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A proposed class action filed on November 5, 2024, alleges Intel concealed instability in some 13th- and 14th-generation desktop processors. Plaintiff Mark Vanvalkenburgh says his Core i7-13700K suffered black screens and unexpected reboots. Intel has acknowledged a voltage-related instability issue affecting some chips, but the lawsuit is not a court finding that Intel committed fraud, and the proposed class has not been certified.
What happened in the Intel CPU lawsuit?
Mark Vanvalkenburgh, an Orchard Park, New York, resident, filed Vanvalkenburgh v. Intel Corporation on November 5, 2024, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The complaint identifies his processor as an Intel Core i7-13700K. The original case number was 5:24-cv-07703-SVK; after transfer, the Delaware case number became 1:2025cv00128. The filed complaint is a request to pursue a proposed class action, not a judgment about Intel’s conduct.
The case concerns some 13th- and 14th-generation Intel desktop processors. It does not establish that every processor in those generations is defective, nor that every owner has experienced a problem.
What does the complaint allege?
Vanvalkenburgh claims his computer experienced random black screens and unexpected reboots, and that Intel’s patches did not resolve his problems. The complaint alleges that Intel knew or should have known about instability by late 2022 or early 2023, citing alleged signals including internal testing, returns, press coverage, and customer reports.
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- 20 cores (8 P-cores plus 12 E-cores) and 28 threads. Integrated Intel UHD Graphics 770 included
- Up to 5.6 GHz with Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 gives you smooth game play, high frame rates, and rapid responsiveness
- Compatible with Intel 600-series (with potential BIOS update) or 700-series chipset-based motherboards
- DDR4 and DDR5 platform support cuts your load times and gives you the space to run the most demanding games
It also alleges that Intel continued promoting the processors for gaming, productivity, speed, and high performance without disclosing the claimed instability and degradation risk. The complaint says consumers would not have bought the processors, or would have paid less, had they known about those risks. These claims have not been established by a court.
Proposed class and requested relief
The complaint proposes a nationwide class of people who bought the allegedly defective processors or products containing them, plus a New York subclass. It estimates the potential class could range from hundreds of thousands to millions, but that estimate is not a verified count; the class has not been certified. A contemporaneous Ars Technica report noted Intel’s position that not every processor sold was defective.
The plaintiff seeks actual and statutory damages, punitive damages, disgorgement of alleged unjust enrichment, attorneys’ fees and costs, and an injunction addressing allegedly misleading marketing or nondisclosure. The complaint alleges that the amount in controversy exceeds $5 million for federal class-action jurisdiction. That is a jurisdictional allegation, not a forecast of any payment. Any damages claim is separate from Intel’s warranty support.
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- 24 cores (8 P-cores plus 16 E-cores) and 32 threads. Integrated Intel UHD Graphics 770 included
- Leading max clock speed of up to 6.0 GHz gives you smoother game play, higher frame rates, and rapid responsiveness
- Compatible with Intel 600-series (with potential BIOS update) or 700-series chipset-based motherboards
- DDR4 and DDR5 platform support cuts your load times and gives you the space to run the most demanding games
What Intel has acknowledged about instability
Intel independently acknowledges instability affecting some 13th- and 14th-generation desktop processors. Intel calls the issue “Vmin Shift Instability” and says elevated operating voltage can contribute to instability in affected processors. In a July 2024 update, Intel described an issue in a microcode algorithm that could result in incorrect voltage requests. Intel’s terminology and current guidance appear on its Vmin Shift support page; its July 2024 technical update explains the voltage-request issue.
Symptoms associated with instability can include application or operating-system crashes, hangs, errors, freezes, black screens, unexpected restarts, and failures in games or during shader compilation. Similar symptoms can also have other causes, including memory, motherboard firmware, overheating, power delivery, graphics drivers, or corrupted software. A crash alone does not prove a processor is defective.
Intel recommends Intel Default Settings and a motherboard BIOS containing Microcode 0x12F or later. The BIOS update is intended to address the voltage-related issue and reduce further exposure; it should not be treated as proof that a processor has been repaired if it has already degraded. An unstable CPU may still need replacement.
