A lack of Intel Core i9-14900K processors has led an overseas retailer to issue refunds to customers seeking replacements. This could be the tip of the iceberg as Intel’s extended warranty process for both 13th/14th Gen Core processors enabled customers to seek CPU replacements that may have been affected by instability issues. It’s been a rocky road, to say the least, for customers whose CPUs were affected by the voltage settings which could cause instability and also permanently damage their processors but getting to the finish line might require yet another route for some.
After extensive research into the matter, Intel did discover the root cause(s) and instituted an extended warranty and exchange process for affected processors. However, owners of said processors may now have a new hurdle on the horizon as inventory begins drying up before all can get their replacements. Synnex Technology International, a major Hong Kong-based PC retailer and distributor has started refunding HKD 4,200 (~ $540) to customers seeking Core i9-14900K replacements due to them currently being out of stock. One such customer has posted a message on their Facebook page from Synnex detailing its refund offer.
Per HKEPC (machine translated):
Please note that the machine translation below seems to have changed the customer’s name from Chan to Chen, which can be verified via the above Facebook link. Mr. Chan has accepted the refund and said that he has, with the exception of an SSD, sold off the remaining parts of his Intel build and intends to build a new system with a Ryzen 9 9950X processor.
- “HKEPC received a report from reader Mr. Chen on the 10th. He has a Core i9-14900K that is unstable and applied to Synnex for RMA repair. Today, Synnex informed him that there is no CPU to replace. He asked Mr. Chen Arranging a full refund of HK$4,200 is so generous.”
- “Mr. Chen said that he has accepted the refund arrangement, mainly because he has given up on Intel. He had sold all the remaining hardware to a friend group 12700K earlier, and only kept the SSD for his own use. He is planning to switch to AMD Ryzen 9 9950X.”
Five Weeks or more?
Reports that it could take up to five weeks or more to receive CPU replacements from Intel as it works to re-stock its channels began appearing last week. It had already been speculated that a lack of Intel inventory could occur but some had thought that 13th Gen stock would be affected first since they were the first to be reported but it now appears that perhaps other factors are at play with the Core i9 14900K inventory.