First firmware updates designed to fix Intel’s Vmin Shift instability spotted in the wild

Intel Raptor Lake Stability Issue Update

TL;DR: Intel has released a microcode update (0x12B) to address the Vmin Shift Instability issue affecting Raptor Lake processors. While initially stated that it could take weeks for motherboard makers to implement the fix, some manufacturers have already started integrating the update into their firmware releases within a few days of the announcement.

Following Intel’s investigation into stability issues with 13th- and 14th-Gen Core desktop processors, it was found that the Vmin Shift Instability issue was causing numerous complaints. Essentially, compatible motherboards were providing excessive voltage levels to the CPUs, leading to system unreliability and potential damage to the processors.

The new 0x12B microcode update consolidates previously released updates (0x125, 0x129) and aims to resolve the voltage issue in Raptor Lake chips to prevent permanent hardware damage. While the update may not work on CPUs already affected by Vmin Shift Instability, Intel has begun replacing affected processors under warranty.

Tom’s Hardware reports that several companies, including Asus, have already integrated the 0x12B microcode update into their latest firmware releases. Asus, for example, is offering new “BIOS” beta versions for Z790 motherboards, which should help address the elevated voltage requests issue during idle or light activity, thus mitigating Vmin Shift instability problems.

While Asus has prioritized its top-performing models for the update, other motherboard manufacturers like ASRock and MSI have also started rolling out firmware updates containing the Vmin Shift instability fix for select motherboards. However, manufacturers such as Gigabyte and Aorus are yet to implement the crucial microcode update in their products.