More Fake AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPUs Spotted And They Look Convincing
At first glance, the processor in the photo above appears to be a genuine Ryzen 7 9800X3D processor. It sports AMD's uniquely-shaped integrated heatspreader (IHS) with grooves exposing the PCB on all four sides, it's labeled as a Ryzen 7 9800X3D chip, and it's the correct size. However, a closer examination reveals it's a counterfeit product, and apparently these fake CPUs are making the rounds in the China.
If you read our Ryzen 7 9800X3D review, then you already know that we consider this a fantastic chip to build a gaming PC around. Unfortunately, it's been difficult to find in stock (from first-party outfits) since it launched last November and scammers are taking advantage of the situation. We saw this almost immediately after launch when fake listings appeared on Amazon, and now a post on the Chiphell forum is highlighting what the counterfeit chips look like in the flesh.
Other than unrealistically low pricing, as we saw with the phony Amazon listings, you really have to scrutinize these fake chips to reveal their counterfeit status. A potential tell-tale sign is the color of the PCB. In the image above, the visible portions of the PCB are dark green, which is reminiscent of some previous generation Ryzen products. A genuine Ryzen 7 9800X3D will have a PCB that's more blue-green in color.
We have several chip images in our review, but here's one from the Chiphell forum on the same background as the fake one above...
You can see that the colorway of the PCB is a little bit different—more of an aqua than a dark green (though lighting can throw things off).
Another possible sign is the PCB substrate code. According to the forum post, a genuine Ryzen 7 9800X3D uses the PCB code 33050, while the counterfeit one they received uses the code 32546, which denotes a Ryzen 7000 series processor (Ryzen 7 or Ryzen 9).
Finally, there are key differences in the exposed capacitors where the IHS is grooved on the sides and bottom. In the image above, the processor on top is a counterfeit while the chip on the bottom is a genuine part.
It's not clear how many fake Ryzen 7 9800X3D models are in circulation. Regardless, your best bet is to stick with a reputable vendor with a solid return policy, such as Amazon or Best Buy (among others). Also be aware of whether you're actually purchasing a chip that is shipped and sold by the vendor or a marketplace seller, the latter of which can be riskier.
We realize that can be a challenge with stock in short supply. Humorously enough, an AMD executive candidly blamed Intel's "horrible" Arrow Lake CPU launch for the "unprecedented" demand and subsequent shortage of Ryzen 7 9800X3D processors. The exec also said that AMD is "working very, very hard to catch up with demand," suggesting that output will improve through the first half of this year.
