Question How would I know if my 13th gen i7-13700K CPU is faulty ?

[g-unit1111]

So I've been experiencing problems with my system for the last several months and now I'm seriously wondering if the CPU is the culprit. The problem is that there have been extreme temperature spikes even with the new CPU cooler that I installed. And I recently reinstalled the OS on my system, twice. Since the reinstall, the OS works fine for a few minutes only to completely freeze and crash even while doing the most basic tasks on this system like web browsing and video streaming.

So after process of elimination, I've determined that it's not the CPU cooler (which is brand new and replaced an H100i Elite Capillex). It's not the operating system. It's not my monitor because my laptop is currently connected to it and it's working fine with no problems. I originally thought it might have been the motherboard BIOS because I was using an MSI beta BIOS but I re-flashed it to the previous BIOS.

My only conclusion is that it has to be the CPU, but how would I know if it's faulty or not? I cannot return it, it's well out of warranty. I could replace it with an i7-14700K and that would probably do the trick or I could replace the motherboard and CPU entirely with a 9800X3D. I've been building PCs for over 15 years now and I've never had issues like this with a CPU before. And my research on 13th gen Intels is only leading me to believe that I may have got a bad one.

PC Specs
Case: Lian Li Dan A4-H20
PSU: Corsair SF1000L
Motherboard: MSI MAG Z790i Edge Wifi
CPU: Intel Core i7-13700K
Cooler: Cooler Master Atmos 240
Storage: 6TB (Samsung 990 Pro is primary drive)
RAM: 32GB Corsair Dominator Platinum DDR5-6000
GPU: Gigabyte GeForce RTX 5070
OS: Windows 11 24H2 (all updates and drivers are current)

 

[Lutfij]

the OS works fine for a few minutes only to completely freeze and crash even while doing the most basic tasks on this system like web browsing and video streaming
Per what JayzTwoCents and other people on the www were saying, it's the basic of tasks that caused the system to spit out errors/BSoD's.

And my research on 13th gen Intels is only leading me to believe that I may have got a bad one.
If you look through GamersNexus video on the issue, it's a manufacturing level defect courtesy of Intel and if you look through their list of affected processors, it's practically the entire 13th Gen. The 14th Gen had a similar issue as well as the issue with their firmware;

View: https://youtu.be/gTeubeCIwRw?t=524

timestamped it for you but you should look through all the other videos pertaining to the issue.

What BIOS version are you on? Perhaps try with X.M.P disabled. These were stop gaps for the degradation issue but you should contact Intel for an RMA.

 

[g-unit1111]

timestamped it for you but you should look through all the other videos pertaining to the issue.

What BIOS version are you on? Perhaps try with X.M.P disabled. These were stop gaps for the degradation issue but you should contact Intel for an RMA.

Yeah I saw that video which is leading me to believe that my CPU may be the problem. I don't have anything running on that motherboard, it's currently on default. The BIOS I currently have running is 7E03v1F (dated 5/13/25). I tried the beta BIOS, version 7E03v1G1. But that didn't work so I flashed it back to the last one that worked properly. I'm just totally at my wits end on this system.

I'm wondering if it would be worth it to just drop an i7-14700K in or if I should just cut my losses and ditch that motherboard and CPU for a 9800X3D setup. I saw Micro Center had the 9800X3D on sale.

 

[geofelt]

Intel has extended the warranty on your processor.
https://community.intel.com/t5/Mobi...-Intel-Core-13th-14th-Gen-Desktop/m-p/1620853
Intel offers a processor diagnostic tool which I have not used:
https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000005567/processors.html

A year ago, I had a problem with a I9-12900K in a second PC and went through the Intel RMA process.
Actually relatively easy. I had a problem with finding the serial number on my processor and a Intel chat lady helped me through it.
I sent photos which did not show the number.
Turns out that the number was so faded that I thought it was missing.
Smartphone magnifier eventually brought it out.
I had replaced the 12900K with a I3-13100 proving that the 12900K was defective.
If asked do you want a replacement or a refund, pick refund.
The refund was at the original purchase price.
You will need to show an invoice from an authorized seller(newegg).

