It looks like Intel’s latest Sandy Bridge platform is affected by a flaw that could lead to an extensive recall of brand new laptops and desktops.
The problem is apparently the SATA controller, which controls all of your storage devices including hard drives, SSDs, and optical drives. According to various sources, certain transistors in the design are not equipped to handle their assigned voltage.
A simple fix to the problem (with too much electric current) could be to simply lower the voltage, but that would lead to a minor performance degradation.
All of the potential recalls and subsequent repairs are of course on Intel’s expense. Some say it could cost the company as much as a billion dollars. Lots of rumors are flying around.
Have you been affected? Please let us know in the comments.
@Denver: that sucks, but you’re hardly alone. This happens way too often for early adopters.
@George: Thanks for the update on toshibadirect. Sounds like the big ones like Toshiba, Dell and HP are on top of things, unlike some stores that are still selling faulty models…
I ordered a Toshiba Qosmio laptop from toshibadirect.com
Before the computer was even delivered I got an email from Toshiba telling me that it was equipped with the bad Intel chipset.
The next day the laptop arrived… I didn’t even open the box.
Toshiba is giving me a refund and paying for the return shipping via
FedEx.
dammit this affects me… I just bought a new Asus Laptop…. this is the first time i’ve bought something so new… most of the time i’m smart. this time not so much.
[…] the big news from last month – Intel’s brand new Sandy Bridge release turned into an anti-climax, when news broke that there is a faulty component in the SATA drive controller. Some sites are […]
Yes, it’s really odd that some sites keep selling sandy bridge laptops. HP and Dell have just stopped, so others will probably follow. Intel is apparently busy fixing the issue and should have glitch-free products ready by the end of the month. Anyone who already pulled the trigger on a sandy bridge laptop will hopefully get a replacement.
PCMag has a new piece on it here:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2379241,00.asp
what can i do then? i need soon a powerfull gaming/multimedia computer and why a lot of sites are still selling computers with the sandy anr intel core i7 stufff?