Intel’s CPU instability and crashing issues also impact mainstream 65W and higher ‘non-K’ models — damage is irreversible, no planned recall

Intel has now divulged that the crashing issue affecting 13th and 14th-gen processors impacts all 65W and higher CPUs, meaning even more mainstream un-overclockable models are impacted. Intel announced Monday that, even though it still continues to investigate, it had finally gotten to the bottom of crashing issues plaguing its chips. As we reported on Monday, the microcode update is coming in mid-August, but if the bug has already damaged your CPU, you’re out of luck — the damage is irreversible, and the chip will need to be replaced. Intel has no plans to do a recall, but it is replacing impacted processors.

The issue began in December 2022 and has exploded since then. Consumers with Raptor Lake and Raptor Lake Refresh CPUs experienced crashes and BSODs during gaming and other workloads. Intel finally acknowledged the root cause: erroneous microcode instructing the CPU to ask for more voltage than was safe.

Once the damage is done, there’s no going back. You can reduce the chance of the bug occurring by using the Intel Default Settings in your motherboard BIOS while waiting for the microcode update, but this isn’t a guaranteed fix.

Intel also revealed the full scope of the bug’s impact. We once believed the issue only happened with the most powerful Core i9 and i7 SKUs, but Intel says it’s much more widespread. The crashing issues could impact any Raptor Lake or Raptor Lake Refresh chip drawing 65W or more power. Furthermore, the bug also affects the mainstream non-K models and their K/KF/KS counterparts, Intel told the Verge. 

This doesn’t mean every Raptor Lake or Raptor Lake Refresh CPU will experience crashing issues. However, any customer who is or has been seeing instability issues on their desktop CPU should contact Intel Customer Support.

“For customers who are or have been experiencing instability symptoms on their 13th and/or 14th Gen desktop processors, Intel continues advising them to contact Intel Customer Support for further assistance. Additionally, if customers have experienced these instability symptoms on their 13th and/or 14th Gen desktop processors but had RMA return merchandise authorization requests rejected, we ask that they reach out to Intel Customer Support for further assistance and remediation.”

What’s troubling is that Intel has not and will not issue a recall for the affected CPUs. It also hasn’t halted processor sales pending the updated microcode rolling out.