A recent investigation led by a YouTuber technician uncovered a scam involving counterfeit NVIDIA RTX 4090 graphics cards. The user initially believed they purchased high-performance GPUs, only to find out they were actually modified versions of the older RTX 30 series.
Unmasking the Fraud: How a Technician Identified Fake RTX 4090 GPUs
The sale of counterfeit graphics cards, particularly high-demand models like the NVIDIA RTX 4090, is unfortunately not a rare occurrence in the tech world. In a striking case, one user was duped into buying not just one, but three non-functional RTX 4090 cards, which a technician later found were all fakes.
A Chinese YouTube content creator shared a detailed video revealing the distinctions between the counterfeit RTX 4090s and authentic models. After the customer reported that none of the GPUs were operational, they were sent to the technician for examination. Upon inspection, it became evident that all three were actually modded RTX 3090 and RTX 3080 cards, identifiable by noticeable substrate modifications.
For an average consumer, differentiating between a genuine RTX 4090 and a forgery can be quite challenging. However, those familiar with the specific design features of the original GPU could spot discrepancies. For example, one counterfeit model featured a capacitor protruding from the top right corner, a common trait of RTX 30 series GPUs. Additionally, the small QR code, typically located at the bottom left, was misaligned, positioned higher than standard specifications.
This misrepresentation was evident across all counterfeit samples. One sample even contained fake VRAM, while the third’s substrate bore a striking misalignment from the original RTX 4090, featuring a poorly attached frame. Alarmingly, despite all these GPUs having “AD102″etched onto their dies, this engraving could easily be replicated by erasing the original design and using a laser machine for the counterfeit version.
Fortunately, one of the GPUs was authentic, but it suffered issues with its memory chips and capacitors. After repairing these components, the technician managed to restore its functionality. Conversely, the counterfeit cards were unrecoverable, much to the dismay of the user who purchased each for 10, 000 yen (approximately $1, 400) from an overseas retailer. The user has since decided to return these faulty units to the seller.
For further insights into this incident, you can refer to the original footage on YouTube or follow updates from @unikoshardware.
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