SpartanVXL:

 

For anyone looking to purchase 13/14th gen Intel CPU’s please be aware of the voltage degradation issue. Do not run the cpu without updating motherboard to latest bios with intels microcode.

 

I hadn't been following this too closely, as I had largely been running AMD based desktops for the last 5 years, but with the price, I'm looking at this to upgrade my unraid server (running a 6 core i5-9500t).

Since I don't need massive single core performance, I'd be tempted to downclock this massively to run it well inside the thermal/power efficiency envelope, is this an across the board issue or just top end performance? And is it completely negated with a bios update? 

Edit: decided to jump on it anyway with a Gigabyte Z790 D AX board, so guess I will find out!

Just as a follow up, the problem description is vmin shift instability summarised as follows:

Vmin shift instability in Intel CPUs refers to a problem where the minimum voltage required for a processor to operate stably increases over time, often due to elevated voltages and temperatures. This continues until the voltage is high enough to cause damage to the chip. More heat equals more resistance which requires more voltage, increasing heat etc.

Intel have not clarified on whether their microcode update is a root cause fix or not. Manual voltage settings and limits on power draw should also be enough to mitigate the problem.

Intel have also extended warranty to all affected CPUs. The higher power draw chips were more likely to see symptoms earlier but all chips in 13/14 gen are affected.

SpartanVXL:

 

Just as a follow up, the problem description is vmin shift instability summarised as follows:

 

Vmin shift instability in Intel CPUs refers to a problem where the minimum voltage required for a processor to operate stably increases over time, often due to elevated voltages and temperatures. This continues until the voltage is high enough to cause damage to the chip. More heat equals more resistance which requires more voltage, increasing heat etc.

 

Intel have not clarified on whether their microcode update is a root cause fix or not. Manual voltage settings and limits on power draw should also be enough to mitigate the problem.

 

Intel have also extended warranty to all affected CPUs. The higher power draw chips were more likely to see symptoms earlier but all chips in 13/14 gen are affected.

 

But good luck getting that warranty...

I ended up having to warranty my 14700k, and eventually fought so hard I got a platform change (albeit at some of my cost).

The replacement 14700k (that PBTech did as part of it) still requested 1.55v in low usage(so wattage was low) but high frequency at Intel defaults. So it would eventually kill itself, as the motherboard wants to push more.

I honestly wish I went with AMD when my z590 motherboard decided it's main 16x no longer wanted to exist...