FWIW, installing the very latest bios on My MSI Z690 motherboard has made a difference.
Using the default intel options, my pc now seems quicker than it used to be.

 

[punkncat]

It would be a fairly inexpensive process to locate a used 12/13th gen non K SKU simply to test stability. Perhaps use it while you suss out the possibility of warranty coverage as mentioned above?

There are quite a few users here who state that the 14th gen doesn't share the degradation issue with proper BIOS in place so if or when you make that choice on testing the other hardware it may be a good place to move to at this point according to coverage.

 

[SkyNetRising]

there have been extreme temperature spikes even with the new CPU cooler that I installed.

What temperature ranges are you observing?

Check cpu power limits in BIOS.
Set to Intel recommended values.
PL1 125W, PL2 188W, iCCMax 249A.

Intel (again) Addresses Instability in 13th and 14th Gen Core i5/i7 CPUs with New Microcode

Intel once again has announced new measures to address instability issues found in some 13th and 14th Gen Core “Raptor Lake” processors, specifically targeting Core i5 and i7 models.

www.guru3d.com

OS works fine for a few minutes only to completely freeze and crash even while doing the most basic tasks on this system like web browsing and video streaming.

Test your ram with memtest86.

 

[dwd999]

If you haven't made any bios changes other than turning on xmp and turbo the cpu is most likely not degraded. I have a 13900K I've been running like that for over 2 years and its fine. But if Intel is willing to replace it for free then that would be my first choice.

 

[g-unit1111]

What temperature ranges are you observing?

Check cpu power limits in BIOS.
Set to Intel recommended values.
PL1 125W, PL2 188W, iCCMax 249A.

Intel (again) Addresses Instability in 13th and 14th Gen Core i5/i7 CPUs with New Microcode

Intel once again has announced new measures to address instability issues found in some 13th and 14th Gen Core “Raptor Lake” processors, specifically targeting Core i5 and i7 models.

www.guru3d.com

Test your ram with memtest86.

On the old cooler it would go to 45'C on startup and never cool down. Which originally led me to believe that the cooler was faulty. Now that has me questioning that it wasn't the cooler.

 

[thestryker]

The problems with 13th/14th Gen that were killing CPUs had nothing to do with temperatures and didn't reflect it that way.

What are these temperatures that you're seeing and under what workload? No standard 240mm AIO is going to be able to keep a 253W CPU under control temperature wise under full load.

With the lack of stability on general usage I think getting it replaced through RMA would be the best way to go.

 

[g-unit1111]

The problems with 13th/14th Gen that were killing CPUs had nothing to do with temperatures and didn't reflect it that way.

What are these temperatures that you're seeing and under what workload? No standard 240mm AIO is going to be able to keep a 253W CPU under control temperature wise under full load.

With the lack of stability on general usage I think getting it replaced through RMA would be the best way to go.

I've never actually been able to get this PC to do any sort of workload due to all the problems I've had with it. I am going to get the serial number tomrrow and contact Intel and see what I can do.

 

[g-unit1111]

Update: I filed an RMA with Intel. Will report back with what they say.

 

[TerryLaze]

Update: I filed an RMA with Intel. Will report back with what they say.

Just for fun or for curiosity, go into bios and look at the CPU/overclocking settings, a new bios should have asked you what settings you would like, if that came up and if you chose settings for water cooling then the mobo auto overclocked your CPU, if it never showed up then it's pretty much guaranteed.
Look at the table the video that lutfij posted shows, your bios has to stick to those settings, if everything is at auto then it's probably higher than it should.

Doing the most simple tasks still makes single core go brrrrr, if the bios sends too much or too little Vcore to the CPU then it will crash.

 

[g-unit1111]

Just for fun or for curiosity, go into bios and look at the CPU/overclocking settings, a new bios should have asked you what settings you would like, if that came up and if you chose settings for water cooling then the mobo auto overclocked your CPU, if it never showed up then it's pretty much guaranteed.
Look at the table the video that lutfij posted shows, your bios has to stick to those settings, if everything is at auto then it's probably higher than it should.

Doing the most simple tasks still makes single core go brrrrr, if the bios sends too much or too little Vcore to the CPU then it will crash.

