Intel in January stopped shipments of the Series 6 chipsets used with its much vaunted Sandy Bridge processors. The reason: a problem with the SATA controller that could over a period of time cause problems with SATA-linked devices. PC Advisor explains what Intel's design flaw means for those who are about to buy an Intel Sandy Bridge PC, or have already taken the plunge. Updated, 16 February 2011.
Intel halted shipments of a key chipset used with the latest-generation Core i5/i7-series quad-core processors in late January.
The Series 6 chipsets are used with Sandy Bridge CPUs. The reason: a fault with the SATA controller that could cause long-term problems with SATA-linked devices such as hard disks and optical drives.
Specifically, the PC's motherboard that manufacturers such as Asus, Gigabyte and MSI have been providing to PC makers could suffer failure after prolonged use.
Intel has stopped shipment of the affected support chip, the platform controller hub (PCH), codenamed Cougar Point. The design issue has been fixed, Intel has said. But what exactly happened, and what can you expect if you've bought or are planning to buy a laptop or a desktop PC with a Sandy Bridge processor?
See also: Sandy Bridge mistake shows just how important Intel is
See also: Intel Core i7-2600K (Sandy Bridge) review
Intel Sandy Bridge: The problem
The Cougar Point chipset allows up to four SATA ports at the legacy 3 gigabits per second (Gbps) speed, and two with the higher-speed 6Gbps interface. The problem lies in the SATA 3Gbps interface.
Note: there is some confusion over the naming of different generations of SATA interface. At PC Advisor, we use the unambiguous convention based on communication rate speed: first generation of the SATA interface was specified at 1.5Gbps, and is sometimes called ‘SATA 1'. This was followed by SATA 3Gbps, or ‘SATA 2'. SATA 3 is really SATA 6Gbps.
According to industry sources, the interface that controls the movement of data – also known as the ‘clocking tree' – has been fitted with a transistor whose voltage was biased too high, resulting in a high level of leakage current. Leaking current could, in time, cause the SATA 3Gbps ports to fail. Intel maintains that this would not cause any damage or corruption to a connected hard disk, for instance, but we have heard predictions that 5 to 15 percent of systems could break down within three years.
It's a microscopic and massive error, but one that's relatively simple to fix in new products. So what about those products that have already shipped?
See also: Latest Components/Upgrades reviews
Intel Sandy Bridge: What happens now?
Many industry insiders expected that Intel would recall all the chipsets, and those people who already had Intel Sandy Bridge PCs would have to return them for repair.
As big a problem as that would be, the relatively few people who already have such laptops and desktop PCs pales into insignificance next to the real issue: the millions of motherboards already shipped or in transit to PC manufacturers.
One option open to PC suppliers is to supplement the sale of a new PC with a lengthy ‘no quibble' guarantee – possibly with financial support from Intel.
But PC makers are beholden to motherboard suppliers. Gigabyte, for instance, issued a Q&A unveiling its plans for the affected motherboards. In part it says: "No action will be needed if you use only the SATA 3 [sic] ports. If you are using the SATA 2 ports, then there are possibilities that the device's performance will decrease after a period of usage.
"To ensure the highest standard of customer support & services, Gigabyte recommends that all customers who purchased Gigabyte 6-series motherboards contact their local dealer (retail store where you purchased the motherboard) at the end of April for a motherboard exchange. Gigabyte will provide an equivalent new motherboard replacement."
Or to put it another way: the consumer needs to work out if they have an affected PC – and that means ascertaining whether they're using all the PC's capabilities, and whether they ever intend to – then take the motherboard back to the PC vendor to be swapped for a new one.
On the face of it this seems to be a disingenuous offer – as one PC Advisor staffer quipped: "It's not exactly like just pulling the tray out of the toaster to empty the crumbs out." A motherboard replacement is a delicate procedure that we wouldn't recommend to most users.
Asus, on the other hand, told PC Advisor that it intends to offer full refunds to any consumer who has purchased a PC with a faulty board it supplied. It said that it was calling a halt to all sales of potentially affected motherboards, and that customers should contact their PC vendor.
See also: Find out your consumer rights
Intel Sandy Bridge: Should you buy now?
Tests we've carried out in the PC Advisor Test Centre have established that Sandy Bridge is a considerable step forward in performance. However, with supplies of remedied motherboards in short supply until April, it may be time for pause for thought if you're considering buying a PC.
In a statement released 31 January, Intel said the "total cost to repair and replace affected materials and systems in the market is estimated to be $700m. Since this issue affected some of the chipset units shipped and produced in the fourth quarter of 2010, the company will take a charge against the cost of goods sold".
But this isn't clear enough in explaining to the end user who will fix their PC if it should break down due to a faulty chipset. We asked a selection of UK PC makers what their intentions are on this issue.
