Intel is releasing another microcode update to protect crashing Raptor Lake CPUs

While there’s still no fix for chips that are already crashing, the company is now releasing microcode update 0x12B to motherboard manufacturers to help prevent one of the root causes of damage. In this case, it prevents the Intel CPU from asking for too much power when it’s just sitting idle or performing light tasks. (Too much voltage can prematurely age a chip.)

Intel says it may take several weeks for motherboard manufacturers to validate and roll out BIOS updates across their products — but that doesn’t necessarily mean you should wait. Previous BIOS updates contain two earlier Intel microcode fixes to help prevent damage, as well as new power settings that could also reduce the risk.

Intel didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment about whether it’s addressing other root causes of instability. It still hasn’t answered our questions about how many Raptor Lake chips have likely been affected by these and other possible instability issues, or identified batches of chips that were affected by an earlier oxidization issue.