The scandal over the Ryzen replacement has intensified: a problem was discovered in Ninkear laptops, most likely related to the OEM manufacturer.

Scandal over processor swapping in Chuwi and Ninkear laptops

*Brief overview of the situation:*

In early recent years it was discovered that CoreBook X and CoreBook Plus laptops from Chuwi had replaced the advertised Ryzen 5 7430U with an older Ryzen 5 5500U model. The investigation has now also expanded to Ninkear A15 Pro models.

What experts found
Source: What ComputerBase noticed
Substitution in Ninkear A15 Pro – the same processor is used as in Chuwi.
Notebookcheck All devices use the same motherboard; a third‑party manufacturer (ODM) may be involved.

Explanation:

- In Chuwi CoreBook Plus laptops and at least one sample of Ninkear A15 Pro, the same printed circuit board was used.

- The board in CoreBook X belongs to Emdoor Digital, indicating possible involvement of an ODM supplier.

Chuwi’s responsibility
VideoCardz emphasizes:

- Even if the mistake arose from a supplier, Chuwi sold the devices under its own brand and advertised Ryzen 5 7430U in descriptions, on packaging, and even in the BIOS.

- Because the discrepancy was not noticed immediately, the company should have identified the difference between Zen‑3 (Ryzen 5 7430U) and Zen‑2 (Ryzen 5 5500U).

Distributor’s actions
Hong Kong distributor Hornington has already announced a recall of laptops with the discovered swap.

- Targeted CoreBook X 7430U, CoreBook Plus 7430U, and UBOX 7430U.

- Offered full refunds.

Verification tool
- CPU‑Z 2.19 (updated version) now correctly identifies counterfeit Ryzen 5 7430Us as Ryzen 5 5500Us, making verification easier without disassembling the laptop.

- The older version of the program did not detect the swap.

What remains unknown
VideoCardz poses a key question:

- How many devices entered the market through one production chain?

- Is the problem limited to a few batches or has it affected multiple OEM brands?

This situation underscores the importance of manufacturer and distributor oversight, as well as the need for transparency in the supply chain.