Six days ago Intel confirmed that it had found the cause of the stability problems of some of its Core Gen 13 and Core Gen 14 processors, an excess of voltage. The chip giant also said that it was working on a microcode update to resolve this problem, and that it would arrive in August.
Some information quickly emerged saying that Intel had not actually found the real culprit of this problem yet, and that this update It was not a definitive or universal solutionsomething that was pending confirmation, since the real scope of it was not clear.
Overall that update was good news, but we still had many unanswered questions which are essential to better understand both the real scope of this problem and its solutions, and also what the user can do to try to avoid it.
Thanks to The Vergewho has had the opportunity to speak directly with Intel, We have been able to resolve many of those questions.and we want to share them with you because we believe they are essential for all of you who have an Intel Core Gen 13 or Core Gen 14 processor, whether you have been affected by this problem or not.
Stability issues also affect 65-watt Intel Core Gen 13 and 14
The Intel Core i3-13100F is not affected.
It was one of the doubts we had, which models exactly were affected by this excess voltage, was it something exclusive to the Core Gen 13 and Gen 14 K series, or did it also extend to non-K models? Intel has acknowledged that It also affects its 65-watt processors. within both generations, which means that the problem is much more extensive than we imagined.
The list of 65-watt Intel Core Gen 13 and Gen 14 processors is very extensive, and includes some very popular mid-range models, such as the Intel Core i5-14400F y el Core i5-13400FThis was one of the worst pieces of news that the chip giant could give us, but unfortunately it is not the only one, there is still another pretty hard blow to come.
Damage is permanent in processors affected by high voltage
Which means that those processors that have been affected by this problem They can no longer be fixedand that the microcode update that Intel is preparing will have no effect, since the damage is irreversible. If you have an Intel Core Gen 13 or Gen 14 processor and it is giving you stability problems, it is most likely damaged.
Intel has confirmed that it will not be issuing a recall for affected processors, but we do know that is replacing those it receives as part of an RMA The company has issued a statement to users who are experiencing this problem and recommends that all affected users contact the support and customer service department directly. It also assures that there will be no supply problems for providing replacement units for the affected processors.
What to do to avoid damage while waiting for the microcode update
Intel recommends use default profile in its Core Gen 13 and Core Gen 14 processors, meaning we should avoid extreme overclocking profiles and improving working frequencies. The company has also highlighted that it is important keep the BIOS updated from the motherboard, because newer BIOSes may have optimizations and improvements in power and voltage.
Extreme and frequency enhancement profiles offer increased performance, but also They increase consumption and heat generationand they are not at all recommended, because they imply too many sacrifices to achieve a fairly small power improvement. As we can see, they can also accelerate processor degradation and cause those stability problems to arise.
What will be the real scope of the update, and will it be a permanent solution?
If our processor has not yet been affected by stability issues Yes, at least Intel thinks so, but it will not have the same effect on those that already have such problems. However, this does not mean that this update will not help those processors that are already giving problems.
According to the chip giant, it is possible that on devices that already show stability problems this update get improved stability partially, but in this case it is ideal that you contact customer service and directly process an RMA, because otherwise you will be left with a damaged CPU.
What happens if I have processed an RMA and it has been rejected?
Intel has directly recommended to those who find themselves in that situation to contact customer service and support againbecause they will re-evaluate your case from a new point of view and from facts and data that they did not know before, which means that this new RMA could be approved.
Please note that Intel is not yet fully aware of the scope of this problem, and that Not all processors Core Gen 13 and Core Gen 14 are going to develop stability issues resulting from that excessive voltage. I can personally confirm that I have built Core i5-13600K, Core i7-14700K and Core i9-13900K machines and they all work perfectly.
Intel does not intend to withdraw from the market Core Gen 13 and Core Gen 14 processors, but is actively working with its partners to resolve the situation and put an end to the issues that have been arising. It is also doing everything possible to better identify the affected processors, and to help users in need.
Source: www.muycomputer.com
