AMD recently released the Granite Ridge line of desktop processors, but the X3D Raphael series processors remain the best performers for gaming and productivity.
The Ryzen 7 7800X3D is a notable example of a processor in this range. Scammers have begun to take advantage of the high demand for this product by creating and selling fake processors that successfully mimic the appearance of the genuine model.
YouTuber der8auer EN, known for his technical reviews, obtained one and checked it in detail to reveal the differences between the real and the fake processor. But let’s start with the beginning.
Buying the fake chip
right Tom’s Hardwarea Romanian der8auer EN fan named Bruce bought the fake chip online from OLX Romania. He thought he had made the deal of a lifetime, buying it for just 300 euros.
After receiving the chip, plugged it into the motherboard for the first boot and…nothing. Bruce ran some basic checks using a multimeter, but the CPU refused to work.
Analysis on YouTube
Der8auer EN then bought the defective chip at the retail price of a new model and took it apart, showing us what to look out for when we want to buy a genuine product.
The YouTuber immediately noticed that the substrate of the chip was blue instead of green. Second, on a genuine AMD X3D chip, the capacitors that are visible between the “tentacles” of the chip are covered with a protective resin. The fake one had smooth, shiny blocks.
Der8auer EN also noted that the fake chip had a thinner PCB and latched much more loosely into the CPU loading mechanism. The measurements showed him that its thickness was only 0.964 mm. The genuine one has a thickness of 1.308 mm.
The delidding process
The delidding process was not as expected as the IHS separated with much less effort than normal. In addition, there was no silicon on the substrate. The counterfeiter created a rectangular bump on the bottom of the IHS to mimic the CCD and I/O chips.
Der8auer EN concluded that the effort put into faking the PCB and IHS made this fake chip look “professional”. It seems good enough to pass inspection for those who haven’t seen or handled many X3D chips in person. The packaging was also of good quality.
To avoid such pitfalls, it is recommended to buy processors from trusted retailers and test the products.
Source: www.go4it.ro
