CHUWI finally admits wrongdoing in Ryzen CPU mislabeling scandal, offers refunds

Earlier this week, Chinese manufacturer CHUWI was found to be involved in a mislabeling scandal that involved its CoreBook X and CoreBook Plus laptops. The company advertised these laptops as having the AMD Ryzen 5 7430U CPU, but in reality, they used the older Ryzen 5 5500U CPU.

After Notebookcheck caught CHUWI in the act, CHUWI's Hong Kong distributor, Hornington, issued a product recall and began issuing refunds. AMD also denied any involvement in the scandal and threatened legal action, while CHUWI remained silent until March 23rd.

Now, CHUWI has issued an official statement regarding the matter.

"Due to a production error, a limited number of CoreBook X and CoreBook Plus units were assembled with incorrect processors. If you have received a device that does not match the specifications you ordered, please return it for a full refund. You may initiate the return through your original purchase channel or contact our official support team at service@chuwi.com for assistance.

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. We are committed to resolving this matter promptly and ensuring that your rights are fully protected."

This statement is quite diplomatic and attributes the mismatched CPUs to a "production error." However, it is important to note that the affected laptops were configured to display incorrect CPU information in Windows, in software such as CPU-Z, and even in the BIOS.

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CHUWI has acknowledged the wrongdoing and started offering full refunds, so that's at least a positive, right? Well, it seems like it until you read the fine print. Their official return guidelines for the laptops are as follows:

"Return Guidelines:

- Please ensure the device is in original condition with all accessories included

- Valid period: From now until May 31, 2026"

So not only do you have a limited time frame to return the laptop, but it must be in its original condition with all accessories included. How would you expect an unsuspecting customer to keep the laptop in its original condition, with all accessories? CHUWI is really not painting itself in the best light, regardless of the apology.

Moreover, it should be remembered that the CHUWI UBox mini PC was also affected by this practice, but it is not eligible for a refund. CHUWI's apology seems more like damage control than an actual attempt to right its wrongs and regain its customers' trust.