Law Firm Investigates Potential Lawsuit
Abington Cole & Ellery, a prominent law firm, has initiated an investigation into a potential class action lawsuit against Intel. The focus of the investigation revolves around instability issues affecting Intel’s 13th and 14th generation CPUs. These instability problems have been traced back to an elevated operating voltage caused by a microcode algorithm.
Intel’s Response and Commitments
Intel has acknowledged the issue and promised to release a patch to address the problem. However, the patch is not expected to prevent any damage that has already occurred to the affected chips. To mitigate losses, Intel has offered to replace damaged CPUs. While this gesture might help consumers, it also poses complexities for the lawsuit, as Intel’s effectiveness in honoring this commitment varies significantly among users.
User Experiences and Next Steps
User experiences with Intel’s RMA (Return Merchandise Authorization) service have been mixed. Some customers report smooth replacements, while others face delays and complications. Notably, Intel claims to support all affected customers, including those with tray processors, but advises users of pre-built systems to contact their system vendors. Abington Cole & Ellery has launched a dedicated webpage to collect information from affected consumers. They have requested individuals experiencing issues with their Intel CPUs to submit their details through an online form provided on the page.
Impact and Considerations for Consumers
The effectiveness and value of class action lawsuits for consumers are often debated. In a previous case involving Nvidia and its GTX 970 VRAM issues, U.S. residents received a settlement of $30 per affected card. In the meantime, Intel CPU users are advised to lower the voltage and clock speeds of their processors until the microcode update is released—a temporary fix that falls short of ideal for high-end CPU users.
