Intel has determined that the guarantee extension the agency introduced final week, for chips affected by instability points, applies to all its Thirteenth-gen and 14th-gen processors, and never simply boxed CPUs.
For those who recall, when the transfer, which upped the guarantee from three to 5 years, was made, Intel stated it utilized to boxed merchandise, however not CPUs that got here in prebuilt PCs. (So-called ‘tray’ CPUs, named as a result of they’re provided in quantity, in trays, to PC makers, with no field or packaging – as this isn’t wanted, and is an pointless value on this case).
As VideoCardz noticed, Intel has provided some additional particulars on the guarantee extension, and within the title of that publish (from Thomas Hannaford, Intel’s Communications Supervisor), there’s a key new nugget – that the guarantee applies to “Intel Core 13th/14th-gen Desktop Boxed/Tray CPUs.”
So, observe the point out now of each boxed and tray processors, whereas earlier than, Intel had stated that there was “two-year extended warranty support for our boxed Intel Core 13th and 14th-gen desktop processors.” (Our bolding for emphasis in each instances).
Workforce Blue additionally lists all of the chips from these generations which can be lined by the guarantee extension, as you’ll be able to see within the screenshot beneath (from the Core i5 13600K/14600K and upwards, principally – however not the non-Ok variations of the 13600/14600, it needs to be famous).
Evaluation: Unhealthy timing
Intel is busy firefighting a reasonably nasty PR catastrophe at this level, which is probably going why this guarantee protection has been broadened. At any charge, it’s good to get an official acknowledgment that no matter Thirteenth-gen or 14th-gen chip you may have, if it’s an affected mannequin as listed within the above desk, you get the advantage of that five-year guarantee – whether or not the processor was purchased individually in a field, or it got here in a prebuilt PC.
There’s nonetheless a great deal of discontent rumbling and echoing round varied on-line boards relating to this entire problem. For starters, there’s the subject of when the microcode replace – the preventative patch that’s inbound – goes to reach. We have been promised it for mid-August, and that’s solely a couple of week away now, but there’s nonetheless no phrase.
Granted, it might nonetheless be proper on monitor, however we’re getting shut now. And to be truthful, we’d moderately Intel took the time to get this as proper as doable, versus speeding out the replace – so there’s that too.
Nevertheless, there are additionally considerations for these affected who’ve returned their CPU, and could be getting a brand new alternative chip quickly – if it arrives earlier than stated microcode patch, is it secure to put in the processor and run it (or may that harm it, if the preventative replace isn’t prepared and launched)? Or will new chips include this microcode tweaking already baked in? We don’t know.
So far as we’re conscious, Intel continues to be investigating these stability issues to see if additional key causes could be lurking below the hood of Raptor Lake and Raptor Lake Refresh processors. There’s a way of unease and uncertainty about Intel’s general strategy right here, and for us, the priority that maybe processors that appear unaffected proper now, may ultimately manifest glitches effectively down the road. (Which is likely what the guarantee extension is about – however what about CPUs previous that five-year level)?
We’re additionally ready for Intel to pin down the separate oxidation problem with extra accuracy (by way of offering batch numbers of affected processors), and a few people on-line are nonetheless apprehensive about Thirteenth-gen or 14th-gen laptop computer chips too, although Intel has assured us these are usually not affected.
With Arrow Lake CPUs due later this 12 months, and Ryzen 9000 releasing imminently, Intel faces an uphill wrestle on the desktop already – with out these additional doubts being solid on its present desktop CPU ranges.
Laptop computer processor worries received’t assist both, even when they’re unwarranted. Particularly as Intel is going through off two foes on this entrance, given the hype round new Copilot+ PCs – specifically Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X silicon, and Ryzen AI 300 cellular processors.
In brief, it’s a nasty time for all this to be occurring, and we really feel Intel must step up the harm management over these stability gremlins, and ship some additional clarifications as quickly as doable.
