2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card

Not wanting to take it apart is unfortunate. I received 4 dead 2011 MacBook Pros from a business that wouldn't boot due to them going to a grey screen. 15 minutes taking them apart, $7 for a tube of thermal paste, $10 for a set of screwdrivers meant for fixing small electronics (mostly a T6 torx and tiny phillips)... and 5 minutes each with a Heat gun over the GPU (that was fun)... and they all work fine. Now, I've of course reloaded Sierra and installed the latest version of GfxCardStatus so as soon as they boot, i can set them to run off the Integrated graphics... but they are now totally usable unless you want to use the thunderbolt port for an external display. That forces uses of the AMD chip which i'm trying to avoid getting hot... so no Thunderbolt for me. The AMD chip works again... but is on borrowed time. If it doesn't get hot (due to not using it), it could last a very long time.

The AMD card in the Early 2011 and Late 2011, have a manufacturing defect in the chip. You can buy another MLB but it will eventually fail. You will find a lot of people saying reflowing the chip will fix the problem but this is only a temporary fix, the issue has nothing to do with the solder joints of the GPU. It is a problem inside the actual chip. Louis Rossman does a very good job explaining it in this youtube video- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AcEt073Uds . So if your thinking about having a repair done for $300, I would consider just putting that towards a new Mac.

I'll agree with this and i've seen most of Louis Rossman's videos (never done board level repair, but i find it interesting and he's awesome), however if you're just using your MacBook for basic things that are not GPU intense like Facebook, internet browsing, and office documents... fixing your macbook by using a heat gun and a cheap set of screwdrivers is worth it. Just fix it... use good thermal paste and run that GfxCardStatus program to try and eliminate use of the Discrete GPU (AMD). And obviously try not to overheat your MacBook by blocking the ventilation (setting it in the center of a blanket, etc... to cook that chip anymore). can probably get a lot more use out of it.

However, if your'e using it for video editing, etc... where the GPU is being used all the time... yeah, time for a new MacBook. It's going to fail again. Heat on the GPU is the fix... and also the enemy. BTW, Paying someone AT ALL to fix a 2011 MacBook Pro at this point is a complete waste of money. 'Fixing' (notice the air quotes) it yourself can be worth it if you know someone with a heat gun so you don't go buy one just for this haha.

What ended up happening? Is your 17 ok? it's the only reasonable size. I'm on my 4th 2011 17....things of beauty there were and are...this is my first wsod/white/striped screen. i can't believe i missed the free replacements. sigh.

Hello guys! As you know my mac mini MC816 have radeon HD 6630m, and one week ago computrer can not start MAC OS and have vertical lines... I want replace old chip, but I don't know can I install chip 6750? I think this chips are same (they have same number of package 216-080005) and how system understanf it depends on EFI. It is right? Because on market I find only 6750m chip. Thank you!

Amylu11, I still have Snow Leopard on my 2011 MBP 17" and just ordered 4 replacement fans for it (2 left, 2 right). I love the form factor, the ABILITY TO UPGRADE THE RAM, the SCREEN SIZE and most everything about that Mac.

It's an utter tragedy that Apple stopped making them, I would have paid more for a new one even if getting a 17" screen was a BTO option.

While I work on the new Macs during the day, the 2011 17" with the non annoying 10.6.8 UI is vastly preferred.

Blsswnd, Yeah. I'm an iOS developer. SADLY, my 4 other Macs in this room are all on El Cap or Sierra because that's what it has to be.

The first thing I do when setting up a new Mac is to run my script to turn off all the useless and distracting animation I can. The Mac OS has become a bouncy animated distraction factory with meaningless flat graphics against glaring white and that utterly battery powered horrid neon pastel blue.

The worst thing is that Apple has made it that you can't turn most of this distracting garbage off, and the ones you can, you have to turn off through Accessibility.

I mean SERIOUSLY, who thought that scrolling down and scrolling up the contents of a folder when you click on the disclosure triangle is a good idea? And preventing us from turning it off if we wanted a faster UI? Seriously, I do NOT WANT items on my 32 inch display swooping, sliding, popping, jumping, bouncing, looking like bad copies of '90's VH-1 Pop-Up Video.