I'm currently running on default, no changes have been made to any BIOS or Vcore settings.

 

[logainofhades]

There are quite a few users here who state that the 14th gen doesn't share the degradation issue with proper BIOS in place so if or when you make that choice on testing the other hardware it may be a good place to move to at this point according to coverage.

Tell that to Jay's undervolted 14900k that degraded. 😛

He has a video on it and mentioned another microcode update was coming. Intel has not managed to fix this.

Glad I stuck with my 12700k.

 

[punkncat]

Tell that to Jay's undervolted 14900k that degraded. 😛

He has a video on it and mentioned another microcode update was coming. Intel has not managed to fix this.

Glad I stuck with my 12700k.

Thus why it was worded the way it is. I have practically gotten a rabble after me for stating this is still an issue and (of course) the Intel crowd links one million and one articles stating the issue that most of us have a good idea is just being swept under the rug and still ongoing "has been solved with a BIOS/microcode update".

I don't buy it, and won't buy a 13/14th gen CPU. No one else has to consider my view or choice.

 

[thestryker]

Tell that to Jay's undervolted 14900k that degraded. 😛

You mean his overclocked one which was not undervolted (had manual settings) and did not have updated microcode. 🙄

Thus why it was worded the way it is. I have practically gotten a rabble after me for stating this is still an issue and (of course) the Intel crowd links one million and one articles stating the issue that most of us have a good idea is just being swept under the rug and still ongoing "has been solved with a BIOS/microcode update".

I don't buy it, and won't buy a 13/14th gen CPU. No one else has to consider my view or choice.

You share your feelings as if they are facts you should expect people to point out you have no evidence to back up your claims.

 

[punkncat]

You share your feelings as if they are facts you should expect people to point out you have no evidence to back up your claims.

While at the same time evidence is posted nearly every day here and, on the web, at large.

 

[thestryker]

While at the same time evidence is posted nearly every day here and, on the web, at large.

Except that it isn't, but hey whatever makes you feel better about your opinion.

 

[TerryLaze]

I'm currently running on default, no changes have been made to any BIOS or Vcore settings.

Default doesn't mean safe, or not overclocked.
You have to go into bios and double check that the default is actually within the parameters of that table.
If the bios pushes too much or too little voltage/amps/watts then the new CPU will behave the same and you will keep searching for weeks for a solution.

 

[TerryLaze]

While at the same time evidence is posted nearly every day here and, on the web, at large.

If anybody with an unstable system is proof of intel cpu degradation then many many amd systems have intel degradation as well...

 

[g-unit1111]

Tell that to Jay's undervolted 14900k that degraded. 😛

He has a video on it and mentioned another microcode update was coming. Intel has not managed to fix this.

Glad I stuck with my 12700k.

Yeah I saw that video. So I heard back from Intel. I've taken the initial steps. If this doesn't work then I'm just going to cut my losses and go with a 9800X3D setup. Currently trying to find a decent motherboard.

 

[g-unit1111]

You share your feelings as if they are facts you should expect people to point out you have no evidence to back up your claims.

Except there's plenty of evidence. We have this thing called Google. I saw that JayZ video that was being discussed which is another reason I'm thinking my CPU is faulty.

 

[thestryker]

Except there's plenty of evidence. We have this thing called Google.

Find a single example of a CPU that has only run on the new microcode that has also failed due to the degradation and get back to me on that one.

 

[logainofhades]

A manually undervolted chip should not have degradation issues, regardless if the new microcode is used or not, as the claim was high voltage is what was killing these chips. Also if said microcode was working, why would they be releasing another to further address the issue?

 

[punkncat]

It wouldn't matter if you spend hours combing (or had an AI scraping) the internet for the seemingly obvious signs that this issue is still quite present. Even aside from post after post about it here as well. There are many users here and some in particular in this post alone who are going to deflect and deny in the face of any discussion about it.

I know that I have the tools here to look down at parts that small and make deductions about it just because it is what I do. (lol)

It is far easier to say I/we are lying or misinformed than to make any admission that something is afoot. Some people can look at trends and see between those lines and some want things etched in stone tablets. Just the way it goes.