Unstable Core: Intel’s 13th & 14th Gen Woes Spread to Mobile
Recently, Intel has been plagued by instability issues with its 13th and 14th generation Core K/KF/KS processors. Despite releasing several announcements to identify the causes and provide user guidance, the problem remains unresolved without a definitive conclusion. Both motherboard manufacturers and users, including some game developers, are affected and concerned about the current instability.
According to TomsHardware, the instability of Intel’s Raptor Lake and Raptor Lake Refresh extends beyond mainstream desktop processors. The latest reports indicate that 13th and 14th-generation Core mobile processors are also susceptible to crashes, although these occurrences are reportedly less common.
The report does not specify which 13th and 14th-generation Core mobile processors are most affected. It is reasonable to assume that the flagship Core i9 HX series is among them, as the most powerful and power-hungry chips on desktop platforms are typically the most sensitive to instability, likely mirroring the situation on mobile platforms.
At present, Intel has yet to offer a definitive solution to the instability issues of the 13th and 14th generation Core processors. They are attempting to mitigate the problem through microcode updates, stricter power limit measures, and enforced security mechanisms like CEP in the BIOS, while also correcting eTVB errors. However, this does not entirely resolve the instability. The most troublesome aspect for users is the randomness of these issues; some chips may crash under specific conditions, while others exhibit various other failure modes, even with E-Core disabled.
More surprisingly, workstations and servers built around the W680 motherboard are experiencing similar issues, suggesting that the instability of Raptor Lake and Raptor Lake Refresh is not solely related to power consumption. This implies that changes in power limits do not singularly determine stability, and power parameters are not the only influencing factors.
