Intel Processor Lawsuit: CPUs Allegedly Defective

Case Overview: A class action lawsuit claims Intel knowingly sold defective 13th and 14th generation Core processors that are prone to crashing, misleading consumers about their performance.

Consumers Affected: Consumers who purchased Intel's 13th or 14th generation Core desktop processors.

Court: U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California

Intel Corporation is facing a class action lawsuit in California, with allegations that it knowingly sold defective computer processors that are prone to crashing. 

Plaintiff Mark Vanvalkenburgh filed the lawsuit after purchasing an Intel Core i7-13700K processor and experiencing technical issues, claiming Intel misled consumers by marketing the processor’s high performance without disclosing its defects.

Intel Sold Defective Processors Prone to Crashing, Lawsuit Claims

The lawsuit involves Intel’s 13th and 14th generation Core desktop processors, launched in 2022 and 2023. Intel promoted these processors for their advanced performance, but users began reporting issues shortly after the 13th generation release in September 2022. 

According to the complaint, the processors suffer from instability, causing random screen blackouts and unexpected restarts, with the problems allegedly stemming from a defect that allows elevated operating voltage. This defect reportedly causes processors to fail at high rates, rendering them unstable.

The complaint asserts that Intel knew about these defects before releasing the processors. The company’s products undergo both prerelease and post-release testing, during which Intel reportedly detected the issues. Despite this knowledge, Intel marketed and sold the processors, leading consumers to believe they were purchasing a reliable and high-performing product.

"By late 2022 or early 2023, Intel knew of the defect. Intel’s Products undergo prerelease and post-release testing. Through these tests, Intel became aware of the defect in the processors. In addition, Intel monitors return rates, press reports, and user reports of defects. By late 2022 and early 2023, there were numerous reports that the Intel chips were failing at high rates. Thus, Intel knew that its Products were defective by late 2022 or early 2023,” the lawsuit alleges.

Consumer Experiences Crashes Despite Intel's Patches

Vanvalkenburgh, a resident of Orchard Park, New York, bought  the Intel Core i7-13700K from Best Buy in January 2023, paying approximately $411.21. Relying on Intel’s marketing materials and the product listing on Best Buy’s website, Vanvalkenburgh believed he was purchasing a dependable processor that would enhance his computer’s performance. However, after installation, he encountered issues including screen blackouts and random restarts.

In response, Vanvalkenburgh attempted to use a microcode patch issued by Intel, which the company designed to address the problems. The patch, however, did not resolve the instability, and the issues persisted. The complaint states that Intel released multiple patches before finally settling on what it claims is a solution, though users reportedly continued to experience crashes even after applying these patches.

Vanvalkenburgh claims that if he had been aware of these stability issues, he would not have purchased the processor or would have paid less. He asserts that Intel’s failure to disclose the defect resulted in a product that did not meet the standards advertised, and that Intel misled him and other consumers by omitting critical information about the product’s performance risks.

Intel Knew About Processor Defects Before Release, Lawsuit Alleges

The class action highlights documented complaints from users and tech reviewers regarding Intel’s 13th and 14th generation Core desktop processors, also known as the Raptor Lake series. Users reportedly began returning the processors at high rates by late 2022 due to issues linked to the elevated operating voltage defect. These processors allegedly crash and fail at unusually high rates, even after Intel released initial patches.

Additionally, the complaint asserts that Intel had access to data from return rates, press reports, and user feedback, all of which indicated high failure rates. According to the filing, these indicators emerged as early as late 2022 and early 2023, suggesting Intel was aware of the defect both before and after the product launch.

Intel Faces Other Class Action Lawsuits Over Defective Products

Intel has faced class action lawsuits in recent years. In November 2023, a proposed class action was filed alleging that Intel knowingly sold billions of central processing units (CPUs) with design defects, making them vulnerable to cyberattacks and causing significant performance issues. The lawsuit claims that Intel's only available fix could slow computer performance by up to 50%

In the Intel defective Raptor Lake CPUs class action lawsuit, Vanvalkenburgh aims to represent a nationwide class of consumers who purchased Intel’s 13th or 14th generation Core desktop processors. He is seeking compensation for affected individuals who were not informed of the processors’ instability and defects. The lawsuit argues that Intel’s failure to disclose the known issues with the processors misled consumers, who paid premium prices under the belief that they were purchasing dependable products.

Case Details

• Lawsuit: Mark Vanvalkenburgh v. Intel Corporation
• Case Number: 5:24-cv-07703
• Court: U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California

Plaintiffs' Attorneys

• Christin Cho and Richard Lyon (Dovel & Luner LLP)
• Kevin Kneupper and A. Cyclone Covey (Kneupper & Covery, PC)

Have you experienced issues with Intel's 13th or 14th generation Core processors? Share your experience in the comments below.