Introduction
The Intel Microcode 0x129 BIOS fix has now been released to motherboard manufacturers, and motherboard manufacturers have now released official non-Beta BIOS for many motherboards. We are going to apply the new Microcode Fix on our ASUS TUF GAMING Z790-PRO WIFI motherboard, with our Intel Core i9-14900K installed, and see how performance is affected. Our goal is to find out if the new Microcode fix reduces performance from the previous BIOS, and what the final result is for performance.
The test is simple, we test on the previous BIOS (1661 dated 7/10/2024) for this motherboard, and then apply the new BIOS (1663 dated 8/14/2024) and run the same tests to see how performance is affected, a “before” and “after” test. In order to get the big picture of performance, we are going to test synthetic benchmarks, to look at multi-core and single-core/thread performance, and 8 games. This should tell you if you are looking at a performance loss with this new Microcode fix, or not.
Intel Microcode 0x129
The Intel Core 13th and 14th Gen instability issues are widely known, and the issues are both complex and multi-layered with many factors contributing to the overall problems. One of Intel’s mitigations is to introduce the Microcode 0x129 fix via a BIOS update to motherboards. This Microcode fix inherently limits the peak Voltage requests to 1.55V, as Intel has suggested elevated Voltages would result in possible degradation and stability issues for K/KF/KS processor SKUs. This is in addition to other mitigations that existed prior to this Microcode fix, such as Microcode 0x125 which limits eTVB issues, as well as introducing Intel Default profiles and enabling eTVB to Intel Fail Safes and disabling special motherboard enhancements.
On our motherboard, the ASUS TUF GAMING Z790 PRO-WIFI, with the previous BIOS 1661 installed, the previous Microcode Fix 0x125 is in place to limit eTVB and introduce Intel Default profiles, Extreme and Performance. “Updated with microcode 0x125 to ensure eTVB operates within Intel specifications.” ASUS released a brand new BIOS 1663 on 8/14/2024 which introduces the new 0x129 Microcode fix as well. “The new BIOS includes Intel microcode 0x129 and adjusts the factory default settings for the non-K processors, enhancing the stability of Intel Core 13th and 14th gen desktop processors.”
Above, you can see screenshots with the newest 1663 BIOS. To be clear, the Intel Default profiles “Extreme” and “Performance” existed on the previous 1661 BIOS as well, since they include the Microcode 0x125 update for eTVB. The only difference with the new 1663 BIOS is the inclusion of the Microcode 0x129 update fix, to mitigate Voltage spiking above 1.55V, and it is directly that update fix that we are comparing performance with today to see if that limitation affects performance. Both BIOSs will be tested with their default Extreme and Performance profiles.
We are running 32GB of DDR5 at 7200MT/s set to XMP I with 34-42-42-84-2T timings. We installed Intel Chipset Driver V10.1.19600.8418 dated 12/11/2023 from ASUS’s website for this motherboard. We also installed ME drivers, and other optional drivers for all supported hardware from ASUS’s website. Other hardware includes an MSI MEG CORELIQUID S360 AIO, CORSAIR MP700 PRO 2TB PCIe Gen5 SSD, and Seasonic PRIME 1300 Platinum Power Supply. A fresh install of Windows 11 Pro 23H2 with all updates was used. We have Core Isolation/Memory Integrity DISABLED on each test and the Power Plan was set to “Balanced.”
Discussion (18 replies)
Join Discussion →Great writeup as usual. This is "a time will tell" scenario if this was a placebo or if it indeed worked.
I can't help but wonder if this is akin to putting lipstick on a pig and declaring it is fixed. Slight changes all of a sudden will prevent degradation (if a chip has not been degraded yet)? I don't know. I get the impression that Intel has no idea what is causing this in their 13/14 series, so they put out this microcode to appease the angry mobs with pitchforks banging on their door. Right now, I do not trust anything they say or do.
good article, let's hope it works long term
The uCode update did not change the power draw, nor are the boost clocks much lower. The max voltage was lower however (1.495 V in HWinfo). A few questions:
1) What was the VCore before the update? (In HWinfo) ? Did you see the 1.55V?
2) Does this new limit on VCore have a built in margin for already degraded processors?
3) Does tracking VCore across loads tell us anything about whether a processor has degraded or not? (accounting for the effects of Silicon lottery?)
Thanks for this article. I didn't see any noticeable difference in my 14700K after the latest bios update other than my voltages going from 1.5XX down into the 1.4XX range.
I installed the update for my 13600K system and I'm sure I'll never notice a difference in performance.
I think the real comparison is between the new microcode and the initial version that was used for the day 1 13XXX and 14XXX reviews.
Just from what i seen, before the update my cpu voltage was in the 1.35 to 1.39volts range. After the update it was in the 1.45-1.49. I wasn't having any stability issues since my cpu wasn't running on that 4000watt profile for very long before i turned it off cause all issues.
Currently i have turned off unvolt protection so i can undervolt -0.1volts to be back where it was and gonna go lower to see help like did on my rtx4070s
From watching Buildzoid's video on the update, he had easily captured 1.58V+ on the VCore prior to the update, and not able to trigger the scope after the update.
Wow! That is crazy. However, it is important to ensure that such transients are not due to instrument/environment errors. Perhaps I ought to watch that video.
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Video form of this article is also up -
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Very informative. My findings were the same with both my Intel rigs.
Certainly not the terrible impact we had all feared, but I am still not convinced this was the only root cause and that it fixes the problem.
Time will tell.
Time hasn't been kind to Raptor Lake: https://www.overclock.net/posts/29521182/
I hate it when I'm right :(
I’ve found the older I get the more that I pray that I’m wrong