Intel quietly rolls out 'new' Core 5 CPUs that look suspiciously like 12th Gen chips — Core 5 120 and Core 5 120F enter the budget gaming market with i5-12400 specs and 100 MHz boost

Intel's 13th Generation Alder Lake processors may have faded from the spotlight, but the chips are far from being forgotten. Hardware leaker momomo_us has discovered that Intel has quietly launched the Core 5 120 and Core 5 120F (the latter being the iGPU-less variant of the former), which seem to be based on its Alder Lake silicon.

The Core 5 120 will undoubtedly confuse less-informed consumers (and plenty of fairly informed buyers, too). Its designation does not adhere to the nomenclature used for the latest Core Ultra 200S (codenamed Arrow Lake) or the preceding 14th Generation Raptor Lake processors. According to Intel, the Core 5 120 is officially part of the Core (Series 1) series. However, it seems to be an Alder Lake processor in disguise.

The Core 5 120 closely resembles the Core i5-12400, with both wielding a six-core, 12-thread configuration. The main difference is that the Core 5 120 offers a 100 MHz higher boost clock. Both processors also feature 7.5MB of L2 cache (1.5MB per P-core) and 18MB of L3 cache. Therefore, the Core 5 120 looks to be a rebranded Core i5-12400 with a slight boost clock speed upgrade.

Intel Core 5 120 Specifications

Intel has consistently utilized different dies for its Core i5-1x400 SKUs, dating back to the Core i5-12400. You can distinguish one die from another by examining the stepping. For instance, the Core i5-12400 was produced using a combination of Alder Lake C0 and H0 steppings. This approach has been used across several generations.

Even the later-released Core i5-13400 and Core i5-14400 were available with the Raptor Lake B0 stepping or Alder Lake C0 stepping. The Core 5 120 product page indicates that the processor utilizes the Alder Lake H0 die. The H0 die makes perfect sense since it's smaller than the C0 die and, as a result, it's cheaper to produce.

Using different dies within a processor primarily benefits the chipmaker, not the consumer. The specifications are the same, but there may be a slight variation in performance and thermals due to the nature of each die. Intel can combine various dies with different chips to boost profits, such as reusing an older die for a new product or repurposing a high-end die for a lower-end model.

Budget gamers have long favored the Core i5-1x400 series, so, understandably, Intel aims to remain competitive there. With the Core 5 120, Intel seems to essentially be throwing a fresh layer of paint over an old house, hoping to appeal to buyers. Additionally, Alder Lake dies are likely very inexpensive for Intel to produce now, so profits are likely good on those old dies.

The Core 5 120 has formally launched. However, we don't know the pricing yet, as the chipmaker has not listed it on the product page, and we have yet to find the chip in a retail store.

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