Intel has extended the warranty on 24 different 13th and 14th Gen desktop chips, including Core i5, Core i7, and Core i9 models, by two full years after discovering that CPUs based on its Raptor Lake architecture are vulnerable to permanent damage. This decision follows reports from gamers experiencing crashes with their 13th and 14th Gen Intel Core i9 CPUs, revealing that the problem was more severe than initially anticipated.
The issue stems from the CPUs being exposed to excessive voltage, leading to irreversible degradation in some cases. Although Intel has yet to confirm whether laptop chips are similarly affected, the company has acknowledged that there is no current fix for these malfunctioning CPUs. Affected users will need to exchange their CPUs under the extended warranty. However, Intel is addressing the root cause by releasing motherboard BIOS updates in August 2024 to prevent further damage by explicitly targeting the excessive voltage issue.
Despite these measures, several questions remain unanswered. It is unclear how many customers have been affected, why Intel has not initiated a recall, and why it has not withdrawn existing inventory before releasing the August patch. Moreover, Intel has yet to provide details on how it will inform customers proactively, the level of leniency it will offer to those seeking exchanges, and whether other factors might be contributing to the instability of these chips. While Intel has pointed to voltage as a significant cause, it has hinted that other issues may also be at play.
The Verge is monitoring developments, including how PC manufacturers will handle Intel’s extended warranty and any further updates regarding the situation.
