Intel and HP Pentium 4 Class Action Lawsuit

Gibbs Law Group has settled a lawsuit against Intel and Hewlett-Packard brought in March 2004 for misrepresenting the performance capabilities of Intel’s first-generation Pentium 4 processor. The lawsuit was brought as a class action on behalf of consumers nationwide and has been litigated through three class certification hearings, one appeal, and petitions for review to both the Court of Appeals and the California Supreme Court over the last 10 years. The parties agreed to settle the case the day before trial was scheduled to begin in June 2014.

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The Pentium 4 Settlement

Under the terms of the settlement, Intel will pay $15 to each eligible consumer who attests that, to the best of his or her recollection, he or she purchased a computer equipped with a first-generation Pentium 4 processor between November 20, 2000 and June 30, 2002. Intel will also donate $4 million in computer products or funds to
non-profit entities that will utilize the donation for educational uses.

How do I submit an Intel settlement claim?

If you are a member of the settlement class, you can submit a claim electronically,or you can print a claim form and mail or e-mail it to the addresses provided on the form. You do not have to provide any documentation other than a valid, completed, and signed claim form.

Allegations against Intel and Hewlett-Packard

The lawsuit alleged that Intel secretly wrote benchmark tests intended to generate higher performance scores for the Pentium 4 processor, and that they paid software companies for “optimizations” intended to conceal design flaws. The lawsuit further alleges that Intel used higher-performance memory to artificially boost the Pentium 4’s performance scores, and that Intel disabled features on the Pentium III processor so that its scores would drop and the Pentium 4 scores would appear better by comparison.

Who may make a claim under the Settlement?

The settlement class includes all residents of the United States, except Illinois residents, who:

• Purchased a new computer equipped with a Pentium 4 processor
• between November 20, 2000 and December 31, 2001,
• for personal, family, or household use

OR   

• Purchased a new computer equipped with a first-generation (Willamette) Pentium 4 process or a Pentium 4 processor at speeds below 2.0 GHz
• between January 1, 2002 and June 30, 2002,
• for personal, family, or household use

The settlement class also includes a subclass of consumers who were residents of California at the time they purchased their computers from HP.

Questions about the Intel Settlement?

Information concerning the Pentium 4 settlement and downloadable copies of the claim form are available online. If you have further questions, call Gibbs Law Group’ consumer attorneys toll-free at (866) 981-4800, or fill out the form to the right.