Question Is my i9 13900k showing signs of instability

[p1xel8or]

This is my third i9 - replaced it after I updated the BIOS to the 0x12B microcode patch. After a couple of Unreal Engine games started to crash on me, I got a bit paranoid about the CPU degrading again, and at the suggestion of Intel Support on /r/Intel I ran Intel XTU's CPU stress test for 30 minutes. The image I've linked are the results I got.

https://imgur.com/a/KfN6EdR

Computer didn't allow me to use PrintScreen when this window was open, hence the mobile capture.

Some guy on reddit pinged me saying that these are signs of a potential instability and I should start the RMA process, but I thought I'd come here for a more informed (and accurate) opinion.

 

[Lutfij]

For the sake of relevance, what is the make and model of your motherboard and what BIOS version are you on for said motherboard?

The moment you stated you're on a 13th Gen Intel processor, my preconceived idea would be to say to RMA it. I this instance since you've RMA'd twice, is it possible to add some dough and then have them upgrade you to a 14th Gen processor?

 

[dwd999]

This sounds more like a ventilation and cooling situation. Let's talk more about your cpu and case cooling since that's a lot of thermal throttling but you still passed the test. What make and model of cpu cooler are you using and are its fans running at 100 percent when the throttling occurs? What make and model case are you using and how many fans do you have and what size are they? Are your fans running at 100 percent when the throttling occurs? You could try manually setting all of your cpu and case fans to 100 percent before you start the test and then run the test again. You could also try using a program like HWiNFO to log your cpu, cpu package, vrm and motherboard temps to see what they look like when the test is running.

 

[SkyNetRising]

The image I've linked are the results I got.

Please show a photo of your system with side panel removed.
You'll need a better cpu cooling. Your cpu is overheating.

List motherboard model name.
What BIOS version exactly did you install?

 

[p1xel8or]

@Lutfij Motherboard is a GIGABYTE Z790 UD AX. BIOS Version is F13. I'm not sure about the 14th Gen upgrade, I might have to ask Intel if they would allow it.

@dwd999 CPU Cooler is GIGABYTE Aorus Waterforce X360 AIO Liquid Cooler. I have fans in the front and back, case shoots out air through the top. If it matters, I game in an air-conditioned room where the temps are set to 23° C / 73.4° F. I'm not sure about the technical stuff you mentioned, but the liquid cooling setup does come with a display panel which shows the clock speed and temps. I might have to run the test again and monitor the temps more closely.

@SkyNetRising I cannot attach a picture here, so I've uploaded it to this link: Picture of setup. Motherboard is a GIGABYTE Z790 UD AX. BIOS version with the patch was F12, installed it as soon as it became available. Currently on BIOS version F13.

 

[SkyNetRising]

Motherboard is a GIGABYTE Z790 UD AX. BIOS version with the patch was F12, installed it as soon as it became available. Currently on BIOS version F13.

And what cpu temperatures are you observing at idle / full load?

Check CPU power settings in BIOS.
Make sure, they correspond to Intel recommended baseline values.
ICCMAX 249A
PL1 125W
PL2 188W

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

 

[geofelt]

The chip is doing it's job by throttling when it gets too hot.
It is not the heat that causes the problem, it is the voltage that causes the heat.
It sounds like you are, in some way overclocking.
In the motherboard, it may be something innocuous like picking default optimized bios.

In the past, motherboard makers overclocked their motherboards by default to get a competitive advantage.
Check your motherboard seems to have the most current bios fixes.

Try this easy experiment:
In windows power management, reduce the max cpu from 100% to 99%