Q: 2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card

I don't think we should be taking our frustrations out on the Apple staff (Genius's) over this issue/design flaw!

Yes it's rubbish that people are being told to cutback on using demanding software on their top of the range laptops, but these staff are only doing what their managment tell them to do (As directed by Apple corporate).

As previously said, I'm sure there are more genius's on this forum, and if you really want to ensure Apple get the message about how they are treating their loyal customers, then vote with your feet, cash and recommendations to less computer literate friends.

I'm sure Apple will eventually realise their mistake while going over the sales figures in a year or so's time in the boardroom, and yes sadly for all us 2011 MBP owners it will be too late. (As it will be for Apple). So try to take some consolation from that, and don't waste your time having a dig at the Apple frontline staff.

Evil8Beezle wrote:

 

So what are they going to do when they run out of flawed second hand logic boards?

They will never run out of refurbished logic boards, it seems that they'll just pass it from one customer to another. (who will know?) Simple as that. Rain of Cash Apple, rain of cash! Brilliant!

Jhay-ar wrote:

 

Evil8Beezle wrote:

 

So what are they going to do when they run out of flawed second hand logic boards?

 

They will never run out of refurbished logic boards, it seems that they'll just pass it from one customer to another. (who will know?) Simple as that. Rain of Cash Apple, rain of cash! Brilliant!

Hi Jhay-ar,

Yep, I pretty much said that in a later post. Which also questioned whether these boards were even refurbished (as they seem to be failing pretty much straight away).

Apple may be raining in the cash at present over this design flaw, but let's see how their laptop sales fair in the future because of this design flaw.

It can take a lifetime to build a retutation, but only a second to destroy it.....

To keep this thread ON topic for new users (and saving them from reading all 397 pages), here are your options regarding your flawed MacBook Pro's screwed graphics.

1, Take to Apple and have the Logic Board replaced, again, and again, and again... Cost is about $350 in USA, more everywhere else in the world. Warranty is 3 months, but the board probably won't last that long.

2, Do nothing (other than disable AMD graphics) and prey Apple do a recall - Which isn't looking likely!

3, Do a DIY reflow on the AMD chip (Not recommended) See Youtube for how...

4, Get the AMD chip REBALLED - Cost about $200 (Place in UK does it for about £170 and say they fit a new chip) - Warranty varies from 3 to 12 month depending on company

5, Bin the pile of flawed junk, buy a Windows laptop and never touch an Apple product again!

Think that pretty much sums up what "Apple support" are saying (Or not!)

Note: Reflowing or Reballing are likely to invalidate your right to a replacement if Apple do a recall!

<Edited By Host>

Additional Note: For users with Mac software licences: It appears that companies like Adobe are happy to transfer your licences from MAC to PC without any hassle. (Information comes from users earlier in this thread)

1, Take to Apple and have the Logic Board replaced, again, and again, and again... Cost is about $350 in USA, more everywhere else in the world. Warranty is 3 months, but the board probably won't last that long.

 

Just note - I've only paid for one of mine, and Apple has covered two. So it's not really rain of cash - they're taking the expense for me. And it's all out of warranty, so they're being really nice about it.

nudoru wrote:

 

1, Take to Apple and have the Logic Board replaced, again, and again, and again... Cost is about $350 in USA, more everywhere else in the world. Warranty is 3 months, but the board probably won't last that long.

 

Just note - I've only paid for one of mine, and Apple has covered two. So it's not really rain of cash - they're taking the expense for me. And it's all out of warranty, so they're being really nice about it.

If your happy to shell out hundreds of pounds to replace a flawed component with another flawed component, then good for you!

Yes you may have ONLY had to pay for the first, but these replacements simply don't last. But again if your happy to spend your time going back and forth to the Apple shop every few months, then good for you!

I'm not sure how much you paid for your first flawed replacement, but here in the UK we are talking serious money. And I'm not going to spend that cash on a flawed design, no matter how nice the Apple staff are being.

It is simply throwing good money after bad...

The only logical option is to spend your cash on a REAL solution, or buy something new that isn't flawed.

Off topic here -

Again I can't and won't argue with you - you have great points. BUT if you're going to summarize 397 pages you need to do it without quite as much spite. Not everyone here has had a horrible experience. Yes it's ridiculous, yes it's a time sink and a waste but pockets of Apple employees are doing the right thing by users.

nudoru wrote:

 

Off topic here -

 

Again I can't and won't argue with you - you have great points. BUT if you're going to summarize 397 pages you need to do it without quite as much spite. Not everyone here has had a horrible experience. Yes it's ridiculous, yes it's a time sink and a waste but pockets of Apple employees are doing the right thing by users.

There is no spite in my comments, or anything about bad expereinces with Apple staff, just cold hard facts! - If you look at my posts, you will see that I ACTUALLY stand up for the front line Apple staff. It is corporate that make the decisions and policy on these issues, and they are clearly trying to ignore the issue and won't even comment on the matter. How is that nice?

You're obviously a die hard Mac fan who is happy to be pacified by pointless replacements of your Logic Board. And you need to realise that the reason they are being nice, is because they want something from you: They want you to be happy about being pacified!

Don't let me stop you from wasting your time and money with a company that shows no loyalty to it's customers who pay a premium price for their products, you go right ahead!

You might have the money to burn, but here are plenty of people who don't have that sort of cash and payed the premium price for a top of the line laptop as an investment that should have lasted!

