By Bao Lam  March 7, 2026 | 06:15 pm PT
Chinese budget laptop maker Chuwi has been accused of misleading customers by installing lower-end processors in some laptops while promoting them as more powerful chips.
The problem came to light after tech outlet Notebookcheck tested the Chuwi CoreBook X, following complaints from Reddit users about weaker-than-expected performance.
Chuwi’s promotional materials said the laptop was powered by an AMD Ryzen 5 7430U, and both the system interface and common diagnostic tools appeared to confirm that. But benchmark results suggested the machine was not performing at the level expected for that processor.
A Windows laptop. Illustration photo from Pexels
After opening the laptop, Notebookcheck found that it actually contained an AMD Ryzen 5 5500U, a chip that is roughly 7% slower than the Ryzen 5 7430U. In the CoreBook X, the performance gap reportedly reached about 10%, partly because the device used single-channel memory, which further limited speed.
According to tech site Tom’s Hardware, Chuwi did not directly confirm or deny the allegations. Instead, the company pointed to differences between production batches and said leftover inventory outside its control might have played a role. It added that it was treating the matter seriously and had started an internal investigation.
Chuwi has since renamed the product from “CoreBook X 7430U” to “CoreBook X Ryzen 5,” although the product page still reportedly lists specifications for the Ryzen 5 7430U.
Tom’s Hardware noted that manufacturers sometimes replace original components because of supply shortages, a practice that occurs relatively often with parts such as SSDs. However, the site said companies should inform customers of such changes, warning that deliberately misleading buyers could harm a brand’s reputation and raise doubts about its other products.