Intel’s ‘Raptor Lake’ Bug Patch Is Right here: How A lot Does It Have an effect on Efficiency?
Intel’s thirteenth and 14th Gen desktop processors (dubbed “Raptor Lake” and “Raptor Lake Refresh”) have lately come below hearth—and a few severe scrutiny—for unexpectedly excessive failure charges. Finally, Intel put the issue right down to a CPU-microcode bug that allowed, at occasions, for supply of too-high voltage. The chip maker has been scrambling to mitigate this significant issue ever because it recognized the trigger. Now, we’ve got our first have a look at what the chip big’s answer seems like. It comes within the type of a microcode patch.What we have seen to this point: The patch Intel launched has a minor efficiency penalty related to it, whereas additionally decreasing warmth manufacturing and energy consumption slightly bit. These adjustments simply is likely to be sufficient to stop harm, or additional harm, to your Raptor Lake processor. Nonetheless, you must know this is not essentially an ideal repair for processors which are already crashing frequently. Additionally, additional patches or different remediations could come from Intel in time.What’s the Downside With Raptor Lake?Anybody who has seen Jurassic Park ought to notice that raptors are certainly an enormous challenge. Jokes apart, Raptor Lake processors have turn out to be a significant drawback, too, and—similar to in Jurassic Park—for employees and company equally. Techniques utilizing thirteenth and 14th Gen processors have been crashing at an alarming fee, with reviews of frequent Blue Screens Of Dying (BSODs). Some recreation builders, who’ve deployed these generations of chips in giant numbers, have reported a disproportionate variety of these Intel CPUs exhibiting failures or unstable conduct, in contrast with their AMD equivalents (and versus earlier Intel generations).
(Credit score: Michael Justin Allen Sexton)
The issue is remoted to thirteenth Gen Intel Raptor Lake processors and 14th Gen Intel Raptor Lake Refresh processors. As their code names recommend, each make use of the identical underlying architectures, so we’ll consult with them on this article collectively as “Raptor Lake” for simplicity. The crash issues are additionally reportedly remoted to processors with an influence score of 65 watts or larger; that applies to virtually all Raptor Lake processors.As talked about, extreme voltage seems to be the basis reason for this crashing. Overclockers have lengthy identified that pushing an excessive amount of energy via a processor can harm it, however this harm tends to happen over time, and it isn’t at all times obvious that harm is occurring till it’s too late. You possibly can liken it to pushing the engine in your automobile to the place it’s red-lining, working with its RPMs within the pink a part of the gauge. It’s one thing you are able to do however not one thing you actually need to do. Doing it a couple of occasions could not have an impact, however the extra you do it, the pressure on the {hardware} reveals.
(Credit score: Michael Justin Allen Sexton)
That’s basically what’s occurred with Intel’s Raptor Lake processors. There have been indicators that these processors have been being pushed too onerous early on, which we indicated in our opinions of the Core i7-13700K, Core i9-13900K, Core i9-13900KS, Core i7-14700K, Core i9-14900K and Core i9-14900KS. These processors proved comparatively power-hungry throughout testing, and all hit their thermal restrict when below peak benchmark stresses on our customary 240mm liquid cooler. That is removed from ultimate on each accounts, however the processors have been steady (principally) at launch, so we didn’t have a concrete purpose to suppose they might fail prematurely or undergo another unintended effects. That is how they have been designed to run. Or so we thought.Intel’s 0x129 Patch: The First Formal FixThe microcode patch Intel created to handle this dilemma is known as “0x129.” A microcode replace alters the directions processors use to information their inside operations. An excessive amount of info is saved on this microcode, together with the logic figuring out how a lot energy the CPU ought to request from the motherboard. When the processor turbo is energetic, the 0x129 patch limits voltage requests above 1.55V. If extreme voltage is certainly the basis reason for your Raptor Lake crashes, this patch might assist to alleviate that. However it could not totally resolve the issue, in all instances.The primary huge purpose why? Injury could have already been finished. As talked about within the earlier part, harm from extra voltage sometimes accrues regularly, and there isn’t a technique to undo it. It is like operating your automobile too onerous: If it begins having issues, they will not simply disappear should you push the car much less onerous. In the identical manner, customers already experiencing crashes could proceed to see some even after making use of the patch. Processors broken thus far possible must be changed below guarantee, which Intel has prolonged by two years for processors affected by this voltage challenge. A group discussion board put up by Thomas Hannaford, Intel communications supervisor, on the state of affairs and the corporate’s stance