Evil8Beezle wrote:

 

nudoru wrote:

 

Off topic here -

 

Again I can't and won't argue with you - you have great points. BUT if you're going to summarize 397 pages you need to do it without quite as much spite. Not everyone here has had a horrible experience. Yes it's ridiculous, yes it's a time sink and a waste but pockets of Apple employees are doing the right thing by users.

 

There is no spite in my comments, or anything about bad expereinces with Apple staff, just cold hard facts! - If you look at my posts, you will see that I ACTUALLY stand up for the front line Apple staff. It is corporate that make the decisions and policy on these issues, and they are clearly trying to ignore the issue and won't even comment on the matter. How is that nice?

 

You're obviously a die hard Mac fan who is happy to be pacified by pointless replacements of your Logic Board. And you need to realise that the reason they are being nice, is because they want something from you: They want you to be happy about being pacified!

 

Don't let me stop you from wasting your time and money with a company that shows no loyalty to it's customers who pay a premium price for their products, you go right ahead!

 

You might have the money to burn, but here are plenty of people who don't have that sort of cash and payed the premium price for a top of the line laptop as an investment that should have lasted!

Evil8Beezle

while I mainly agree with you, I think it's unfair to insult people going the "Apple way" for handling this situation, even with s.

no doubt, it's way too expensive to have a logic board replacement that will fail much sooner than later but that could be a good deal to get a whole new computer after a third replacement failure, for a lot of people not minding the new configuration specs.

and keep in mind that if, by miracle, a recall was to happen, Apple would refund clients who paid and are still struggling with their 2011 mbp.

so depending on many factors like how much money you have and willing to spend, if you have a serious reballing service nearby, how much you need it back fully working either for work or not, whether you have another computer that you can use while waiting for a solid solution offered by Apple, a REAL solution a pretty relative.

everyone here is already mad having paid so much for a faulty device and highly disapointed with the way Apple is handling this problem but while making a recap to all the different options people may have, like you did, is great for new comers, please don't judge their choices and spend many posts trying to make your point or whatever...

this thread is 397 pages long and already sparsed with too many useless, unproductive little fights like this that is not helping anyone.

I wish you guys could stay on topic. The fact is that Apple defectively soldered the GPU into all 2011 machines with a discrete GPU. The fact is that the only sure solution to this problem is reballing. The fact is that Apple has not, nor will they, acknowledge the defect.

End of story.

I always advise reballing. Much cheaper - and a genuine 'fix' - than paying for a new logic board even once.

Stick to the subject, guys. Help those who've been 'bitten' by this 'bug.'

Clinton

Eh? I'm not insulting anyone!

I've not called anyone any names for shelling out for a replacment board. I've only pointed out that it is a pointless futile procedure that wont last given the MAJORITY of comments on this forum.

As for getting a replacement machine after a 3rd failure. Are Apple saying this will be the case? No they are not, they are not saying anything!

IF you read through the pages of this thread, SOME people are being offered new low spec machines as replacments to their defective MBP's but there is nothing wirtten in stone that this will happen, and there is wide variation in experiences of how Apple are handling this. It would be irresponsible of me to say this is an option for sufferers, and why I haven't mentioned it in my list of 5 possible options.

Good luck to people who CHOOSE to have a new hardware defective Logic Board fitted, and if they EVENTUALLY get a new low spec machine offered to them, then good on them!

Pointing out that having a defective RECONDITIONED Logic Board fitted is probably futile, is not insulting to anyone. It's just fact!

Finally, as for poinless little fights - What was your post about again? As my post about possible options was just that. THE OPTIONS!   

clintonfrombirmingham wrote:

 

I wish you guys could stay on topic. The fact is that Apple defectively soldered the GPU into all 2011 machines with a discrete GPU. The fact is that the only sure solution to this problem is reballing. The fact is that Apple has not, nor will they, acknowledge the defect.

 

End of story.

 

I always advise reballing. Much cheaper - and a genuine 'fix' - than paying for a new logic board even once.

 

Stick to the subject, guys. Help those who've been 'bitten' by this 'bug.'

 

Clinton

I agree with you, a reball is probably the best option if you want to keep your MBP, and having the Logic Board replaced is ultimatly futile.

(My post was on topic, and gave the options) the posts that followed are the ones off topic...

clintonfrombirmingham

How did you get on with Reballing your graphics chip? - How long has it lasted? How much did it cost and how long was the warranty on it?

(I might be wrong, but I thought I read that you had switched to Windows machine)

Evil8Beezle,

I've not had to have a reball just yet - I'm still under warranty and DID have a logic board replaced and that's lasted six months so far. When I'm out of warranty (April 2015) then I'll just go ahead and reball the machine. But it's worked for others - and it's the only thing that I know to be a genuine fix.

I have a Sager now, which I'm slowly migrating over to -> I think that I'll be a dual-use household (as I've always been, really) in the foreseeable future. My Sager has Thunderbolt and I'm using one of my LaCie 2big Thunderbolt drives on it, as well as connecting my Apple Thunderbolt Display from time to time. I stayed with Windows Pro 7 when I purchased the machine - just purchased it with two mSATA SSDs because I've two standard 2.5 storage bays remaining for the time when I eventually give up on Mac altogether: after being on Macs for 27 years...

I've seen numerous reports of users having their machines reballed, however, and I'll stick to advising that until I hear of something better.

Clinton