Warnings of fake AMD Ryzen CPUs on Amazon

A computer hardware reviewer has warned that counterfeit versions of AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPUs are being sold on Amazon.

The reviewer - Crmaris from Hardware Busters – ordered the processor from Amazon Germany and says it was ordered directly from the e-commerce giant, not a third-party seller, as a brand new item. It arrived in a sealed package that appeared to be genuine. However, on inspection, it turned out to be an old AMD FX series processor that was likely launched a decade ago, with sketchy looking labelling.

"I immediately noticed the different heatspreader, the pins (!) on the bottom side, and the writing on the heatspreader which tells from miles away that it is “fake”!," said Crmaris.

Crmaris has asked for a refund from Amazon but is more interested in understanding how a counterfeit of this type was able to make it onto the platform and who is responsible for the scam.

"Amazon has to make a deep search now and see by whom they received this processor, and probably alert AMD," he said.