on regularly crashing processors reads as follows:In mild of the lately introduced prolonged guarantee program, Intel is reaffirming its confidence in its merchandise and is dedicated to creating positive all prospects who’ve or are at present experiencing instability signs on their thirteenth and/or 14th Gen desktop processors are supported within the change course of. Customers experiencing constant instability signs ought to attain out to their system producer (OEM/System Integrator buy), Intel Buyer Help (boxed processor), or place of buy (tray processor) additional help.In the identical discussion board put up talked about above, Hannaford said the next:The newest microcode replace (0x129) will restrict voltage requests above 1.55V as a preventative mitigation for processors not experiencing instability signs.In inquiries to Intel, Hannaford indicated to us that it would nonetheless be potential for overclockers to exceed these voltage ranges by manually altering settings. Both manner, overclockers ought to attempt to keep below this voltage restrict for the long-term stability of their {hardware}.A second purpose why this patch could also be simply the beginning of this story: We may even see extra patches. Hannaford talked about to us in the middle of inquiries that…Investigation continues to make sure that eventualities of instability reported to Intel concerning its Core thirteenth/14th Gen desktop processors are addressed and acceptable preventative measures are carried out in present and future product households.That implies Intel might have additional patches coming to resolve the issue if its understanding of the issue evolves.A 3rd purpose the issues may persist is solely speculative on our half: As we noticed in our newest exams (which we’ll get to in a second), the chip working temperatures stay comparatively excessive. However we’ll talk about that extra as we undergo the take a look at outcomes.How We Examined the Patched-Up RaptorsWe examined a couple of of the higher-end chips focused by the patch to gauge what, if any, impact the patch has had on efficiency, working temperatures, and energy consumption. We targeted this testing on Intel’s Core i9-14900K and Core i7-14700K.Our logic for selecting these two? Since voltage ranges are at play right here, we surmised the patch would present essentially the most important observable adjustments with Intel’s power-hungriest processors. That alone would have guided us to retest the Core i9-14900KS and the Core i9-13900KS, however these processors are each particular version fashions obtainable in restricted portions, and we needed to check chips extra folks have been prone to have. That left the Core i9-14900K and the Core i7-14700K as the 2 power-hungriest and most generally obtainable ones.
(Credit score: Michael Justin Allen Sexton)
The 2 CPUs have been examined on the exact same platform we benchmarked them on once they launched. The take a look at system has a Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Grasp motherboard with 32GB of DDR5 RAM clocked on the max formally supported reminiscence pace (5,600MHz). The system is provided with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 graphics card. A Cooler Grasp MasterLiquid PL240 Flux liquid AIO cooler is used with all examined processors, and a SilverStone DA850 850-watt energy provide gives the juice. All parts are put in on a Praxis Wetbench chassis, and all exams have been carried out below Home windows 11 with the newest updates put in.To get and apply the patch to your system, you will must obtain a BIOS replace and apply it to your motherboard. That is possible the newest BIOS replace on the board maker’s website, however you must verify the outline or replace notes for the BIOS to substantiate it contains the 0x129 patch. For instance, the F14f BIOS model for our Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Grasp take a look at motherboard has the next in its description:Replace microcode 0x129 to handle sporadic Vcore elevation conduct introduced by IntelUnless you’ve gotten the identical motherboard, or probably one other Gigabyte motherboard, you are not prone to see a BIOS description or an replace be aware that claims that verbatim, however you must verify that no matter replace you put in signifies the 0x129 patch is included. The obtain must be obtainable on the assist web page in your motherboard below the BIOS part, and most pre-built programs (like these from Dell, HP, and Lenovo) ought to have related updates obtainable. That is how you will know the patch might be utilized. Put up-Patch CPU Efficiency Checks: Core i7-14700K & Core i9-14900KThe patch suppresses extra voltage requests over 1.55V, and this impact on efficiency (if any) will almost certainly be seen in CPU-focused exams. The explanation why: Such voltage requests sometimes happen solely when the processor is below a heavy load, equivalent to when operating extremely threaded CPU-focused exams.We ran our customary benchmark suite on the Core i7 and i9 chips indicated and graphed them in opposition to the numbers we noticed when the chips launched. In most exams, we noticed a gentle discount in efficiency on each the Core i7-14700K and the Core i9-14900K when operating the brand new patch.
