This thread will be updated as more information becomes available, please read this thread in full and check back regularly for any updates.

Over the last several months, there have been ongoing problems with instability issues on some desktop 13th and 14th Gen Intel CPUs.

Official Intel Statement: — July 2024 Update on Instability Reports on Intel Core 13th and 14th Gen Desktop Processors

Based on extensive analysis of Intel Core 13th/14th Gen desktop processors returned to us due to instability issues, 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 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 sure all customers who have or are currently experiencing instability symptoms on their 13th and/or 14th Gen desktop processors are supported in the exchange process.

To help streamline the support process, Intel's guidance is as follows:

• For users who purchased 13th/14th Gen-powered desktop systems from OEM/System Integrator - please reach out to your system vendor's customer support team for further assistance.

• For users who purchased boxed/tray 13th/14th Gen desktop processors - please reach out to Intel Customer Support for further assistance.

TL;DR: If you have a system with an Intel Core 13th or 14th Gen Intel Raptor Lake or Raptor Lake Refresh CPU, the first thing you should do is download the latest BIOS/Firmware for your system or motherboard and check back regularly for any other BIOS/Firmware updates.

I have an Intel CPU, am I affected?

• Intel says that only socketed desktop 13th and 14th Gen CPUs are affected.

• Intel claims that 13th - 14th Gen HX/H/P/U mobile CPUs are not affected.

• If you have any other generation of Intel CPU, for example Intel Core Ultra (Meteor Lake), 12th Gen (Alder Lake), 11th Gen (Rocket Lake), 10th Gen (Comet Lake) or any other generation of Intel CPU, Intel says these CPUs are not affected.

I have an Intel 13th - 14th Gen Desktop CPU and I'm having crashes and instability, what should I do?

• First, make sure any crashes or instability are caused by the CPU and not the result of an unstable overclock, faulty RAM, bad power supply, bad motherboard, graphics card or any other hardware or software issues.

• If you bought your system as a pre-built desktop (e.g. from Dell, HP, Lenovo) then reach out to the manufacturer of your pre-built system for additional support.

• If you bought your CPU for a system you've built yourself, then you should contact Intel's Customer Support.

I have an Intel 13th - 14th Gen Desktop CPU and I'm not currently experiencing crashes or instability, what should I do?

• Update your motherboard's BIOS and check regularly for any BIOS updates published over the coming weeks and months. These updates will include the microcode updates the Intel press releases have mentioned that resolve the issue.

• Ensure your power settings within your BIOS are set to Intel's recommend settings

UPDATE - 2nd August 2024

Intel has confirmed that they are extending boxed retail 13th and 14th Gen desktop CPU warranties by two years.

They have also provided more information on the reported Oxidation issues.

Details here

UPDATE - 6th August 2024

Intel has confirmed that they are extending OEM/Tray 13th and 14th Gen desktop CPU warranties by two years.

Details here

UPDATE - 8th August 2024

Some vendors are now releasing BIOS updates for motherboards and systems which contain the 0x129 microcode.

Intel says this microcode update resolves the voltage spikes that occured under certain conditions, subsequently causing degradation to the CPU and that this newer microcode update will prevent degradation occuring in future for non-affected CPUs.

Please check your support page for your motherboard/system and make sure you install the latest BIOS and check regularly for future versions.

UPDATE - 30th August 2024

Intel has released an additional update, confirming that future processors, including Arrow Lake and Lunar Lake are unaffected by the Vmin Shift Instability (what this thread is about) and provided further clarification on which CPUs are affected.

Intel confirms these currently available processors are not affected by the Vmin Shift Instability issue:

• 12th Gen Intel Core desktop and mobile processors

• Intel Core 13th and 14th Gen i5 (non-K) & i3 desktop processors

• Intel Core 13th and 14th Gen mobile processors – including HX-series processors.

• Intel Xeon processors – including server and workstation processors.

• Intel Core Ultra (Series 1) processors

Details here

UPDATE - 25th September 2024

Intel has released an additional update, confirming the root cause of the Vmin Shift Instability issue and confirmed there will be an additional Microcode release (0x12B) that will contain everything included in the 0x125 and 0x129 Microcode updates and will address elevated CPU voltages when in an idle state.

Details here

Source (Patch 1.02 notes, 21st of Nov.): https://steamcommunity.com/app/2428810/allnews/

Picture for reference: https://imgur.com/a/C4eUHO1

Text:

The game may crash on boot on specific 13th and 14th generation Intel CPUs. To resolve this a BIOS update may be required. More information is available here.

Which means that (in no particular order):

• Quite a lot of people still run either unfixed machines or fixed ones which already degraded beyond "repair" (the CPUs cannot be repaired, one has to use the ext. warranty)

• Game devs, especially small ones, still have to handle support issues and upset customers ("Your game crashes, don't blame the CPU vendor!") to no fault of their own

• Intel's way of handling the 13th and 14th gen instability problems in media terms played out just as it was meant to be: No one of the normal folks, not browsing hardware forums and sites regularly, noticed.

• Needless to say: This problem, if it is still caused by unstable 13th and 14th gen Intels, isn't restricted to just this one game title

What to do?

Tech-savy people: Update your BIOS, hope for the best in terms of the health of your CPU, use the ext. warranty period to your advantage, or at least to counterbalance the disadvantage.

Also tech-savy people: If you know some "normies" with mentioned CPU generations and the occasional gaming desire, help them out with some knowledge regarding the needed BIOS update. Even if some of them did see the heads-up, they might shy away from performing this step and, in turn, degrade their CPUs.

They will call on you anyway when they have to replace this part as getting the cooler off and on again is another one of those non-normie steps, right?

Non techies: You are most likely not reading this anyway and only wonder why the game crashes, even after the update. :-/ It's not the game! Contact the folks who sold you the PC.

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Added info:

The process of compiling shaders (and, in turn, causing ~100% CPU load) isn't out of the ordinary for game engines. Especially the Unreal 4 and 5 ones happen to rely on that a lot. But this peak load situation then catches some otherwise "stable" systems off guard: In normal use, they might appear stable. Even the later gaming load will be well under 100%. But unstable machines of course never reach this state.

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A written timeline regarding the Intel 14th & 13th Gen CPU Instability Issues can be found here: https://wccftech.com/intel-14th-13th-gen-cpu-instability-issues-solved-confirms-0x12b-as-final-mitigation/

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Edit: Added link to video about the background and timeline of the Intel problems; ext. warranty link

Edit2: Added info box re: shader compilation

Edit3: Added link to timeline

Sorry, this is an exceptionally noob question.

Are 13th gen intel CPU’s that bad? Asking because the computer I bought has one.

CPU Core I7-13700k GPU ASUS Prime OC 5080 Mobo ASUS Prime B760A-AX

I do mostly gaming but also a bit of video/audio editing.

I read nothing good about 13-14th gen intel CPU’s. Is the CPU I have going to hinder me sooner than later? Is there any reason to upgrade the CPU? Would I get any meaningful improvement by upgrading the CPU at this point or is it not a big enough difference to care about for a couple years?