Stability problems with 13th and 14th generation Core i9s: a thorn in Intel's side

Written by Guillaume
Publication date: {{ dayjs(1719417640*1000).local().format("L").toString()}}
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This article is an automatic translation

Intel has introduced " Intel Default Settings " to be applied to all motherboards for Core i9, but also Core i5 and Core i7 after all.

As the American group prepares to launch, one after the other, two new ranges of processors for notebooks (Lunar Lake) and desktops (Arrow Lake), Intel is entangled in a story of instability on its top-of-the-range 13th and 14th generation chips, Raptor Lake and Raptor Lake Refresh to name but two. For several months now, users with Core i9-13900K/KS/KF or Core i9-14900K/KS/KF processors have been complaining of repeated crashes. These crashes occur on motherboard models that are also high-end, and when the processor load is particularly heavy.

Many were quick to point to problems linked to the settings made by motherboard manufacturers. Indeed, to stand out from their competitors, particularly on high-end models, these manufacturers do not hesitate to apply "optimizations" to processor settings. Intel was quick to criticize these "optimizations" in the wake of the first user feedback: the company had never done much to dissuade manufacturers from applying such settings to processors, and even took a certain amount of glory from the fact that it allowed its chips to shine. Alas, in many cases, these "limit" settings put too much strain on the processors, which ended up crashing. Of course, the lottery of a processor's ability to cope with high frequencies, high voltages or over-ambitious TDPs means that some chips get through without a hitch, while others crash miserably.

Intel

Somewhat forced, Intel responded by publishing what it called " Intel Default Settings ", in other words settings low enough to ensure that all processors can run without the slightest hitch. Of course, such settings do have an impact on performance, but in the end, it's not so disabling. Initially intended primarily for 13th and 14th generation Core i9 processors, these settings have now also been associated with Core i5 and Core i7 processors, underlining Intel's fear of further controversy. On its website, the American firm goes into detail about the settings in question and what they entail, before stating that the exact cause of these crashes has not yet been fully identified. Not exactly reassuring, even if it seems to affect only a tiny proportion of users.