Intel is currently facing a class action lawsuit due to issues with their 13th- and 14th-gen CPUs crashing. The problem seems to stem from high-end chips crashing and failing due to what Intel claims are overzealous performance settings in the motherboard BIOS. One New Yorker, Mark Vanvalkenburgh, is not satisfied with Intel’s extended RMA offerings and has decided to sue the company in a class-action lawsuit.
According to Ars Technica, Vanvalkenburgh’s lawsuit alleges that Intel was aware of the processors’ issues in late 2022 or early 2023 but failed to disclose them to buyers. As return rates increased and both end-users and tech media began discussing the problem, Intel’s lack of transparency regarding internal data on failures and return rates is what led to the lawsuit. The lawyers involved estimate that hundreds of thousands, or possibly millions, of people could be part of this class action.
This lawsuit comes at a challenging time for Intel, as the company has been facing numerous setbacks. These setbacks include disappointing performance from their latest desktop and laptop chips, an inability to capitalize on the AI boom, and tough competition from companies like AMD and Qualcomm in the chip market. Intel’s stock has also taken a hit, trading at less than half of what it was at the start of 2024. The company is even being removed from the Dow Jones Industrial Average to be replaced by Nvidia, which is now considered the most valuable corporation.
In an attempt to appease owners of affected CPUs, Intel extended the one-year warranty support window to three years, covering everyone who has purchased a chip from these series so far. However, for those who bought high-end chips to future-proof their powerful desktops, this extension may offer little comfort.
As the lawsuit progresses, more information may come to light, potentially making this already significant CPU issue even more damaging for Intel. The outcome of the lawsuit could have far-reaching implications for the company and its standing in the tech industry. It will be interesting to see how Intel navigates this challenging situation and what steps they will take to address the concerns raised by consumers like Mark Vanvalkenburgh.
