So what's all this about the R4 clones having problems? It seems that there are far more cases of bricking, of dying, etc with fake R4s than any other cart on the market, enough to catch the attention of lots of people, enough to have retailers put up a warning. I think that says it all.
There is a high chance that you may get lucky and your cart will be fine for the rest of your life. But to save the $5, is it really worth the risk? It's like someone paying you $5 to run across traffic, chances are you won't die, or even get injured, by why risk it... Some things are worth more than money.... Or in this case, the possibility of DS bricking > $5.