At the end of September, Intel released the “0x12B” patch, a microcode update that surprised me a bit because I didn’t think the chip giant would needs another patch to complete the resolution of the stability issues suffered by Core Gen 13 and Core Gen 14 processors.

I have spoken to you on this subject on previous occasions, but I will give you a summary to put you in the situation should anyone get lost. Over the past few months, complaints have started to surface from some users saying that their Intel Core Gen 13 and Gen 14 processors have stability issues, especially during shader compilation stages in games.

These problems manifested themselves in spontaneous shutdowns and crashesand were becoming more frequent. The increase in the number of affected users was remarkable, and it forced Intel to take action. After conducting an investigation, the company determined that excessive voltages were created that ultimately damaged these processors, and that the damage was irreversible.

Users with a damaged processor have no choice but to file an RMA to get a replacement or refund. Those with processors that have not yet been damaged can prevent damage by installing microcode updates that Intel has released. These updates produce a slight loss of performancebut it’s better than having a damaged processor.

Intel won’t need to release any more patches

An Intel spokesperson confirmed this to The Verge, saying that they have already resolved the issue that caused the voltage increase and that they will no longer need to issue any more microcode updates related to the issue. Patch “0x12B” is the latestand that’s good news because it means there won’t be any more updates that can reduce performance.

The nightmare was over, but what was the problem? It’s not due to a single cause, according to Intel the high voltage issue was caused by things like errors in eTVBstands for “Enhanced Thermal Boost Velocity” and also unstable feed profiles which were theoretically used by motherboard manufacturers.

All of this allowed motherboards to provide a feeding in excess of the permitted amount, that eTVB exceeded recommended frequencies even at high temperatures and that high voltage levels were used even with processors in idle or low load conditions.