Intel has released its third major microcode patch fix for the infamous instability issues for its 13th and 14th-generation processors. The patch is called “0x12B” and it is rolling out at the time of writing.
The news comes a month after Intel released the “0x129” patch, its second release after the original 0x125 patch came out. Early reports suggest that these were effective in reducing the number of crashes and other problems experienced by users.
While the patches are designed to prevent further damage to new chips, they cannot reverse any damage that may have already occurred. Chips that have been degraded will still need to be downclocked or undervolted to function properly.
Intel’s investigation into the instability issues has led to another problem related to the Vmin shift. This can cause the motherboard and BIOS code to request excessively high voltages during idle or light activity, potentially leading to crashes and instability. The upcoming “0x12B” microcode update is expected to address this issue while also retaining the fixes from the previous “0x125” and “0x129” patches.
The “0x12B” microcode update will be distributed to system and motherboard manufacturers, who will then release it to their customers through new BIOS updates. This process is expected to take several weeks, although some motherboard manufacturers may release their updates sooner.
Intel has confirmed there is no significant performance difference between the “0x125” and “0x12B” microcode patches. Any variations in performance are likely to be within the normal range of run-to-run fluctuations and should not be noticeable in real-world applications or games.
