How can you trust you’re getting the real deal when you buy a computer component so sophisticated, few of us could even tell a fake from an authentic part? Tom’s Hardware sent ripples through the tech world when it relayed a story by the Japanese publication Akiba PC Hotline! that detailed how a sophisticated-looking counterfeit Samsung Pro 990 internal solid-state drive (SSD) was able to fool its PC benchmark tests. Visually, it was a dead ringer for the authentic item, even if it was packed with chintzy components under the hood, which would translate to horrendous performance in real-world use and a much shorter lifespan.

SSDs are a perfect vehicle for counterfeiting. Unlike most desktop PC components, the actual electronics are hidden within a chassis that you won’t likely open up before installation. And opening it up to take a peek isn’t something I’d recommend the average PC owner try, even if you have a fair amount of technical know-how.

Like a lot of premium SSDs, the Samsung 990 Pro—the real one—uses TLC NAND flash memory. The counterfeit used a low quality version, QLC NAND. Technically, either one will run well enough when taxed in short, heavy bursts, which explains why the fake SSD worked well in benchmarking. But that performance will not be the same for every task, or may not even be replicable in benchmarks down the line.

Fake SSDs also typically lack onboard memory (DRAM), which reduces transfer speeds and random I/O. Problems with random I/O, a way of accessing data from a variety of different locations on a drive, will create issues with launching apps, navigating through files and folders, and running multiple programs at the same time.

The counterfeit Samsung Pro 990 that Akiba PC Hotline! tested only fooled the benchmark testing for a short time by running mostly in SLC cache mode. That made it able to handle short sprints of work for brief amounts of time before the cache filled up. Once it did, the fake drive’s write speed dropped dramatically, revealing that it is a fraud, rather than a mere copycat.

Finally, substandard components make the drives less reliable and more prone to partial or total data loss. The cheaper QLC NAND used in the counterfeit has an average lifespan of 1,000 write cycles, versus the 3,000 of Samsung’s 990 Pro. Even if you didn’t notice that your computer wasn’t running right, the drive would die sooner rather than later, corrupting your data and forcing you to buy a replacement. (This, among other things, is why I am so bullish on backing up everything.)

How to Spot a Fake

The easiest way to avoid buying fake components is simply being disciplined as a shopper. Buy your PC parts from officially licensed specialty stores, like Newegg and Micro Center, or major retailers like Amazon and Walmart. If you’re buying from a major retailer, though, make sure that you’re buying directly from that company or a brand. There are tons of third-party resellers on Amazon and Walmart: Some are perfectly fine, but there are definitely counterfeiters out there as well.

When you buy a new drive, take a close look at the chassis, before installing it, too. Specifically, pay close attention to any words that appear on the back or bottom of the drive. These increasingly sophisticated fake drives nail the overall look fairly well, but you may be able to catch discrepancies in the little details.

I’m loath to suggest artificial intelligence as a panacea, but you could take a few photos of your new drive from a few angles, upload it to an A.I. such as Claude or Perplexity, and ask it if the drive is legitimate or fake. A.I. excels in these sorts of tasks. It’ll compare the details on your drive to those of the many photographs of authentic drives online to search for mismatches.

Just remember that if a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is. Especially in the current market, where components are in high demand, legitimate retailers have no reason to slash prices. For now, at least, I would treat a bargain as a red flag.