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Intel’s warranty extension and eligible desktop models
Intel says eligible processors receive a two-year warranty extension, for coverage of up to five years from the original purchase date. Eligibility depends on the exact SKU and how the processor was sold or installed. Intel’s boxed-processor warranty terms list these eligible boxed desktop models:
| Generation | Eligible boxed desktop SKUs listed by Intel |
|---|---|
| 13th generation | Core i9-13900KS, i9-13900K, i9-13900KF, i9-13900F, i9-13900; Core i7-13700K, i7-13700KF, i7-13790F, i7-13700F, i7-13700; Core i5-13600K |
| 14th generation | Core i9-14900KS, i9-14900K, i9-14900KF, i9-14900F, i9-14900; Core i7-14700K, i7-14700KF, i7-14790F, i7-14700F, i7-14700; Core i5-14600K |
This is not a guarantee that every model carrying a 13th- or 14th-generation label qualifies. Check Intel’s current eligibility terms for the exact SKU and warranty process. Tray processors generally require support through the seller or system builder, while a complete OEM desktop should go through its manufacturer. Intel’s warranty extension is a support measure, not a settlement or damages award in this lawsuit.
Where the lawsuit stands
| Date | Procedural event |
|---|---|
| November 5, 2024 | Complaint filed in the Northern District of California. |
| December 27, 2024 | Intel filed a motion to dismiss or, alternatively, strike the complaint. |
| January 29, 2025 | The California court granted Intel’s unopposed motion to transfer the case to Delaware. The transfer order records that ruling. |
| January 30, 2025 | The case was docketed in Delaware as 1:2025cv00128. |
| February 20–21, 2025 | The parties filed for consolidation with another related action, and the court ordered consolidation. |
The available Delaware docket listing records those events. It does not verify a later dismissal, settlement, class-certification decision, trial, or final judgment. Accordingly, the alleged concealment and the proposed class claims remain unresolved on the procedural record described here.
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- Be everything you want to be, in-game and out with optimized performance and new features. Play harder and work smarter with Intel Core 14th Gen processors
- 14 cores (6 P-cores plus 8 E-cores) and 20 threads. Discrete graphics required
- Up to 5.3 GHz Max Turbo Frequency
- Compatible with Intel 600-series (with potential BIOS update) or 700-series chipset-based motherboards
- DDR4 and DDR5 platform support cuts your load times and gives you the space to run the most demanding games
What affected CPU owners should do
- Identify the exact processor and system type. Confirm the model and whether it is a desktop CPU. Intel’s guidance discussed here concerns affected desktop processors; it does not automatically cover every mobile or server chip with a similar generation number.
- Check the motherboard maker’s support page. Find the BIOS update for the exact motherboard and verify that it includes Microcode 0x12F or later. Follow that manufacturer’s update instructions; an interrupted or incorrect BIOS flash can leave a system unable to boot.
- Load Intel Default Settings in BIOS. While troubleshooting, avoid overclocking and aggressive motherboard power or voltage settings. Intel warns that changing clock frequency or voltage can affect stability, processor life, and warranty coverage.
- Keep records if instability continues. Save the CPU model, motherboard model and BIOS version, crash logs or Windows event records, reproducible failures, proof of purchase, prior RMA numbers, and information about whether voltage or clock settings were changed.
- Use the support route for how you bought the CPU. Contact Intel for an eligible boxed processor, the seller or system builder for a tray processor, and the computer manufacturer for an OEM desktop. Check the current warranty list and follow its claim process.
Do not assume a BIOS update reverses existing damage or that a processor which has not crashed is necessarily outside the affected population. Likewise, receiving the update does not guarantee a chip is undamaged. Continued instability after updating and restoring default settings is a reason to pursue the appropriate support or replacement route, though it is not by itself a legal finding or definitive diagnosis.
What the lawsuit does—and does not—establish
Intel’s acknowledgment of instability and its BIOS and warranty guidance are distinct from the plaintiff’s allegations that Intel concealed a defect or violated consumer-protection law. The complaint does not prove those claims. The court would still have to address issues such as class certification, liability, and any damages or injunction; no such final outcome is verified in the docket information cited above.
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