Tuesday, July 23rd 2024
Intel Statement on 13th and 14th Gen Core Instability: Faulty Microcode Causes Excessive Voltages, Fix Out Soon
Long-term reliability issues continue to plague Intel's 13th Gen and 14th Gen Core desktop processors based on the "Raptor Lake" microarchitecture, with users complaining that their processors have become unstable with heavy processing workloads, such as games. This includes the chips that have minor levels of performance tuning or overclocking. Intel had earlier isolated many of these stability issues to faulty CPU core frequency boosting algorithms, which it addressed through updates to the processor microcode that it got motherboard- and prebuilt manufacturers to distribute as UEFI firmware updates. The company has now come out with new findings of what could be causing these issues.
In a statement Intel posted on its website on Monday (22/07), the company said that it has been investigating the processors returned to it by users under warranty claims (which it has been replacing under the terms of its warranty). It has found that faulty processor microcode has been causing the processors to operate under excessive core voltages, leading to their structural degradation over time. "We have determined that elevated operating voltage is causing instability issues in some 13th/14th Gen desktop processors. Our analysis of returned processors confirms that the elevated operating voltage is stemming from a microcode algorithm resulting in incorrect voltage requests to the processor."
Modern processor power management runs on an intricate clockwork of collaboration between software, firmware, and hardware, with the software constantly telling the hardware what levels of performance it wants, and the hardware managing its power- and thermal budgets by rapidly altering the power and clock speeds of the various components, such as CPU cores, caches, fabric, and other on-die components. A faulty collaboration between any of the three key components could break this clockwork, as has happened in this case.
Intel is releasing yet another microcode update to its 13th- and 14th Gen Core processors, which will address not just the faulty boosting algorithm issue the company unearthed in June, but also the faulty voltage management the company discovered now. This new microcode should be released some time around mid-August to partners (motherboard manufacturers and PC OEMs), who will then need to validate it on their machines, before passing it along to end-users as UEFI firmware updates.
Meanwhile, an interesting issue has come to light, which that some of Intel's processors built on the Intel 7 node are experiencing chemical oxidation of the die as they age. Intel responded to this, stating that it had discovered the oxidation manufacturing issues in 2023, and addressed it. The company also stated that die oxidation is not related to the stability issues it is embattled with.
Sources:
Intel Community, Intel (Reddit)
In a statement Intel posted on its website on Monday (22/07), the company said that it has been investigating the processors returned to it by users under warranty claims (which it has been replacing under the terms of its warranty). It has found that faulty processor microcode has been causing the processors to operate under excessive core voltages, leading to their structural degradation over time. "We have determined that elevated operating voltage is causing instability issues in some 13th/14th Gen desktop processors. Our analysis of returned processors confirms that the elevated operating voltage is stemming from a microcode algorithm resulting in incorrect voltage requests to the processor."
Intel is releasing yet another microcode update to its 13th- and 14th Gen Core processors, which will address not just the faulty boosting algorithm issue the company unearthed in June, but also the faulty voltage management the company discovered now. This new microcode should be released some time around mid-August to partners (motherboard manufacturers and PC OEMs), who will then need to validate it on their machines, before passing it along to end-users as UEFI firmware updates.
Intel is delivering a microcode patch which addresses the root cause of exposure to elevated voltages. We are continuing validation to ensure that scenarios of instability reported to Intel regarding its Core 13th/14th Gen desktop processors are addressed. Intel is currently targeting mid-August for patch release to partners following full validation. Intel is committed to making this right with our customers, and we continue asking any customers currently experiencing instability issues on their Intel Core 13th/14th Gen desktop processors reach out to Intel Customer Support for further assistance, the company stated.It's important to note here, that the microcode update won't fix the issues on processors already experiencing instability, but prevent it on chips that aren't. The instability is caused by irreversible physical degradation of the chip. These chips will, of course, be covered under warranty.
Meanwhile, an interesting issue has come to light, which that some of Intel's processors built on the Intel 7 node are experiencing chemical oxidation of the die as they age. Intel responded to this, stating that it had discovered the oxidation manufacturing issues in 2023, and addressed it. The company also stated that die oxidation is not related to the stability issues it is embattled with.
We can confirm that the via Oxidation manufacturing issue affected some early Intel Core 13th Gen desktop processors. However, the issue was root caused and addressed with manufacturing improvements and screens in 2023. We have also looked at it from the instability reports on Intel Core 13th Gen desktop processors and the analysis to-date has determined that only a small number of instability reports can be connected to the manufacturing issue, the company stated.If you feel your chip might be affected, you can file for an RMA.
387 Comments on Intel Statement on 13th and 14th Gen Core Instability: Faulty Microcode Causes Excessive Voltages, Fix Out Soon
I guess Intel will change it so that we will see chips that perhaps stay below the 5.6GHz limit, possibly the 5.3 to 5.5GHz that some people have mentioned as a fix for these issues. Good silicon should be able to do 5.6GHz but not all.
They will probably avoid a mass recall this way but I think OEMs especially will not be happy. Users should be able to get a damaged CPU exchanged but will still end with lower performing parts than what was reviewed.Bar any wierd OS or atypical setup, the microcode will be delivered and then pushed to the CPU at every boot. You don't need EUFI updates.
Given Intel's latest release, this has gone from "board vendors fault" to "we messed up and are fixing what the CPU does".
Said Supermicro board seems to implement every Intel hardware recommendation regarding voltage, to spec. Still is having issues.
They'd have to scramble to run more or be forced to issue refunds? Or....what would their next step actually be?
If this turns into a class action suit against them those impacted outside of being a big company that buys trays worth of these CPUs aren't going to see much in return. Maybe 3/4/5 years down the road once the suit is settled the everyday consumer might get $10 back in their pocket.
1. AMD and Intel are embroiled in a War for users.
2. Intel could not just create a new socket and expect that users would pay for that after AM4.
3. The 12th Gen chip was safe.
4. When the 13th and 14th gen were released they were highly tuned chips from the same generation.
We started hearing about Intel issues from some Tech tubers like Tech Yes City when his 11th Gen chip was faster than his 13th gen chip. Then we had a real issue and Nvidia was quick to blame Intel. There was an update released that lowered the voltage and performance to the point where Reviewers started giving you results with and without the power limits removed. Then Wendell did his video and the flood gates opened. People that try to use AMD as a shield are not looking at the reality of this.
Now Intel have promised a chip with no E cores and no HT. I wonder if that one will support AVX 512.
This battle has been summarily lost by Intel. Let's hope they learn, just be glad the traditional Media is not fully aware of this yet. One thing it has really done is expose the Techtubers that are fanboys with their AMD is failing too videos. It is like how some people use the X3D chips to complain about AMD's heat. As Wattage is the biggest thing that leads to heat. These Intel chips seem to have too much wattage for the package size. I have seen theories like the substrate in construction of the chip but they just turned them up too high. I wonder if that chip that is just cores will be TSMC?
No more personal attacks.
No more derailing.
No more in-thread warnings.
If you step across the line, I'll delete your post, and if it's in bad faith, you're getting points.
I wont be updating my BIOS that is for sure. My chip has been stable since day 1 and still is. Luckily, even being a n3wb to 13th gen at the time, I noticed crazy vcore happening as soon as I installed windows and began to benchmark and check the behavior of the system. I then went down a 2 week rabbit hole of undervolting and checking for stability.