Counterfeit merchandise within the tech market, such because the faux $39 Samsung 990 Professional 4TB SSD, have gotten more and more prevalent — The genuine Samsung 990 Professional SSD is understood for its high-quality efficiency, making it a major goal for knockoff producers searching for to capitalize on its fame.
A Redditor just lately took the plunge, buying one in every of these imitation “990 Professional” SSDs from AliExpress for a mere $39, purely out of curiosity. And what they found was a hanging discrepancy in efficiency, with the faux drive being as much as 7 occasions slower than the real mannequin.
The counterfeit “990 Professional” SSD makes a substantial effort to imitate the looks of the actual Samsung 990 Professional, doubtlessly deceiving much less skilled consumers; Nonetheless, eager observers can simply establish the variations, akin to variations in font and underlining, in addition to the entire absence of the Samsung model on the product’s sticker and packaging.
Counterfeit Samsung 990 Professional SSD (Picture: Reddit)
Furthermore, the alleged producer, Delaihe Electronics Co., “Tltd,” seems to be a fictitious entity. A transparent distinction lies in the truth that Samsung produces the genuine 990 Professional in Korea, whereas the counterfeit hails from China.
A big revelation is the alteration or erasure of the SSD controller mannequin by the counterfeit producer. Nonetheless, they ignored this inconsistency on the rear of the drive’s PCB, which revealed the usage of the Realtek RTS5765DL, a PCIe 3.0 x4 DRAM-less controller. This controller alternative is often favored by scammers and has additionally been linked to different counterfeit SSDs, such because the Samsung 980 Professional 2TB.
The disparity in efficiency between the actual Samsung 990 Professional, powered by the superior Pascal PCIe 4.0 SSD controller, and the imitation “990 Professional” with the subpar RTS5765DL controller is substantial. Moreover, the faux SSD employs an unidentified NAND, probably of low high quality and even recycled, as evidenced by the made-up half numbers.
By way of distinguishing actual from faux, Samsung’s Magician software program presents a dependable answer. Whereas the counterfeit “990 Professional” predictably fails this authenticity check, it surprisingly passes the GRC ValiDrive check, a utility verifying the machine’s capability. This implies the Redditor acquired a 4TB SSD however not the real Samsung 990 Professional, highlighting the extent of the deception available in the market.
The faux drive is as much as 7 occasions slower than the real mannequin. (Picture: Reddit)
Actual-world efficiency exams revealed vital shortcomings within the faux SSD’s capabilities, with speeds dropping precipitously from preliminary readings. The imitation finally ceased to operate solely, underscoring its poor high quality.
Counterfeiting points will not be distinctive to Samsung, however the firm’s stellar fame within the SSD market makes it a frequent goal. As customers more and more flip to on-line marketplaces for his or her purchases, the prevalence of counterfeit {hardware} poses a rising concern.
It’s essential to train warning when procuring on-line, whether or not on platforms like AliExpress or main retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Newegg, as counterfeit merchandise can floor in sudden locations. Staying knowledgeable and vigilant is essential to avoiding such scams within the tech world.
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