In response to growing reports of instability in high-end Intel CPUs like the Core i9-14900K, Asus has taken an important step by releasing a BIOS update for its Z790 motherboards. However, this solution comes with a trade-off, as it results in a performance loss of up to 9% in certain workloads.

The latest BIOS update from Asus introduces the Intel Baseline Profile, which disables various optimizations that are typically applied to Asus Z790 motherboards. This ensures that high-end Intel chips are confined within Intel's specified limits. However, Hardwareluxx conducted tests using the Core i9-14900K and discovered a performance drop of approximately 9% in multiple tests.

For instance, in Cinebench R23, the German publication found that the Intel Baseline Profile resulted in a staggering 9% decrease in performance. In the Y-Cruncher benchmark, which calculates Pi, the performance drop was even more pronounced at 11%. Gaming performance was also affected, with titles such as Starfield, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, and F1 2023 exhibiting an 8% decrease in performance when tested at 720p. It should be noted that these performance differences are expected to diminish at higher resolutions.

The root cause of the instability seems to stem from the unrestricted power budget available to high-end Intel CPUs on certain motherboards. With the appropriate BIOS settings, a chip like the Core i9-14900K can have a maximum turbo power of 4,095 watts, although the CPU is unlikely to draw that much power under normal circumstances. However, this high power limit enables the chip to momentarily draw excessive power, even if it leads to a system crash.

The release of this BIOS update aligns with recommendations made by experts over the past few days. Asus likely responded to Intel's investigation into the problem, but it remains uncertain if other motherboard vendors will follow suit with similar updates.

It is worth noting that the performance drop associated with this BIOS update only applies to users who utilized the various enhancements available on Asus Z790 motherboards. Nevertheless, many users may have been employing these enhancements without realizing it, as Asus automatically applies the features it deems best for the CPU by default. Those who have not manually adjusted their BIOS settings may experience reduced CPU performance with the Intel Baseline Profile enabled.

Fortunately, the impact on gaming performance is expected to be minimal. The performance decrease primarily manifests in other applications, while the instability addressed by this BIOS update predominantly affects gaming. While not an ideal trade-off, this update aims to resolve the crashing issues experienced by Core i9-14900K owners.

The full extent of the problem with Intel's high-end CPUs remains unclear at this time. As of now, it appears that the Core i9-13900K and Core i9-14900K are the primary culprits, with the Core i7-13700K and Core i7-14700K experiencing lesser degrees of instability. Other Intel CPUs are believed to be unaffected by these issues.