This. Does. Not. Help. The. User. Get. Stuff. Done. It DISTRACTS THEM.

Someone needs to smack some sense into Ive and whomever tool he hired to be the VP of UI design.

Back from my last posts from 2014-2015. Fast forward 3 years. After Apple fixing the logic board in 2015, the MBP is dead again.

Brought it to the Apple Store, no parts no repair. "You may want to see if you can trade it in at some third party to get some value out of it.", said the Genius. Disappointed. The replacement program just replaced a failed design with another. "Vintage" they say. When a replaced logic board last 2 careful years...and 1 month of intense use with a 1440p external monitor. *I know* 🙂

I noticed it was hard to get to the last page of this thread...

I have the exact same issue with my macbook pro late 2011 - logic board replaced in 2015 under the special warranty, but only lasted 2 years. Now I try to use gfxcardstatus to avoid using the AMD Radeon 6750M graphics card [i.e.only the integrated GPU] - it works some of the time, but I still have to reboot many times and try internet restore to get the macbook to boot normally. Apple should be ashamed for this, as from what i read, the replacement logic boards fitted under the special warranty were are apparently the exact same logic board, so the problem would inevitably return - seems many people only had a few months with the replacement logic board - i managed 2 years but still crazy that Apple store tells you it's "vintage" and not repairable, a $2000+ machine to replace.

Exactly the same thing that happened to me!! When I called Apple support I was told that my computer is vintage and that they will call around to see if they can find stores that carry the part to fix it, knowing FULL WELL that no such fix exists!!! They then transferred me to customer relations and told me they will offer me a discount of $400 to replace my MacBook Pro 15" As if that is anywhere near close to just for customers who have put over $3000 into a computer that is bound to FAIL! I am at a complete loss right now! I will NEVER EVER buy another Mac seeing as when they knowingly have a serious malfunction, the solution is to offer a quick fix to get out from under the warranty then tell customers "they are out of luck" Did I mention they offered me a pair of free headphones as well??? A problem of this magnitude should call for a complete recall and at the very least a 50% discount on a new Mac. You don't tell people "we can offer you some headphones and a $400 dollar credit on brand new mac's"

I guess you are failing to understand. The Lemon I bought in 2011 had a new logic board put in in 2015, it has now experienced the exact same problem now. Am I to believe a brand new and improved logic board is only expected to last me under 2yrs? This is the quality Apple is selling its customers? The solution is telling me my computer isn't new so you're out of luck is both arrogant and ignorant at the same time, especially when its a known issue that has not been properly fixed!

How old is the supposed new logic board which is the malfunctioning component? Has this component ever been properly fixed? NO so please stop with the condescending rhetoric you aren't helping anyone here with your arrogant "holier than thou" comments.

Teddy they don't get it. I was gonna write about how I have a few Macs still fully functional, including a MacPlus 1 mb Ram., a first gen MacMini etc. only to say that the quality of Apple products warranted the high price, but not today...I am totally disappointed.

Thank you for putting these guys in their place...

teddy Brukshut wrote:

When I called Apple support I was told that my computer is vintage and that they will call around to see if they can find stores that carry the part to fix it, knowing FULL WELL that no such fix exists!!!

Apple's notion of 'vintage' is their emergency exit to wriggle out of a multitude of design issues. I spent EUR 700 on a logic board which was a) not new and b) didn't even last one and a half year. Apple refused my consumer claim because they had just decided to declare my original MacBook Pro vintage, and they were soooo sorry there was nothing they could do for me.

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I stIll have a fully functioning MacBook from 2006! It is the all black MacBook which is a tank. Apple stopped caring about its customers and the quality of their product since then. Now what you get are people like Csound attempting to explain away known manufacturing malfunctions by calling your unit "vintage". You go into a store and talk to the so called 'genius' and not only do they know less than you, but they carry so much attitude and arrogance it creates such a negative atmosphere. This is the depths that Apple have plummeted to, horrific customer service, malfunctioning products with no solutions and arrogance that is met with the same amount of ignorance... all for the low price of $3000+ Thanks Apple you'll be seeing me again soon!