For quite some time now, numerous users have been noting instability, including frequent game crashes, particularly in games utilizing the Unreal Engine, on specific unlocked Intel Core processors within Intel’s Raptor Lake lineup.
RAD, a subsidiary of Epic Games, has previously stated that the “oodle data compression” failures experienced in games like Remnant 2 and Warhammer Vermintide 2 are primarily attributed to certain Intel 13th and 14th Generation Core CPUs.
They have identified it as a hardware issue, with the only suggested resolution being to undervolt and possibly underclock your Intel Core processor.
We suspect that this issue stems from a common feature for unlocked Raptor Lake CPUs. Users can bypass the processor’s PL2 power limit of 253 watts within the BIOS, activating an unlimited power state that significantly increases CPU power consumption.
This boost is intended to enhance performance during review or benchmarking processes.
Nevertheless, Intel has not devised a method to evade the principles of thermodynamics. Whether increasing voltage or current through silicon, it only hastens its deterioration.
Additionally, Intel Core CPUs are notorious for consuming more power and generating more heat compared to their main competitor. This necessitates more sophisticated cooling solutions to manage Intel CPU’s more effectively, throwing more current through the chip only increases the heat generated which in turn accelerates degradation even further.
As expected, when Intel Core CPUs operate with an unlimited power limit, prolonged exposure to increased current can lead to accelerated degradation over enough time.
Frequencies may become unstable over time, which has long since been a reality for overclocking enthusiasts who push their processors to the limit. Unfortunately, ordinary consumers are now facing consequences due to the ominous BIOS setting, which can be enabled by anyone, and sometimes set as default by motherboard vendors, exacerbating the situation.
The escalation of issues among consumers with their 13th/14th Generation Core Processors has reached a critical point, compelling Intel to acknowledge the problem. Reportedly, over ten processors are being returned daily in Korea alone, highlighting the urgency of the situation.
Korean forums are inundated with reports from individuals experiencing stability issues with their unlocked Raptor Lake CPUs, including models like the Intel Core i9-13900K, 14900K/S/F with Western outlets such as Newegg being plastered with negative reviews for Intel CPUs complaining about degraded health and instability.
South Korean users started reporting the issue en masse around the time of Tekken 8’s release. This specific game, developed on Unreal Engine 5, encounters a problem related to “not enough video memory,” causing game crashes.
Since late February, numerous users across various platforms have reported these issues. Korean YouTubers have now highlighted the problem with videos confirming its existence. According to ZDNET, 10 individuals are returning to stores daily to request replacement CPUs due to these issues.
Notably, there hasn’t been a single instance of an AMD Ryzen processor encountering such problems online, not even when including the fragile X3D line of Zen 3 and Zen 4 CPUs.
Intel has yet to confirm or issue any public statement regarding the problem, which aligns with the company’s typical response pattern. Conversely, AMD promptly released a statement after reports emerged of ASUS motherboards with egregious BIOS settings burnt out a handful of AMD Ryzen 7000 series X3D CPUs.
Currently, it has been observed that manually downclocking and undervolting might restore stability to games. This is likely because these Intel CPUs have degraded substantially, due to the sheer increase in current flowing through the processor when its power limitations are removed.
Similar to how AMD had to intervene with motherboard vendors due to their antics of excessively overvolting the SoC and SA voltages on Ryzen 7000X3D processors as a “default” configuration, Intel may need to take action to prevent motherboard vendors from overriding Intel’s default Power Limit states.
However, it’s worth noting that high-end “enthusiast” desktop CPUs from Intel are often pushed to the limits of their silicon capabilities from the factory. While the frequency increase from the 13900K to the 14900K may be minimal, the power consumption increase is significant.
This trend extends to the recently introduced Core i9-14900KS, which sees a modest boost frequency increase but consumes substantially more power to achieve marginal performance gains.
Once more, the blame lies with motherboard manufacturers who effectively overclock your CPU through their own “default” settings, sacrificing the longevity of your purchase to serve their marketing and benchmarking needs.
However, Intel also shares some blame for not imposing stricter regulations, as AMD has recently done by enforcing a more rigid standard with AIB vendors.
