Intel has started requesting motherboard makers to implement its "Default Settings" for 14th & 13th Gen CPUs as BIOS defaults.
Intel Motherboard & System Partners Tackle 14th & 13th Gen CPU Stability Issues By Reverting To "Intel Default Settings"
So while the stability issues on the Intel 14th & 13th Gen CPUs continue to mount, motherboard makers took the first step in resolving or fixing them by implementing new BIOS profiles that set the CPUs to the default "Baseline" settings recommended by Intel. Now, Intel itself has requested motherboard makers and system vendors who are responsible for building PCs to implement new "Intel Default Settings" profiles as the default BIOS option which means that your motherboard will no longer push the CPU beyond its baseline configuration.
Previously, motherboard makers had their products tuned with the "Extreme" profile for both 13th and 14th Gen CPUs which raised the power limits beyond the baseline profile. This resulted in lots of instability on these chips leading to crashes in games, applications and even PCs straight up just BSOD'ing. Intel's own review guide had the chips set at "Extreme" configuration and showed vastly better performance but with these limits set to the default "baseline" profile, the performance drop is quite substantial as noted here.
Intel requests system and before the end of the month. motherboard manufacturers to provide end users with a default BIOS profile that matches Intel recommended settings.
- Suggested profile name “Intel Default Settings”.
- Intel requests customers to implement the “Intel Default Settings” profile as the BIOS default profile by May 31, 2024.
Intel strongly recommends customer's default BIOS settings should ensure operation within Intel's recommended settings.
via Intel
Intel itself recommends the use of the "Extreme" configuration for the best performance which is to set the chips at 253W(PL1/PL2) but with the "Baseline" profile, you will be setting these chips to 125/188W (PL1/PL2) which will limit the performance. This also means that the higher-end Z790 & Z690 motherboards will be useless since what's the point of paying higher for a motherboard that you cannot fully utilize without running into stability issues.
So what is the Baseline profile exactly? Well, Intel has a total of three pre-configured profiles for its 14th Gen and 13th Gen CPUs. These include "Baseline", "Performance" and "Extreme" presets. The baseline profile sets the PL1/PL2/PL4 to 125/188/293W and the Iccmax to 249A. Then we have the "Performance" profile which sets these to 125/253/380W & 307A, respectively. Lastly, there's the "Extreme" profile which sets these to 253/253/380W & 400A, respectively.
Benchlife provides the following table which is useful for comparing the three profiles:
| Baseline | Performance | Extreme | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor Base Power | 125W | 125W | 125W |
| Iccmax | 249A | 307A | 400A |
| Iccmax.app | 200A | 245A | 320A |
| PL1 | 125W | 125W | 253W |
| PL2 | 188W | 253W | 253W |
| PL4 | 293W | 380W | 380W |
| iPL2 | 160A | 200A | 200A |
So it looks like Intel is going with a more strict approach when it comes to enforcing its own "Baseline" profiles as BIOS defaults on motherboards and pre-built systems. These partners are said to implement these changes by the 31st of May (2024) and we are also anticipating Intel to release an official statement on the 15th of May regarding this matter. One thing is for sure motherboard makers will be taking just as much heat for this whole situation as Intel as that is what the blue team has gotten them into.
Talking to a few motherboard vendors, we have been told that they will go on a more rigorous testing across a larger batch of CPUs to determine the best power profiles and frequencies and to ensure that none of what's happening right now ever happens again.
News Sources: Benchlife, Igor's Lab, HXL