NEXT PAGE: what the UK PC makers say >>
Comments
Matt Egan - Editor said: The thing to look for in a new Intel Sandy Bridge motherboard is B3 revision or B3 stepping That denotes that it is not a potentially flawed Cougar Point motherboard
Matt Egan - Editor said: Good point I did and Ive not yet had a reply Let me chase it up
Oh Reilly? said: Good question Martyn - Ill put in a call or twoAny answer
Matt Egan - Editor said: Good question Martyn - Ill put in a call or two
Oh Reilly? said: Waiting wont guarantee anything as long as dodgy boards are in the system Some assemblers might even be tempted to go looking for them at reduced prices so increasing their margins to enable them to buy second hand shoes and stale bread for their childrenMartyn - excellent question
Martyn said: John you say its an i5-760 which is an 1156 chip-set not the same as the sandy-bridge in the article which is an 1155 chip-set The new Sandy-bridges are all in thousands in their ID codes i5-2400 i5-2500 etc The 1156 i5-760 etc is an old obsolete chip-set but its still new just Acer has probably bought a few hundred thousand up cheap to clear old stock from intelMatt - is there any chance with your contacts you could ask the main motherboard manufacturers Asus Gigabyte amp Intel how we will be able to differentiate the old from the new - ie what model numbers are they to use That would be rally handy to know so we dont buyingbeing sent some fault old stock
João Galante said: I bet that several of those early made motherboards gonna end up here in south america where we have a poor custumer support
Matt Egan - Editor said: The consumers liquidity should absolutely be paramount Im not suggesting otherwise And Im not here to defend the PC industry PC Advisors role is to offer the best possible consumer advice and the story above weve tried to do so Intel made a mistake and Intel should foot the bill for everyone Im just saying that its not quite as straightforward as simply recalling every single motherboard because for some of the businesses involved that would be terminal and thats not good for customer service The PC retailers weve spoken to on page 2 of this article have approached this in several different ways - from recalling and replacing everything to modifiying the motherboards in order to rectify the problem to in effect simply saying buyer beware Ill leave it to you to judge which is the most valid approach I know what I think And as weve stated several times if you can wait to buy you should
Oh Reilly? said: And what about the end users liquidity Why should they subsidise retailersassemblersBy knowingly selling faulty motherboards theyre breaking the law - quite simple really Its a low margin business - now where have I heard that before It seems to appear every time a retailerassembler is accused of poor customer service
Matt Egan - Editor said: Quite simple really - very few retailers have the liquidity to take six weeks off generating any revenue Let alone at the same time having to find the cash to recall everything youve sold over the past few weeks They can claim funds back in time but there are no guarantees and few of them could afford to do it Its a low margin business
Oh Reilly? said: Dont follow your logic Intel produced faulty motherboards sold them to assemblers who sold them to end userAs the fault is known Intel are obliged to recall sub standard boards Wheres the problem Why does the assembler lose out
Matt Egan - Editor said: Im definitely not saying it is okay The story above doesnt say its okay My comments dont say its okay I dont believe it is which is why - for the only time in history - our advice is not to buy Now Wait six weeks four will probably be okay and the motherboards wont have this issue At the very least find out exactly what the PC maker is doing to rectify the issue - its not their fault but they are your point of contact My personal opinion is that all affected motherboards should have been recalled but I appreciate that this would have caused serious - potentially fatal - damage to good PC and motherboard makers Intel made the error and has the cashflow to withstand this Small PC makers dont Im just glad Im not in their shoes
Oh Reilly? said: Strictly all Cougar Point motherboards should be recalled and replaced but this wont happen because of the commercial pressures on PC and motherboard makersThats not exactly comforting - youll have john wright reaching for the anti-depressantsBut even more seriously than your in all seriousness Are you really saying that its OK for IntelPC manufacturers to sell faulty goods so they can remain profitableWhat next cars with no brakes
Matt Egan - Editor said: Okay To clarify the current flawed batch of Cougar Point motherboards will have been flushed out of the PC sales channel in six weeks or so However PC Advisor and I cannot be held responsible for any further faults acts of God or spontaneous combustionIn all seriousness there is a difference between purchasing a product affected by a known design fault present before manufacture and buying something that breaks after youve owned it for a while Strictly all Cougar Point motherboards should be recalled and replaced but this wont happen because of the commercial pressures on PC and motherboard makers
Oh Reilly? said: john wright - you wont know nor will Matt Ive got a crystal ball Egan Design amp manufacturing faults are a fact of life in all manufactured products Yesterday it was Intels soggy chips - today its glass in beer bottles You buy something and hope its OKas describedfit for purpose If it turns out faulty deal with it - thats lifeIf youre waiting for a guarantee of 100 perfection youd better buy a comfy chair - if you can find one thats guaranteed to be comfortable wont collapse spontaeously combust cause unsightly skin rashes etc etc etc
Matt Egan - Editor said: If you buy in three months youll be fine John The problem is with only the initial batch of motherboards And the PC vendor has to make you aware of any issues anyway
john wright said: Please excuse my continued ignorance see previous post Since I have not yet purchased my first machine for 10 years how will I know in the future say 3 months that Im not being sold a faulty device
WineByMe said: Its all a sham ya they made a mistake but I bet they come out with the new and improved SB right about the same time Bulldozer comes out Of course I think Kennedy was assasinated by our own people
Screaming Mad said: Assembled a new computer with an I5-2500K and DH67CL only to find a week later that I now have a pile of junk that has been recalled Thanks Intel Im going to AMD with their soo to be obsolete socket AM3
Ben said: It can not be that difficult for Intel to create a small exe file that runs a system scan that gives a read out of exactly what components etc there are inside a computer Armed with this read out anybody can return their affected computer for the appropriate action They cant expect anyone to start messing with the internal of their new computer as apart from anything else you invalidate any warrenty which gives retailers yet another get out clause