Intel plays with the name and the data: The “Intel Baseline Profile” becomes “Intel Default Settings”

The problem with the Intel desktop processors of the 13th and 14th generation, i.e. Raptor Lake-S and Raptor Lake-S-Refresh, is not getting any smaller and the bad news does not stop. At this point, one could almost believe that Intel has simply left the whole thing to the motherboard manufacturers and is hoping to divert attention away from its own problem and somehow muddle through. The current twist with the binding profiles is actually a bit irritating for motherboard manufacturers, but in the end it certainly amounts to a pure name game. Here I am referring to the report from Benchlife and also my own source, which was able to confirm this publication in large parts. Since Benchlife was the first to report on this, thanks are due to this site and I’ll follow suit.

Despite the confirmation from several sources, please take the following with a grain of salt, as it has not yet been published by Intel itself. In the meantime, however, Intel has probably already published a kind of hard deadline for the motherboard manufacturers, which narrows down the period to the end of May:

Intel only plays with the PL

The Intel default settings (BIOS Defaults) are therefore currently expected to be implemented by board manufacturers by May 31, 2024. In the current situation, however, the actual approach of the Intel Baseline Profile is merely to lower the PL values. The PL2 value of the Intel Core i9-14900K of 253 W enables the execution of Turbo Boost with 6.0 GHz, but after applying the Intel Baseline Profile, the PL2 value of the Intel Core i9-14900K is set back to the known 188 W as default, regardless of which Intel Core i9-14900K and which Intel Z690 or Z790 chip motherboard is used.

It is also funny that in Intel’s proposal, as in the press kit at the launch of the 13th generation, there is the famous line that recommends setting the PL1 to 253W for the best performance behavior. So PL1 = PL2 = 253W. The Intel Baseline Profile, which is now specified as the default, is intended to limit these settings completely, so that the user then has to take manual action. The PBP (Processor Base Power) remains at 125W and untouched, nothing has been changed here.

In most cases, the power settings for the maximum values of Iccmax and Iccmax.app were previously 307A and 245A, in addition to the PL2 of 253W for the Intel Core i9-14900K, but after the application of the Intel Baseline Profile and the new BIOS defaults, the maximum values will probably be lowered to 249A and 200A by default, which is a fairly significant limitation that should significantly limit the overall performance of the Intel Core i9-14900K processor as long as you use the BIOS default settings (BIOS defaults).

The PL4 drops from the currently reported 420 watts to a maximum of 380 watts in the Performance or Extreme Profile, but is still above the 314 watts that were once used internally before the launch, but were never applied in this way. According to Benchlife, the data in the following table is considered to be set:

Where is the ACDC load line?

In the currently planned implementation, the so-called ACDC load line (sometimes also referred to as AC/DC load line) remains unclear for the time being. In Intel processors, however, this is a very important setting that influences both stability and power consumption and plays a major role in the voltage regulation of the processor, especially in connection with the power supply and power consumption under load. This setting is mainly used in BIOS or UEFI settings of Intel boards and it helps to regulate the voltage supplied to the processor when it is working under load. It influences how much the voltage drops when the load increases (voltage droop). This is important to ensure the stability and performance of the processor and to prevent excessive voltages from damaging the processor. Here again as a reminder:

• AC Loadline
  Affects the adjustment of the voltage based on the CPU load in a scenario where the processor is powered by the main power supply (AC). It helps to increase the voltage when the CPU load increases to compensate for the voltage drop.
• DC Loadline
  This setting is similar, but refers to the power supply coming from the DC source (usually the motherboard’s voltage regulator). It controls how the voltage adjusts as the load varies to optimize efficiency and stability under different operating conditions.

These settings are particularly important for overclockers who want to get the maximum performance out of their system without compromising the hardware. They allow finer control over the processor’s behavior under different load conditions, which can lead to better performance stability and potentially higher overclocking results. So it will be our job to find out exactly. If Intel changes or prescribes anything at all. However, this will only work once we have received the appropriate firmware. So far, however, this information is not available or could not be validated from at least two sources.

What does this mean for users?

AMD is certainly rubbing its hands in glee. Socket LGA1700 motherboards are available as high-end, mid-range and entry-level models, which differ greatly from one another, including of course in terms of price. However, the expensive boards from the upper mid-range upwards in particular sometimes use extreme designs for the voltage converters of the power supply and therefore naturally also define the price. In some cases, the possible performance values are extremely higher than Intel’s specifications, which were previously regarded as a guideline rather than a binding requirement. However, this is now to become virtually obsolete, at least in part. Let’s politely call it expropriation of OC enthusiasts.

The Intel Baseline Profile for the 13th and 14th processors de facto puts the K-series on the same level as the non-K-series and the motherboards of all levels are also practically put on the same level, because these extreme performance data are then simply no longer required. After all, in addition to Performance and Baseline, there is also the Extreme Profile. In the Extreme Profile, there is still the familiar setting with PL1 = PL2 = 253W, which at least saves the K series a little bit of the edge and should safeguard the sense of the expensive motherboards. However, even a rather mid-priced motherboard such as an MSI Z690 Mortar can achieve this, which makes all significantly more expensive models from all manufacturers seem somewhat absurd, should these strict specifications really apply.

What else do we know? Iccmax and Iccmax.app are at least still set at 400A and 320A in the Extreme Profile. After applying the Intel Baseline Profile, however, the time in which Intel Thermal Velocity Boost can reach 6 GHz on the Intel Core i9-14900K, for example, drops to less than 3 seconds. This means that the Turbo Boost of the Intel Core i9-14900K is ultimately just a kind of gimmick, useless in practice and just something for marketing. For all those manufacturers who sell their high-flyer boards at a high price, the question of meaningfulness will naturally arise, as the boards that are far above the specifications will be severely slowed down by the limit. Unless, of course, the customer manually adds more at his own risk.

Intel had promised an official announcement by the end of May at the latest and we will then see what the processor manufacturer has to tell us officially. For many extreme users, this will certainly not be a fun day if they (have to) submit to the new specs with a BIOS update (downgrade). If they don’t, there is still the risk of a total loss. Not really nice either.

Source Benchlife, own