Using the old U as the new U, Chuwi laptop CPU fraud was exposed, the official response was vague

Recently, Chuwi, a domestic notebook brand known for its high cost performance, has been involved in a CPU fraud scandal.Its CoreBook

It is reported that the scandal was exposed by Notebookcheck, an overseas technology media, and the report originated from a large number of complaints and feedback from CoreBook X users on the Reddit platform.

Users reported that the actual use experience of the notebook model they purchased did not match the advertised performance of the Ryzen 5 7430U processor, and there was a suspected configuration shrinkage problem.

What’s even more shocking is thatChuwi is suspected of deliberately forging the identity of the processor through modifications at the BIOS firmware level. In BIOS, Windows systems, and even authoritative hardware diagnostic tools such as CPU-Z and HWiNFO64, the chip is displayed as Ryzen 5 7430U.

But the chip itself cannot be faked. After dismantling the device and removing the CPU radiator, the Notebookcheck team discovered thatThe OPN number 100-000000375 on the chip is clearly visible. Verified by AMD’s official website, this code actually corresponds to the previous generation Ryzen 5 5500U processor..

Although both processors have six cores and twelve threads, there are obvious differences in core architecture and performance.Ryzen 5 7430U uses Zen 3 architecture, the L3 cache is twice that of Ryzen 5 5500U, and has a higher clock frequency; while Ryzen 5 5500U still uses the previous generation Zen 2 execution core.

Tests show that the average performance of Ryzen 5 5500U is 7% lower than that of 7430U. Under the limitation of CoreBook X single-channel memory, the performance gap reaches 10%. Because the specifications of the two chips are highly similar, even knowledgeable technology users can easily be fooled.

After the scandal was exposed,Chuwi neither admitted nor denied the fraud accusations. It only vaguely mentioned different production batches and stated that the remaining inventory in circulation was not within the company's control. It said it had launched an internal investigation. This response has been questioned by the outside world as lacking sincerity. After all, the forgery of the processor's identity at the firmware level cannot be explained by accidental production omissions.

Notebookcheck: "We immediately contacted the manufacturer and asked for a statement. Chuwi did respond, but did not explicitly admit the error. It only mentioned different production batches, or rather the remaining stock that is still in circulation, and the company does not currently have any direct control over these devices. It also admitted that they take the matter very seriously and have launched an internal investigation to find out the exact cause. However, this is not a satisfactory response, especially when customers have been deliberately misled."

Industry insiders said that it is not an isolated case for manufacturers to replace components due to supply chain shortages, but consumers need to be clearly informed. However, Chiwi's behavior of deliberately forging configurations and concealing the truth has greatly harmed brand trust.

At present, the progress of the follow-up investigation of this fraud incident still needs to be further disclosed by Chuwi.