Intel finally confirms instability issues with 13th-gen and 14th-gen CPUs are fully fixed but some owners may still be worried

Date:
Sun, 06 Oct 2024 10:57:43 +0000

Description:
Intel didnt concretely confirm that the instability gremlins had been
banished but it has now done so in a definitive statement.

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Intel has confirmed that the well-documented stability problems with its 13th and 14th-gen CPUs have been fully fixed.

As you may recall, Intel recently recapped the four mitigations (including three microcode updates) that have been applied to resolve these instability issues the final one of which has only just started being deployed and from the wording Team Blue used , it seemed as if this would be the end of the matter.

The thing is, Intel didnt actually formally state that, even though the company made it seem clear enough that its investigation had been concluded.

If there was any doubt, though, Intel has clarified that the issue has indeed been definitively put to bed.

The Verge reports that Intel confirmed that the Vmin shift instability was the root cause here (the tech site emphasizes it being the root cause, though there were other issues as noted), and spokesperson Thomas Hannaford said in no uncertain terms: Yes, were confirming this is the cause and that it is fixed. (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler) Analysis: Remaining point of concern

Its good to get confirmation that a full fix is in place for anyone worried about their Raptor Lake or Raptor Lake Refresh processor (Core i5 models and upwards are potentially affected).

If you buy a 13th or 14th-gen chip and it should be noted were seeing some heavy discounts on the former now, as next-gen Arrow Lake CPUs are imminent you just need to ensure that you update your BIOS to the latest version with all these Intel microcode updates packed within (including the most recent 0x12B update). That being the case, the CPU should not suffer from any kind
of degradation or instability gremlins.

In the case of those who have had their affected 13th or 14th-gen processor for some time, the damage caused by the bugs here wont be reversed by Intels patches they are only mitigations to prevent any further degradation. So, if youre experiencing any kind of instability or crashing on your PC, you should return your CPU and get a new one.

However, some folks may remain concerned about possible degradation under the hood which might not have been causing the PC to crash meaning its effectively invisible wear and tear but could still eventually result in a chip with a reduced lifespan, potentially.

Intel has, of course, extended the warranty on these chips to five years to help give CPU owners some further protection, but if something happens
outside of that period, well, lets say that could be pretty frustrating. You wont know whether any fault pertains directly to these issues, of course, but thatll be the nagging suspicion, no doubt. Not a pleasant thought. You might also like Processor upgrade: how to choose the right CPU Best gaming CPU: 5 top processors reviewed and rated Here are the best cheap processor deals right now



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/computing/cpu/intel-finally-confirms-instability-iss ues-with-13th-gen-and-14th-gen-cpus-are-fully-fixed-but-some-owners-may-still- be-worried


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