Intel Corp announced on Monday that it has identified the source of the instability issues plaguing its 13th and 14th Generation Core processors. The company confirmed that the instability is due to “elevated operating voltage” and that a microcode patch is forthcoming.
Intel’s Thomas Hannaford stated on the company’s forum, “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.”
The company is working to release a microcode patch for motherboard manufacturers by mid-August. In the interim, affected users are advised to contact Intel support for assistance. This issue first came to light in April when owners of Intel Core i9-13900K and i9-14900K processors reported frequent game crashes and system instability.
Intel’s upcoming microcode patch aims to correct the voltage requests being sent to the processors, thereby stabilizing the operating conditions. This patch will be distributed through motherboard manufacturers, who will integrate the update into their BIOS releases. Users will need to update their BIOS to apply the fix.
Further complicating matters, Intel has faced scrutiny over the potential long-term impacts of the voltage issues on the affected processors’ lifespan. Elevated operating voltages can accelerate wear and tear on the CPU components, potentially shortening their operational life. Intel has yet to comment on whether the patch will address any potential long-term damage or if additional measures will be necessary.