The Core i9-13900K you bought may actually be a Core i7-13700K

Counterfeit Intel processors have been around for a while now, and unsophisticated users are falling victim to them. It turns out that the brand new Core i9-13900K purchased by a consumer is actually a Core i7-13700K with IHS modifications. On the other hand, this fraud technique has been used for a long time.

Core i7-13700K looking like Core i9-13900K

Cases of counterfeit Intel and AMD processors are nothing new we’ve seen, and most of them appear either with branding on the IHS (Integrated Heat Spreader) or actual processor packaging. Such incidents can happen all over the world, and the latest example of this happened to a Reddit user.

Recently, Reddit user “Much_Designer_8417” purchased a brand new Core i9-13900K from Amazon, only to discover that the CPU was missing some cores and that the product he actually purchased was a Core i7-13700K. Because there is an important detail between the two processors that will be noticed by a careful or slightly knowledgeable user: the number of E-Core cores. And of course there are differences in clock speeds.

Most processor scams today revolve around IHS and packaging. The most common of these techniques is the engraving of a fake model and model number on the processor by laser or other means. These methods either affect CPUs within the same family using the same packaging and IHS design, or involve laser engraving on completely different IHSs, the former of which is much more difficult to detect. Additionally, we have also seen IHSs bonded to completely blank PCBs in the past.

What makes this case unusual is the full-scale IHS replacement, specifically featuring Core i7 and Core i9 processors, both of which are considered premium models. Previously, we saw that entry-level processors such as the Pentium series were sold as high-end processors. In such a case, it is crucial to document the incident with photos, compile specifications from both official and unofficial tools, and immediately contact customer support of the retailer from which the CPU was purchased. To avoid such incidents, we recommend that you purchase your computer hardware directly from official dealers or reliable sellers instead of third-party suppliers. Additionally, we recommend that you visit the DonanımHaber Forum to gather information about the hardware you are considering purchasing or to find answers to your questions.