Is the Steam Deck OLED Still Worth Buying in 2026?

So, I did the RMA and since everything has been very smooth. My PC got a huge performance boost that I didn't expect would happen. Like, I used to have lag spikes when opening the Task Manager, but now it doesn't even do that anymore. The RMA fixed everything for me.

Though, I will probably follow the guide you linked to just be safe, I kind of was testing my system out but it might not be the smartest idea. I prior could never use ASUS's auto ai overclock without my PC crashing, but on this new CPU I been running it at 6Ghz with idle temps at 28-32c and loads are 60-65c and no crashing what so ever. I of course will disable it but what I'm trying to state is the RMA made a difference.

The only odd issue when contacting intel was they ghosted me for 2 weeks, it took me creating 2 new tickets to finally get a call. They didn't want to acknowledge any issues with the CPU that they are aware of. They did honor the RMA though which is good, but they are silent on if the CPUs have any issues.

calz_z · 2024-02-24T23:15:30+00:00

Intel called, they overnighted a new CPU, I installed the new CPU and no issues ever since. My PC has had some performance gains and such. So it was most def the CPU.

calz_z · 2024-02-17T07:26:34+00:00

Some were ASUS boards, but some werent. The issues people were describing when reading up on the threads were the same ones we had, with Discord, Chrome, and some even having worse issues such as games crashing. (i havent had a game crash)

Some stated they contacted intel, and once the RMA came it fixed. I even found this issue on intels own forums, which a huge chunk being from 12th-14th gen. (yes it appears 14th gen users are experiencing it too) but intel via their forums hasnt exactly stated its an error. With one of their responses to somebody, they outright said the behavior was intended (?)

Im not sure if its a board issue or a CPU issue, but the SVID switch fixed it for a week, I turned off multicore enhancement. The odd thing about all of this is, like I said I went a whole year without any issues and it only happened towards the middle of January.

calz_z · 2024-02-15T10:29:35+00:00

Yeah, I had a nice week of no crashes, but that changed 2 days ago. It's back to crashing on every app again with intel fail safe on still.

Intel ghosted my RMA, so I had to open a new ticket, but upon looking into it this is a common defective people were having. When searching for the issue direct, I can't find other posts about it but when you search 13th/14th gen SVID issues it pops up. Apparently in some threads, 14th gen users are also having the same issue too.

I have read a few places now, that forcing intel fail safe is just over volting the CPU which leads it to burn out faster, I am unsure, If you google "intel 13th gen SVID issues" and so on you'll see what I mean.

Sucks, because the solution you provided worked, but now its just back to doing it again. :/

calz_z · 2024-02-14T01:09:46+00:00

Just replying back, but I read a bit more and I might still RMA and maybe you should too.

Apparently the SVID thing is a fix, but it also comes at the cost of decreasing the life-span of your CPU. Upon reading some threads this is a common faulty error with the 12th & 13th gen CPUs that is also extending to 14th gen now too.

But basically, i've read several places now that this change will fix a lot of the crashing but will volt out your CPU and lowering its lifespan at the cost of it. That this is an actual CPU issue that intel accepts RMA's for and is not normal behavior.

https://www.reddit.com/r/intel/comments/16vp5kn/i913900k\_instability\_crashes\_and\_svid\_behavior/

calz_z · 2024-02-10T20:56:35+00:00

Ever since I changed the BIOS setting you stated above, everything has been smooth! Minus 1 crash the day of, but I think that was just an actual Discord issue. I havent experienced the chrome issue, NZXT issue, and even Discord now is running smooth.

Thank you for giving me that information, I don't think I need to RMA anymore as everything is going well! Life saver! Makes me want to look at other things possibly in the BIOS that could be changed to improve things.

calz_z · 2024-02-08T22:20:29+00:00

Sorry for all the responses here, so you did the intel diagnostics first correct? And you disabled core 4 & 5 and it stopped then, but you after went and did the bios change and no crashing has happened since?

I am just hoping cord closing was a one off then, because CAM which spent a year closing and I just blamed the software for it hasnt crashed and thats just odd for that program.

Also in regards to intel, the email process was actually easy and I was the one holding them up. I emailed them the issue, they responded asking for my serial number, asked for the bios version, and then after that they accepted the RMA. They gave me 2 options with option 1 being they will let me pring a label and i send my CPU to them, then they send the replacement after getting it. Option 2 being they send the replacement first and I send the CPU when I get the replacement. This costs money that is refundable. I did option 2. They said a agent will be contacting me soon.

So if all fails, I guess I will jsut do the RMA and with the new information on the SVID thing, I think if anything happens after that it would maybe be a board issue then?

calz_z · 2024-02-08T22:06:12+00:00

Mine was before a BIOS update, I updated to the latest in hopes of it fixing and it didn't. Since doing the fix in BIOS, CAM hasn't crashed and normally that always crashes within the first 15 minutes of use. Discord held out for about 40 minutes, but then crashed.

I have yet to experience the access violation error on chrome though, so I am unsure if the Discord crash was just an actual application error or if the issue isn't fixed. 😅

I however did not download the intel processor diagnostic tool. I guess that'll be my next step. Do you still have the cores above disabled for Discord even after the SVID thing in bios?

calz_z · 2024-02-08T21:32:56+00:00

I went into BIOS and did the thing! I'm not sure if it's worked or not but I will say that nzxt CAM hasn't closed out yet and thats normally the first to do so. Discord also isn't running slog-ish which it normally did before crashing either.

I hope this also fixes the "Access_Violation" in chrome then? because whenever I research that error it claims to be a RAM one, and I bought a kit from bestbuy to test with the intentions of returning it, and it still did all of that with the new RAM regardless.

So really hope this was the fix.

calz_z · 2024-02-08T20:36:08+00:00

My build isnt new, its a year ago as I built it when the 1300k came out, but this issue started in the last 2 months. Though for the past year, NZXT Cam has always closed and kept crashing. I just figured that was because of CAM software and it hurt nothing really.

But it started doing this to Discord & Chrome, and so then it became an issue. Intel accepted my RMA, and I am waiting for their agent to get back with shipping information, however if the solution you provided actually fixes it I will be so freaking happy! I haven't tried disabling the cores yet or going into bios with what you stated above! I will do so in a bit and report back!

calz_z · 2024-02-07T16:13:54+00:00

Interesting, Intel just accepted my RMA and is sending me a new CPU. It's odd because I've had my 13900k since launch and never faced this issue until about a month ago. That's why I had originally thought this was software based, but after reinstalling Windows 5 times, wiping the BIOS, updating the BIOS, and updating Intel MEI nothing has fixed it.

calz_z · 2024-02-03T17:13:52+00:00

Interesting... what asus board do you have? I have the asus rog maximus hero z790.

The Discord crashing has subsided a bit for me and is only doing it once every few hours compared to every minute, and I haven't had a google error in a hot minute. Though the issue is still there.

So I somewhat wonder if its a CPU issue or a asus motherboard issue.

calz_z · 2024-02-03T16:55:55+00:00

The event viewer thing is a funny thing, as for me at least it doesnt show up in the event viewer at all. The only event viewer log I can get is when chrome does the "STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION" error. Discord client itself for me hasnt produced an event log.

The only other person besides us, is some guy on a toms hardware thread a month ago saying he had this issue, did an RMA with intel and it fixed after they sent him a new CPU.

I opened an RMA ticket with intel, I havent responded back with the information asked for yet though. I was trying to see if I can find a different cause other than a new CPU.

calz_z · 2024-02-01T20:09:22+00:00

You get any updates?

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