Intel Raptor Lake Class Action Lawsuit Alleges 13th and 14th Generation Core Processors Are Defective

A class action lawsuit has been filed against Intel, claiming that the company has known about defects with its Raptor Lake core processors since at least 2022, but has refused to issue a recall, or offered to repair or replace computers damaged by the issue.

Intel Raptor Lake is the codename for the company’s 13th and 14th generation core processors, which were first released on October 20, 2022. They are a key component of a computer’s central processing unit (CPU), which carries out various instructions and performs calculations that allow the system to work.

However, shortly after they were released, problems with Intel Raptor Lake processors began to emerge, including reports of elevated voltage in computers when they were idling or in light activity periods, which can cause permanent damage to machines running the processors.

Although the processors have been publicly linked to a number of complaints describing these issues, the company only began acknowledging certain problems with the chips in a forum this past July, and many computers have already been damaged beyond repair.

A patch was eventually issued by Intel in September 2024 that would stop the elevated voltage issue, but users claim that the patch slows down the computer’s processing speed, and it doesn’t fix already broken devices

On November 14, an Intel Raptor Lake class action complaint (PDF) was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware, alleging that Intel knew about the “chronic instability issues” with the chips since at least late 2022, but has refused to address the problems or issue a recall for the processors, as part of an effort to maximize profits at the expense of customers.

The lawsuit was filed by Joshua Brown, William J. Charlton, Jr., Theatrical Concepts Inc., Todd Wolven and Melanie Loyer Russell, seeking damages from Intel Corporation for all individuals or entities that purchased any of the following defective Intel Raptor Lake products:

The Plaintiffs claim that Intel has both secretly and publicly released microcode patches that can correct the defective software. However, once a processor has been damaged by one of these elevated voltage issues, the product can no longer be repaired.

The Intel Raptor Lake lawsuit also points out that on September 25, 2024, the manufacturer posted to its forum that the 13th and 14th generation processors were the cause of the elevated voltage issues in affected computers, at which point Intel released a final fix for the problem. However, the final patch that Intel released does not repair any damage that was already done, and only causes computers with the Raptor Lake processors to run even slower, the lawsuit claims.

In addition, although Intel has extended its warranty for individuals who bought the Raptor Lake chips separately, customers have no remedy for the damaged components inside prebuilt (OEM) computer systems that contained the faulty processors, as many of those manufacturers have their own warranties that have already expired.

Prebuilt systems constitute a significant amount of use for the defective Raptor Lake processors, the lawsuit points out.

Due to the large resale market for these kinds of computer products, the complaint indicates that the permanent damage done to the systems not only affects the plaintiffs’ initial purchase, but also the future resale value of their computers.

“There are hundreds of thousands of Processors in the hands of U.S. consumers and businesses, yet Intel has not instituted a recall of all Processors and has not implemented a direct repair or replacement program for those who have purchased or leased from OEM manufacturers,” the lawsuit states.

The plaintiffs seek certification of the complaint as an Intel Raptor Lake class action lawsuit, to pursue damages not only on behalf of themselves, but also others similarly situated, presenting claims for breach of express warranty, fraud and negligent misrepresentation.

In addition to compensation for damaged computers, plaintiffs also seek declaratory relief, by asking that Intel no longer continue marketing its Raptor Lake 13th and 14th generation processors. They are also asking for injunctive and equitable relief in the form of a repair or replacement program for the affected processors, as well as costs, restitution, disgorgement, damages and out-of-pocket costs.