Instability issues: Intel 13th and 14th gen, fix is out!

[Bait]

In case someone is still out of the loop, instability in Helldivers may not be the game itself, but your CPU.

I don't know why this hasn't been getting more coverage, but been following this drama for months and it comes down to Intel 13 CPUs asking the MB for more voltage than they can actually handle. This is typical of 13th and 14th gens.

This literally burns your CPU!

The good news is that after months of speculation and (the usual) denial from Intel's side, they not only acknowledged the issue - and, as usual, refused to admit it's a design flaw thus eligible for a recall as would be in any other industry - but also released a fix:
- update your motherboard's BIOS.

This last update, as usual for such problems contains a software patch that should (very "should"-ishly) prevent total degradation of the CPU without perceptible performance loss. At least until someone discovers another design flaw.

Note: it of course doesn't fix CPUs already damaged by over-voltage. To that end, Intel is extending the warranty for another 2 years and you might be eligible for an RMA.

So that's it folks: update your BIOSes - and if your CPU is already broken, demand a new one.

Spread the word. Cheers!

[Bibo1]

It has been covered extensively in media, be that print, youtube or online sites.
It's just not a specific game issue.

[Almost Last Place]

The damage is permanent. The crashes don't go away. The update lessens the likelihood of future damage. https://www.theverge.com/2024/7/26/24206529/intel-13th-14th-gen-crashing-instability-cpu-voltage-q-a

If you're a laptop user, there's still an issue causing crashes. https://www.theverge.com/2024/8/30/24232279/intel-13th-14th-gen-laptop-crashing-vmin-shift-instability

[Bait]

Originally posted by Bibo1:

It has been covered extensively in media, be that print, youtube or online sites.
It's just not a specific game issue.

not remotely extensive, only a few specialized venues. Not sure you're implying I'm somehow suggesting it's game specific but if that's the case, I suggest reading OP.

[AbientAle]

My new Intel i5-13400f didn't even last a year, before it started to die. ABout 90 days in... it started. BIOS microcode fix did nothing in August. Only solution was locking the VCORE to 1.1v so it NEVER asked for more. Still not a guarantee tho.. got a new AMD instead... INTEL also has oxidization issues, lost a lot of stock, etc etc. Got it via a 3rd party so NO RMA options. trolol.... They dropped the ball.... or glass panel on the tile. :p Don't go with INTEL for atleast a decade imo.

[Derplord]

Think my next PC will be AMD, but I have the feeling that my 12700K will serve me for many many years to come...

[Brother Belial]

This fix is only relevant to new undamaged CPU's. If your CPU is damaged that's a permanent problem and no micro code fix will repair physical damage to a CPU.

[[IDN/IDR] Átlās]

Originally posted by Derplord:

Think my next PC will be AMD, but I have the feeling that my 12700K will serve me for many many years to come...

give it 2 decades

[Bait]

Originally posted by AbientAle:

My new Intel i5-13400f didn't even last a year, before it started to die. ABout 90 days in... it started. BIOS microcode fix did nothing in August. Only solution was locking the VCORE to 1.1v so it NEVER asked for more. Still not a guarantee tho.. got a new AMD instead... INTEL also has oxidization issues, lost a lot of stock, etc etc. Got it via a 3rd party so NO RMA options. trolol.... They dropped the ball.... or glass panel on the tile. :p Don't go with INTEL for atleast a decade imo.

very sorry to hear that. Welp, that's what happens when one lets a greedy corp get away with defective products for too long.

[Bait]

Originally posted by Brother Belial:

This fix is only relevant to new undamaged CPU's. If your CPU is damaged that's a permanent problem and no micro code fix will repair physical damage to a CPU.

worth noting though that unstability starts before the CPU is permanently damaged so there's a chance.

[Wozherd$🐧]

Originally posted by Derplord:

Think my next PC will be AMD, but I have the feeling that my 12700K will serve me for many many years to come...

100% Will buy 12th gen next time, unless 15th gen is certified by everyone not to melt itself.
Sticking with my older gen builds until this day comes. Never touching 13/14th 🤣🤣

[Bait]

Originally posted by Wozherd$:

Originally posted by Derplord:

Think my next PC will be AMD, but I have the feeling that my 12700K will serve me for many many years to come...

100% Will buy 12th gen next time, unless 15th gen is certified by everyone not to melt itself.
Sticking with my older gen builds until this day comes. Never touching 13/14th 🤣🤣

don't get your hopes high. There hasn't been a bug-free Intel since forever. 12th is the least problematic of all since at least OG Pentium, don't get hyped for 15th.

[LeftIsBest-James]

GPU is where the games's at.
The importance of CPUs has to take a backseat now - and AMDs leading that anyway.

[Bait]

Originally posted by LeftIsBest-James:

GPU is where the games's at.
The importance of CPUs has to take a backseat now - and AMDs leading that anyway.

Not quite, not quite and... not quite.
Many games still don't do multi-core (e.g. most UE4 titles, many Unity etc. HD2 doesn't suffer that much because it's fully multi-core but it's VERY CPU-intensive.

So CPUs with good single-core performance are still required to get the most out of fast GPUs in many games.

AMD does have a few CPUs with good single-core performance but don't count on core-count nor multi-core performance to run games smoothly.

[AbientAle]

Originally posted by Bait:

Originally posted by AbientAle:

My new Intel i5-13400f didn't even last a year, before it started to die. ABout 90 days in... it started. BIOS microcode fix did nothing in August. Only solution was locking the VCORE to 1.1v so it NEVER asked for more. Still not a guarantee tho.. got a new AMD instead... INTEL also has oxidization issues, lost a lot of stock, etc etc. Got it via a 3rd party so NO RMA options. trolol.... They dropped the ball.... or glass panel on the tile. :p Don't go with INTEL for atleast a decade imo.

very sorry to hear that. Welp, that's what happens when one lets a greedy corp get away with defective products for too long.

Thanks... waited since 2009 to upgrade my PC, had to stop half way through of saving up for it to get a 2nd cancer surgery for my cat and then.... finally saved up and.... BOOM new PC dies on me. I love being poor lol, Intel ROYALLY screwed me and thousands more over. Low income so I can't save up much quickly... Never touching intel again myself.

[Enforcer]

Originally posted by Bait:

Originally posted by LeftIsBest-James:

GPU is where the games's at.
The importance of CPUs has to take a backseat now - and AMDs leading that anyway.

Not quite, not quite and... not quite.
Many games still don't do multi-core (e.g. most UE4 titles, many Unity etc. HD2 doesn't suffer that much because it's fully multi-core but it's VERY CPU-intensive.

So CPUs with good single-core performance are still required to get the most out of fast GPUs in many games.

AMD does have a few CPUs with good single-core performance but don't count on core-count nor multi-core performance to run games smoothly.

Yep. Single core performace is key despite all these "modern" games coming out nowadays. Developers are too lazy to optimize anything and everything because computing power and fast internet is making it easy for them to f*ck up now and fix things later. You'd most likely be just as well off with a 4 core CPU with the same clock, they might even be able to get away with a higher clock because they generate less heat.