Why it issues: Intel not too long ago started delivering what are hopefully the ultimate treatments for the steadiness points which have impacted its Thirteenth- and 14th-generation processors for months. Nevertheless, homeowners should nonetheless RMA their chips for the corporate to investigate them completely. If a house take a look at could possibly be distributed, some customers is likely to be spared the difficulty.
Intel not too long ago told Tom’s {Hardware} that it’s investigating the potential for growing and releasing a device to assist customers detect the software program errors which were killing Thirteenth- and 14th-generation Raptor Lake CPUs all year long. The corporate has addressed the issue with patches and a beneficiant return coverage, however prognosis software program may nonetheless assist.
Everybody who owns affected processors with TDPs above 65W ought to set up Intel’s microcode updates no matter their present standing. Examine along with your motherboard producer to obtain the updates, that are delivered by way of new BIOS variations. Intel additionally advises utilizing the corporate’s default power settings.
Sadly, CPUs which have already begun crashing as a result of errors, which Intel recognized as originating from a number of issues within the microcode and IA core, should be changed because the injury is everlasting. Intel and varied {hardware} distributors have prolonged their warranties for packaged processors and PCs with Raptor Lake chips, however the RMA program is considerably of a lottery.
Nonetheless, crashes can occur for a myriad of causes, and Intel should affirm whether or not the faulty CPUs it receives are affected by the problems it designed the patches to mitigate. In the meantime, clients are briefly left and not using a working processor.
If a home-use device may assist customers decide whether or not one thing else is not crashing their CPUs, it’d avoid wasting clients from an pointless RMA. Intel hasn’t confirmed whether or not it may launch such a take a look at, nevertheless it may introduce a further supply of reduction and doubtlessly decrease the inflow of faulty merchandise.
Luckily, Intel confirmed that these microcode errors do not have an effect on its newest generations of CPUs – Lunar Lake and Arrow Lake. Hopefully, the corporate can put the issue to mattress, restore confidence in its merchandise, and begin digging itself out of its latest troubles.
In different Intel information, disappointing efficiency within the firm’s foundry division not too long ago pressured it to split the sector into an unbiased division and fend off a number of takeover bids. Intel additionally rejected a suggestion from Arm to purchase its chip division, and sources declare that Qualcomm additionally tried to amass a chunk of Chipzilla.
