A lawsuit against Intel is starting in the US. In it, the processor maker is accused of fraudulent behavior. The manufacturer allegedly touted desktop chips unabated as the ultimate product, knowing full well that they contained defects.
The saga of unstable Raptor Lake desktop chips is getting a legal tailspin. In the US, a man is starting a so-called class action lawsuit against the processor maker. The man claims Intel intentionally deceived customers, and is demanding damages and a fine for the company. Victims across the U.S. can join the lawsuit, which could potentially cost Intel hundreds of millions.
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Intel faces lawsuit due to defective Raptor Lake processors
The case revolves around powerful Raptor Lake and Raptor Lake Refresh CPUs with a TDP of 65 watts or more. Above-average numbers began crashing after their launch. Initially Intel denied problems, but as the shortcoming became more publicized, the explanations changed. Eventually Intel admitted that its most powerful processors in the range were suffering from a bug that not only caused crashes, but also physically destroyed the chip.
Informed
The case against Intel claims, according to Arstechnica, that the company was well and truly aware of the problems, including through its own tests and significantly higher warranty requests. After all, those are monitored by Intel. Still, Intel continued to tout the chips. Until today, customers do not know for sure whether their CPU is now susceptible to the bug or not.
If the case reaches a verdict, a jury must decide whether Intel indeed acted maliciously. In that, the company may be required to pay damages to anyone who bought an unstable chip. An additional fine as punishment is also possible. The case could thus theoretically mean a loss of hundreds of millions for Intel.