NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is at the center of a fraud story that has recently stunned the technology world. The new generation of fake cards that appear in the second-hand market and unreliable sales channels are no longer just simple mock-ups; From the chips on the chips to the memory modules, they appear as professional engineering tricks that have been reworked with lasers. Although these fake products look so perfect that they cannot be distinguished from the original when viewed from the outside, a great disappointment awaits the users when the system is operated.

Professional Fraud: Laser Engraving and Shaved Memory

Generally, when it comes to fake hardware, empty boxes or old generation cheap cards come to mind. However, the latest data shared by VideoCardz and Northwest Repair reveals where fraudsters have set the bar. In the fake RTX 4090 model in question, an incredible manipulation has been made on the GPU core and GDDR6X memory modules, which are the heart of the card.

Fraudsters shave the top surface of the chips, which they probably remove from older or defective cards, with millimeter precision. After the original writings are erased, the phrase “AD102-300-A1” (the original code name of RTX 4090) is engraved on the chip with high-precision laser machines. The same process is applied for GDDR6X memories.

As a result, even a professional repairman cannot tell that the card is fake unless he examines it under a microscope. Even the protective filling materials (epoxy) around the card are recast, remaining true to the original.

Why Choose RTX 4090 Target?

RTX 4090 is currently at the top of the market with its 24 GB VRAM capacity and its huge power in artificial intelligence operations. The list price of $1,600 and stock problems create an appetizing environment for fraudsters. On the other hand, the physical structure of the AD102 chip, which is the architecture of the card, can have similar pin arrangements with the GA102 chip used in the previous generation RTX 3090 Ti models. This physical similarity allows fraudsters to create “hybrid” fakes with old or broken chips.

These vulnerabilities and high pricing in the market can direct users to competitors. In terms of pure performance, RTX 4090’s biggest rival is on the AMD side. Radeon RX 7900 XTXstands out as. Although AMD offers a more affordable flagship, NVIDIA still seems to be one step ahead in software technologies such as Ray Tracing and DLSS 3. However, this professionalization of hardware fraud puts NVIDIA users at greater risk, especially in the second-hand market.

How to Spot a Fake Graphics Card?

To understand such a professional fraud, it is not enough to rely only on appearance. Here’s what you need to pay attention to:

• GPU-Z Control:If you see the phrase “[FAKE]” among the technical specifications of the card when you run the software, it means that the BIOS has been tampered with.

• Physical Details:Counterfeit cards often have serial numbers on the PCIe ports or resistor arrays on the PCB that differ from the original reference designs.

• Performance Tests:If the “RTX 4090” you have gives 50-60% less performance than it should or gets errors in 3DMark tests, there may be another chip underneath.

This risk increases exponentially, especially for products purchased from Amazon return pallets or unreliable overseas advertisements. It is important to remember that there is no such thing as a “very cheap RTX 4090”.