On Monday, initially The beginning of the end of Intel’s desktop CPU instability woes The company confirmed that a patch addressing the “root cause” of high voltage exposure will be released in mid-August, but it doesn’t appear that the patch will be able to fix 13th or 14th Gen Intel Core processors that have already crashed.
Citing an anonymous source, Tom’s Hardware Reports Intel claims that the processor degradation is irreversible, and when we asked, an Intel spokesperson didn’t deny that. Intel is “confident” that a patch can prevent the degradation from happening in the first place. (As another precaution, you should update your motherboard’s BIOS as soon as possible.) But if your defective CPU is damaged, your best option is to replace it rather than trying to mitigate the problem by tweaking BIOS settings.
And Intel acknowledges that too much voltage isn’t the only thing that can cause some of these chips to fail. Intel spokesman Thomas Hannaford said: One The primary cause is unclear, but the company is still investigating. Intel Community Manager Rex Hoyos also said that some of the reports of instability include: Due to oxidation production problems That was finalized last year, though no date was specified.
This raises a lot of questions: Will Intel recall these chips? Will they extend warranties? Will they replace them no questions asked? Will they suspend sales? Just like AMD did Do you have a Ryzen 9000? Can you identify a bad batch due to manufacturing defects?
We asked Intel these questions, and we’re not sure if you’ll like the answers.
Why is it still being sold without an extended warranty?
Intel is not suspending sales or withdrawing inventory. There will be no recalls. The company has not immediately commented on whether or how it might extend warranties. The Verge The company did not say how many chips may be irreparably affected, or explain why it would continue to sell those chips before a fix is in place.
Intel has not yet said how warranty replacements will work, other than by contacting customer support again if previously denied, nor has it explained how it will contact customers using these chips to alert them to the problem.
But Intel do Intel says it’s “confident” that there’s no need to worry about invisible degradation, and that if you’re not currently experiencing the issue, the patch “will be an effective preventative measure for processors already in production.” (If you’re not sure if you’re experiencing the issue, Intel is currently Robeytech Test.
And, perhaps for the first time, Intel has confirmed just how widespread the issue could be: the voltage rise could affect any 13th or 14th generation desktop processor that draws more than 65W of power, and not just the top-of-the-line i9 series chips. Initially, there seemed to be a problem.
Below are the questions we asked Intel and the answers we received via email from Intel’s Hannaford.
How many chips does Intel estimate could be irreparably affected by these issues?
Intel Core 13th and 14th Gen Desktop Processors (including K/KF/KS and 65W non-K variants) with a base power of 65W or greater may be affected by the High Voltage Issue. However, this does not mean that all processors listed are (or will be) affected by the High Voltage Issue.
Intel continues to conduct testing on 13th and 14th Generation Core desktop processors to ensure that instability scenarios reported to Intel are addressed.
For customers who are experiencing or have experienced instability symptoms with their 13th and 14th Generation desktop processors, Intel continues to advise them to contact Intel Customer Support for further assistance. Additionally, Intel has advised customers who are experiencing these instability symptoms with their 13th and 14th Generation desktop processors to contact Intel Customer Support for further assistance. [return merchandise authorization] If your request is denied, we encourage you to contact Intel Customer Support for further assistance and remediation.
Will Intel issue a recall?
Will Intel proactively warn buyers of these chips about the warning signs or that this update is necessary, and if so, how?
Intel aims to release production microcode updates to its OEM/ODM customers by mid-August and will share additional information about the microcode patches at that time.
Intel is investigating options to make it easier to identify affected processors in end users’ systems. In the meantime, as a general best practice, we recommend adhering to Intel default settings for desktop processors and keeping the BIOS up to date.
Did Intel halt sales or recall channel inventory while it validated the update?
Does Intel expect this fix to work for chips that are already in use but aren’t yet showing symptoms (such as invisible degradation)? Are those CPUs simply reaching the end of their lifespan?
Intel believes the microcode patch will be an effective preventative measure for processors already in production, but continues to validate it to ensure it addresses the instability scenarios reported to Intel for Core 13th and 14th Gen desktop processors.
Intel is investigating options to make it easier to identify affected or at-risk processors on end-user systems.
it is Possible This patch will improve some instability for currently affected processors, but customers experiencing instability on 13th or 14th Generation desktop processor-based systems should contact Intel Customer Support for further assistance.
Will Intel extend warranties on 13th and 14th Gen parts? And for how long?
Given how difficult it was for Intel to identify this issue, what evidence will customers need to provide to get an RMA (and how lenient will Intel be?)
What will Intel do for 13th generation buyers after the supply of 13th generation parts runs out? Final shipments were scheduled to end last month. I am reading.
Intel is committed to ensuring that all customers who have experienced or are currently experiencing instability symptoms with their 13th and 14th Generation Desktop Processors are supported through the replacement process. This includes working with Intel’s retail and channel customers to assist end users in addressing instability symptoms with their Intel Core 13th and 14th Generation Desktop Processors.
What will Intel do for 14th Gen buyers once the supply of 14th Gen parts runs out?
Will replacement/RMA chips be shipped with the microcode update pre-applied starting in August? Is Intel still shipping replacement chips ahead of that update?
Intel will apply the microcode to 13th/14th Gen desktop processors that are not yet shipping once the production patch is released to OEM/ODM partners (expected to occur after mid-August). For 13th/14th Gen desktop processors that are already in production, users should apply the patch as soon as the BIOS update is available.
Is there anything customers can do to slow or stop the degradation prior to updating the microcode?
Intel recommends users to adhere to Intel default settings for desktop processors and keep their BIOS up to date. Customers are encouraged to check for related BIOS updates as microcode patches are released by Intel partners.
Will Intel release the specific manufacturing dates and serial number ranges of oxidized processors so that mission-critical companies can selectively remove and replace them?
Intel continues to work with customers on Via Oxidation-related reports to ensure they are fully supported in the replacement process.
Why Intel believes instability is an issue Does not affect mobile laptop chips?
Intel continues to investigate to ensure that reported instability scenarios on Intel Core 13th and 14th generation processors are appropriately addressed.
This includes ongoing analysis to identify key factors that prevent 13th/14th Generation mobile processors from being subject to the same instability issues as 13th/14th Generation desktop processors.
That’s all we’ve heard from Intel so far, but Hannaford assured us more answers would be coming soon and said the company is working on a remedy.
Again, if your CPU is already damaged, you’ll need to get it replaced by Intel. If they won’t replace it for you, let us know. In the meantime, update your BIOS as soon as possible, as your processor may be invisibly damaged. Also, if you’re familiar with your BIOS, you can tune your motherboard to Intel’s default performance profile.
Finally, here’s a video from Robeytech that Intel recommended to Reddit users that may help identify if your chip has an issue, and Intel says it’s looking into other ways to identify it too.
