Intel launched data Friday a few patch for the microcode bug affecting Thirteenth- and 14th-generation Intel Core processors, and the chipmaker’s information is a mixture of good, unhealthy, and ugly.
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The excellent news
In response to Intel, the patch is being distributed to all its companions and is particularly aimed toward Ok, KF, and KS processors. Intel can be investigating attainable mitigations for methods already displaying signs and expects to have an replace by the top of August. In case your processor reveals indicators of harm, Intel advises getting it exchanged.
Intel’s testing additionally signifies that the patch doesn’t adversely have an effect on system efficiency, in order that’s excellent news for players and people who need the quickest system attainable.
Intel says that “all future merchandise won’t be affected by this challenge.”
The unhealthy information
There isn’t any phrase but on whether or not cellular (laptop computer) chips from these generations are affected, leaving house owners in a wait-and-see scenario. Moreover, there is no such thing as a simple approach for house owners of affected chips to find out if their processor is flawed and requires an replace, apart from manually checking their CPU mannequin (utilizing one of many strategies I outlined right here).
Moreover, there is no such thing as a official methodology for house owners of crashing methods to find out definitively whether or not their chip has been broken or if the system crashing is because of one other issue.
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After which there’s the bit the place Intel cautions about overlocking these chips, stating that the replace “won’t forestall customers from overclocking” but in addition that “overclocking could void their guarantee and/or have an effect on system well being” and that it recommends house owners “make the most of the Intel default settings.”
The ugly information
The patch will solely be obtainable as a part of a BIOS replace, which means house owners might want to discover, obtain, and set up the proper patch themselves. Distributing the patch through Home windows Replace would have made it accessible to a broader vary of PC house owners, not simply these conscious of the issue.