Beware of counterfeit AMD Ryzen CPUs! Here’s what to look for

Tech YouTuber Roman Hartung (aka “der8auer”) just pointed out in one of his recent videos that elaborate CPU fakes are currently in circulation, and he personally came across a counterfeit AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D that looks deceptively real if you aren’t looking closely.

Hartung acquired the CPU from one of his viewers, who contacted him directly about it. The CPU was originally purchased on OLX, an online marketplace that’s comparable to platforms like Facebook Marketplace, for about €300 (a nice discount off the CPU’s normal €400).

After the viewer had installed the CPU in his PC, it didn’t start — so it was obvious that there was something wrong with the CPU. Upon closer inspection, the CPU turned out to be a fake.

Elaborate counterfeits of AMD CPUs

In his video, der8auer shows the differences between the fake CPU and the actual CPU it’s based on.

At first glance, the two CPUs look very similar with only the color of the PCB (printed circuit board) and the lack of adhesive on the capacitors quickly catching Hartung’s eye. The PCB is also significantly shorter with a height under 1mm (the original’s height is 1.3 mm).

There are more subtle differences, though, like the shape of the heatspreader and the labeling, which can only be noticed by trained eyes. The heatspreader is also easily removable, and in this case it reveals an empty circuit board, so to speak.

To emulate the real deal, the fake heatspreader sits on the circuit board and is given height with adhesive. Surprisingly, the counterfeiters still went to the trouble of placing capacitors on the board.

The packaging is also copied quite well from the original box. When buying one of these fake CPUs, there’s hardly any noticeable difference on the outside. Buyers should therefore be particularly careful on third-party platforms so as not to fall for counterfeits like this.

Further reading: Key tips for shopping online safely