Intel Requests Motherboard Makers to Implement “Default Settings” Profile as BIOS Defaults for 14th & 13th Gen CPU Stability

Intel has taken steps to address stability issues with its 14th and 13th Gen CPUs by requesting motherboard manufacturers to adopt its recommended “Default Settings” profiles in BIOS. These profiles aim to improve stability and prevent crashes caused by aggressive power limits set by some motherboards.

The Problem

Previously, motherboard makers often tuned their products with the “Extreme” profile for both 13th and 14th Gen CPUs. This profile increased power limits beyond the baseline configuration, resulting in instability, crashes, and even blue screens of death (BSODs) during gaming and other tasks.

The Solution

To mitigate these issues, Intel introduced three pre-configured profiles for its CPUs:

1. Baseline Profile: Sets power limits (PL1/PL2/PL4) to 125/188/293W and Iccmax to 249A.
2. Performance Profile: Increases power limits to 125/253/380W and 307A.
3. Extreme Profile: Provides the best performance by setting chips at 253W (PL1/PL2).

Intel now recommends motherboard makers and system vendors implement the “Intel Default Settings” profile as the default BIOS option. By doing so, CPUs will operate within Intel’s recommended settings, avoiding instability caused by excessive power limits.

Implications

While the Baseline profile ensures stability, it also limits performance. Higher-end Z790 and Z690 motherboards may become less useful, as paying more for a motherboard won’t yield the expected performance gains.

Implementation Deadline

Intel has set a deadline for implementing the “Intel Default Settings” profile: May 31, 2024. Users can expect improved stability and fewer crashes once motherboard manufacturers adopt these changes.