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Intel Denies Recall for 14th & 13th Gen CPUs Amid Instability Issues

7/27/2024

Intel Denies Recall for 14th & 13th Gen CPUs Amid Instability Issues

Intel has addressed the growing concerns surrounding the instability of their 14th and 13th Gen CPUs. Despite widespread crashes and performance issues, Intel has confirmed that there will be no recall or halt in sales. The company is confident that an upcoming microcode patch will resolve the issues, although validation is still ongoing.

Consumer Concerns and Intel’s Response

The instability of Intel’s 14th and 13th Gen CPUs has caused significant frustration among consumers, including game studios and professionals. Intel’s response has been criticized as inadequate and negligent. When questioned by The Verge, Intel denied any plans for a recall or sales halt and did not provide statistics on the affected CPUs.

Key Questions and Intel’s Answers

  • Will Intel issue a recall? No.
  • Has Intel halted sales or performed any channel inventory recalls? No.
  • Will Intel extend its warranty on these parts? No answer yet.
  • What proof will customers need to share to obtain an RMA? No comment.

Affected Products and Microcode Patch

Intel disclosed that the affected products include 13th and 14th Gen desktop processors with 65W or higher base power. The company is confident that the upcoming microcode patch will be an effective solution, but the situation is still being assessed.

Timeline of Events

  • Dec 2022: Initial reports of “Out of Video Memory” issues on 13th Gen Core i9 CPUs.
  • Throughout 2023: Reports of game crashes in high-profile AAA titles.
  • Feb 2024: Issue highlighted by tech outlets; underclocking and undervolting suggested as temporary fixes.
  • Apr 2024: NVIDIA states the issues are related to Intel CPUs; Intel begins investigation.
  • May 2024: Intel recommends default BIOS settings.
  • Jun 2024: Intel discovers a bug in its microcode; new BIOS updates released.
  • Jul 2024: Intel denies RMA requests; tech media highlights the issue; Intel confirms elevated operating voltages as the root cause.

Conclusion

Intel’s handling of the instability issues has left many consumers dissatisfied. With the release of Intel’s Arrow Lake-S desktop CPUs approaching, the company’s reputation is at stake. The upcoming microcode patch is expected to address the issues, but the situation remains critical.