In Cinebench R23, the patched Core i9-14900K carried out 4% slower within the multi-threaded take a look at and three% slower within the single-threaded take a look at than it carried out pre-patch. The patched Core i7-14700K confirmed related ends in the multi-threaded take a look at (3% slower), and a useless warmth within the single-threaded take a look at.The outcomes we measured in our two Adobe exams, partly, we can’t totally clarify. In Adobe Photoshop, the patched Core i9-14900K was 4% slower than it carried out pre-patch (comprehensible), however in Adobe Premiere Professional, we measured an unlimited distinction of 42%. The Core i9-14900K scored surprisingly excessive earlier than the patch on this take a look at, and that overperformance was constant throughout a number of take a look at runs. These excessively excessive Premiere Professional take a look at scores vanished after the patch was utilized. Given our different exams, it doesn’t make sense for this patch to drop efficiency by this excessive of an quantity. As a result of the unique quantity was so inflated, we’re keen to put in writing this take a look at off as an anomaly. The Core i7-14700K, as compared, misplaced solely 4% of its efficiency in Premiere Professional with the patch utilized.Our Handbrake take a look at confirmed 4% and three% efficiency reductions, respectively, with the patched Core i9-14900K and Core i7-14700K. Subsequent, our Blender trial had the patched Core i9-14900K take 6% longer to finish the take a look at than it took earlier than the patch, whereas the Core i7-14700K carried out virtually identically earlier than and after the patch. Final is our POV-Ray 3.7 take a look at. (It is much like Cinebench R23 in that it options each single- and multi-threaded torture exams.) The patch had no impact on efficiency in both chip’s single-threaded take a look at, however the Core i9-14900K carried out 5% slower within the multi-threaded take a look at after the patch was utilized.Put up-Patch Gaming Efficiency Checks: Core i7-14700K & Core i9-14900KGaming outcomes for the Core i9-14900K and Core i7-14700K different drastically from take a look at to check with the patch utilized. The patch was not the one issue right here. We utilized the patch to resolve the crashing challenge, in fact, however different related updates have occurred since we initially examined the Core i9-14900K and the Core i7-14700K in October 2023, and these updates have been additionally put in together with the patch. These tweaks can alter numerous issues, together with how Intel’s Thread Director behaves. (Thread Director governs how the high-performance P-Cores and the high-efficiency E-Cores share workloads.) Additionally new: graphics drivers that could be extra mature for some video games now than after we examined these two chips.Within the artificial 3DMark Time Spy take a look at, the patched Core i9-14900K carried out higher than earlier than the patch, whereas the Core i7-14700K carried out about the identical earlier than and after the patch. Efficiency dropped within the recreation F1 22 with the patch utilized by between 3% to five% on each processors, however efficiency elevated by as much as 6% in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, which is probably going right down to driver optimizations.
