A user received an AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D with a sticker and fingerprints - is it fake or OEM?

A discussion erupted on Reddit (r/pcmasterrace) after a user posted a photo Ryzen 7 7800X3D, delivered in a plastic tray with a sticker and fingerprintsHe noted that he ordered the processor from a major retailer, but the packaging and appearance raised doubts: There is still some sticker left on the IHS cover, and the usual ones were also absent surface-mounted devices (SMD) on one side of the chip.

Some participants in the discussion immediately suspected a fake. A user tagged "Top 1% of commentators" noted that absence of SMD components on the lid is a potential sign of a fake, since all reviews from trusted media These elements are present, except for a couple of top cutoutsHe even included a link to a reference image from TechPowerUp, where the SMDs are arranged in a standard manner.

However, other users defended the processor's originality. It was noted that AMD has likely changed the component layout in new batches. 7800X3D. One of the participants referred to a recent publication which claims that In new versions of processors, some SMD elements may indeed have been removed that does not indicate counterfeiting.

There have also been suggestions that we are talking about OEM processor designed for system buildersIn such cases, the packaging, labeling, and appearance may differ from the retail versions. In particular, many users have received such CPU in an antistatic tray without a factory box, which is considered the norm for OEM.

While the author of the post hopes that cleaning the IHS with isopropyl alcohol will solve the problem, the community still advises check the chip's functionality and ensure its authenticity using stress tests.