Intel and motherboard manufacturers are at odds over the interpretation of default BIOS settings for high-end CPUs like the Core i9-13900K and Core i9-14900K. Intel has released a statement addressing the instability issues on these CPUs but does not directly tackle the underlying problem.
Intel has stated that the BIOS profiles labeled “Intel Baseline Profile”, implemented by motherboard vendors such as Asus, Gigabyte, and ASRock, are not equivalent to the “Intel Default Settings” recommendations shared with partners to resolve the instability issues.
Intel suggests that these baseline profiles are based on previous power delivery guidance provided to manufacturers, resulting in varying performance between vendors. Gigabyte’s baseline profile utilizes a maximum power of 188 watts, while Asus uses 253 watts, leading to performance differences of up to 20%, as demonstrated by Hardware Unboxed testing.
Intel advises that the Core i9-13900K and Core i9-14900K should operate under the Performance power delivery profile, allowing them to reach up to 253 watts, while the Core i9-13900KS and Core i9-14900KS should use the Extreme profile, reaching up to 320 watts. However, this recommendation contradicts an earlier rumor suggesting that Intel would enforce a 188-watt limit on all motherboards.
Motherboard vendors have expressed confusion over Intel’s baseline settings, indicating that their implementation is unclear and has led to further uncertainty regarding default settings. Non-standard settings have been commonly utilized by vendors for stability and performance reasons, and Intel has previously acknowledged these optimizations as within specifications.
The ongoing instability issues with Intel CPUs require further resolution. The latest guidance from Intel is expected to prompt motherboard vendors to release updated BIOS versions, which may impact system performance. Asus has already released an update that lowers the power delivery profile, potentially resulting in a drop in performance.
