at 1080p
- Not a replacement for discrete GPU
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
- 10-core hybrid design
- Low 15W base power
- Iris Xe 80EU graphics
- DDR5 support
- Good single-core boost
Cons
- Limited sustained performance
- Not for gaming
- BGA socket limits upgrades
- Only 8 PCIe 4.0 lanes
- E-cores lack AVX-512
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 i5-1345U
- AMD Ryzen 5 7530URival
Mobile
- AMD Ryzen 5 7535URival
Mobile
- Compare head-to-headApple M2Rival
Mobile
- Intel Core i5-1335URival
Mobile
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3Rival
Mobile
- Intel Core i7-1355UAlt
Better graphics and higher clocks for slightly more money.
- AMD Ryzen 7 7730UAlt
Strong multi-core performance in the same power envelope.
- Apple MacBook Air M1Alt
Better efficiency and integrated graphics if not tied to Windows.
- AMD Ryzen 5 7640UAlt
Newer Zen 4 architecture with RDNA 3 graphics.
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 13th-gen mobile chip offering great battery life and enough burst speed for daily tasks, though not meant for heavy workloads.
Best for: Buying a thin-and-light laptop for school or office work.
Read the full reviewFrequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Intel Core 5 120U or Core i5-1345U?
Based on our editorial ratings, the Core i5-1345U comes out ahead with a score of 8/10. 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 i5-1345U?
For gaming, the Core i5-1345U leads with a gaming performance score of 65/100 among Intel Core 5 120U and Core i5-1345U.
Do Intel Core 5 120U and Core i5-1345U use the same socket?
No. They use different sockets (Intel Core 5 120U: FCBGA1744 (Intel BGA 1744), Core i5-1345U: Intel BGA 1744), so each needs a compatible motherboard.
Which is faster in multi-core benchmarks?
The Intel Core 5 120U posts the highest multi-core benchmark score. Multi-core results: Intel Core 5 120U (9,946), Core i5-1345U (9,600). Benchmark figures are approximate and workload-dependent.