A strange GPU mix-up is making the rounds after two separate Reddit users reported receiving graphics cards with the “wrong” branding on the cooler shroud, even though the actual hardware inside appears to be correct.
In the most recent case, Reddit user u/atta4821 said he purchased a GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 5060 Ti from Canada Computers and immediately noticed something didn’t look right after opening the box. The backplate clearly identifies the card as “GIGABYTE / GeForce RTX,” but the side of the cooler shroud displays “RADEON” branding instead. According to the user, the card is genuinely an RTX 5060 Ti in every functional way—specs, behavior, and identification all check out—yet one exterior piece doesn’t match the NVIDIA model it’s attached to.
Even store staff reportedly hadn’t seen anything like it before, adding to the oddity. The buyer also pointed out that this likely isn’t a simple printing error. Instead, it appears to be a parts mix-up during assembly. Because GIGABYTE often uses the same chassis and cooler design across both GeForce and Radeon variants, some physical components are interchangeable. That makes it entirely possible for a “Radeon” side piece to end up on a GeForce build if the wrong part is pulled on the factory line.
What makes this more believable is that a similar incident was reported months earlier. Another Reddit user, u/Kermus-, said he ordered a GIGABYTE Radeon RX 9060 XT but found “GeForce” branding on the cooler shroud. Despite the confusing exterior, the sticker on the card indicated “9060 XT,” and the GPU reportedly functioned normally. The user noted the package arrived sealed with no obvious signs of tampering, pointing again to an assembly-stage mistake rather than something that happened during shipping or at retail.
The key takeaway from both reports is that the GPUs themselves appear legitimate and are performing as expected. The issue seems limited to mismatched cooler shroud branding—essentially a cosmetic factory error created by shared parts across NVIDIA and AMD product lines.
For buyers, it’s a good reminder to verify a new graphics card using system tools (such as checking the GPU model in software and confirming performance) rather than relying only on what’s printed on the shroud. If the branding doesn’t match what you purchased but the hardware IDs correctly, you may be looking at a rare manufacturing mix-up rather than a counterfeit or incorrect GPU.