Complete Conflict: Three Kingdoms carried out between 3% and 4% slower on the Core i9-14900K after the patch was utilized, however it ran slightly quicker on the patched Core i7-14700K (between 3% and 6%). Neither of our true legacy video games, Bioshock: Infinite or Tomb Raider (2013), confirmed a big change from having the patch put in.Put up-Patch Energy & Thermals: Core i7-14700K & Core i9-14900KWe use a Kill-A-Watt wall meter to carry out power-consumption assessments on the take a look at programs. This offers us an concept of how a lot energy the system consumes as an entire, even when it doesn’t give us actual measurements for the processor in isolation. The remainder of the take a look at system is unchanged other than the CPU, nonetheless, so this provides us perception into how a lot energy every processor consumes relative to one another in a constant surroundings.
The patch didn’t considerably alter energy consumption for the Core i9-14900K, however the Core i7-14700K confirmed a 3% discount in energy consumption in our Adobe Premiere trial and a 12% discount in Cinebench R23. Total temperatures dropped barely on each the Core i9-14900K and the Core i7-14700K with the patch utilized.Hitting 97 levels C and 96 levels C, respectively, nonetheless, each processors nonetheless operated at near their thermal restrict and better than I might really feel comfy with for normal use. That is just some levels off what we noticed pre-patch.Verdict: Not a Large Penalty, However Is This the First & Final Repair?Intel’s patch for its Raptor Lake and Raptor Lake Refresh processors could properly assist to stop harm from extreme voltage. The marginally decreased working temperatures are a promising signal, as are the decreased power-consumption figures for the Core i7-14700K. Efficiency did drop in lots of exams, however the discount was slight most often, detectable solely in benchmarks. Most individuals possible gained’t discover the distinction in on a regular basis duties, which is good news. These adjustments could also be small, however the distinction between dangerously excessive voltage spikes that harm the processor and within-spec voltage boosts that don’t trigger harm may be fairly small, too. This patch is hopefully sufficient to stop the previous.
(Credit score: Michael Justin Allen Sexton)
That mentioned, this patch just isn’t a time machine or a therapeutic potion. Whereas the patch could show efficient at stopping harm (or additional harm), any harm already sustained by an affected processor is everlasting and sure gained’t be resolved or mitigated by this patch. Given the nonetheless comparatively excessive energy consumption and working temperatures, taking further precautions, like those we outlined on this earlier article, would even be sensible. In spite of everything, as a normal rule: The decrease the working temperature of your pc parts, the longer they’ll sometimes final, all else being equal.As a eager PC builder and element reviewer, I am uncomfortable with parts pushing over 90 levels C below heavy load; I’m barely OK with something that tends to run over 80 levels C. When you nonetheless see the identical patterns of crashing with the patch put in, you must look into guarantee service in your CPU from Intel (should you purchased a boxed chip) or your system vendor (should you received the CPU in an OEM system). Taking additional motion past the patch to cut back energy consumption and working temperatures could possibly be useful should you’re seeing equally excessive temperatures. In fact, getting the facility consumption and working temperature down even decrease than what we noticed in our exams could imply an even bigger efficiency hit. Regardless, even should you do nothing else, putting in 0x129 is a vital first step to take proper now should you personal one among these chips.
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About Michael Justin Allen Sexton
Analyst
For so long as I can keep in mind, I’ve had love of all issues tech, spurred on, partly, by a love of gaming. I started engaged on computer systems owned by quick members of the family and family members after I was round 10 years previous. I’ve at all times sought to study as a lot as potential about something PC, resulting in a well-rounded grasp on all issues tech at this time. In my position at PCMag, I drastically benefit from the alternative to share what I do know.I wrote for the well-known tech website Tom’s {Hardware} for 3 years earlier than I joined PCMag in 2018. In that point, I’ve reviewed desktops, PC instances, and motherboards as a freelancer, whereas additionally producing offers content material for the positioning and its sibling ExtremeTech. Now, as a full-time PCMag analyst, I am specializing in reviewing processors and graphics playing cards whereas dabbling in all different issues PC-related.
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