It appears that the GPU might have been sent to one of those Chinese Labs, where they rip the GPU and VRAM chips from the RTX 5090s.
Redditor Orders RTX 5090 From Amazon but Finds No Tamper Seal; Further Investigation Revealed Ripped GPU Chip and VRAM From the PCB
Update [8/11/25] - The report had some critical mistakes, which were pointed out and have been rectified. As such, amendments to the post have been made below:
First of all, the price at which the GPU was obtained seems to be quite off compared to RTX 5090 prices. These cards, such as the Ventus model, retail close to 2200 Euros but the image provided by the user shows that he managed to snag it for under 1900 Euros. Furthermore, there are other inconsistencies in the pictures provided by the user which show that the thermal pad is seated over the VRMs in one image but removed in the other. So it could be likely that the product might've been purchased from a 3rd party or unknown channel, or it could simply be a used graphics card to begin with, and not a new one as the user seems to point.
[Original Post] Once again, we are witnessing the supply of Fake GeForce RTX 5090 GPUs. It shouldn't be surprising since we have seen and reported such fraud multiple times, but this one looks somewhat familiar with what we reported recently. The GeForce RTX 5090 has a huge demand, particularly for AI in Chinese markets. Due to an official ban in the country, the only way the GPU gets there is by smuggling.
This Redditor claims to be a victim of such fraud, as his GPU doesn't seem to have any components, which are usually ripped from the PCB in China. Reddit user u/Nice-Screen-4193 says that he bought a brand new GPU from Amazon FR, "sold and shipped by Amazon", not just by any third-party seller. However, he became skeptical when he saw no tamper seal on one of the screws at the back. This means the GPU was opened before.
The user still tried to give it a go before investigating further and reported a non-operational state of the GPU. He also states that the PCIe gold finger was looking dull and used. Using a flashlight, he was able to peek underneath the heatsink to find no memory chips under the thermal pads. So, after the disassembly, it was confirmed that not only was it missing the memory chips, but the entire GPU substrate was gone as well. What remained were just the soldering points on the PCB.
This is a classic fraud, which could be linked to the Chinese labs where thousands of RTX 5090 go under transformation. They remove the GPU die and the VRAM chips to solder on another custom PCB for deployment in the AI servers. It appears that the empty GPU was sent back in the supply chain cleverly, and ended up with the Reddit user. So, apparently, not even the GPUs, which are sold and shipped by Amazon, are safe from such fraud, but it also shows how common it is.
The GeForce RTX 5090 reportedly doesn't have any problems in being smuggled to China, and while it's one thing to see RTX 5090 being converted into AI GPUs, it's even a more serious problem to see fake RTX 5090s getting back into the supply chain.
News Source: Reddit
About the author: Sarfraz Khan is a hardware reporter with a focus on PC components and the builder community. With years of experience writing about PC hardware and laptops, his work has been featured on several reputable technology publications. Sarfraz's hands-on experience is demonstrated through his first-person accounts of using and comparing different hardware configurations, providing practical and relatable insights for everyday users. His technical analysis is respected by peers in the enthusiast community and has been cited by specialized hardware sites such as Germany's Igor's Lab.
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