Serious Studio Display Flickering

Question

Level 1

96 points

Serious Studio Display Flickering

My 2021 tilt-and-height-adjustable-stand Studio Display, purchased new in November, 2022, developed a serious intermittent screen flicker problem in the summer of 2023. It is connected to a 16" MacBook Pro M1 Max via the supplied Apple Thunderbolt Cable (and I bought and tried a second Apple Thunderbolt Cable with no effect). I have tried to eliminate all possible local sources—turned off appliances (including unplugging the refrigerator!), turned off all lighting, disconnected external drives (two mechanical, two SSD), added an UPS, connected the display to a 15" Intel MacBook Pro—all with no effect. The MacBook Pro M1 Max display has no problems, nor do any of the six other Macs in the house have display problems.

Because the problem is intermittent, an Apple-authorized sales and maintenance store (MacMedics, one of the best) was unable to reproduce the problem, though they agreed that the linked video shows there is definitely a problem.

Please have a look at this brief iPhone video of the display on Vimeo. Suggestions most welcome!

MacBook Pro (2021)

Posted on Jan 7, 2024 1:59 PM

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Answer 1

hcsitas

Level 6

13,964 points

Jan 7, 2024 9:17 PM in response to David Illig

Was it purchased from Apple directly? Did you include AppleCare+ during purchase? Is it still available as an option? If yes to any, try scheduling Apple in-store repair, they might be more sympathetic.

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Answer 2

Mar 7, 2024 9:25 PM in response to David Illig

OK, there is a simple explanation for this and there is a solution. Curiously it is not specifically the hardware at fault, it's just how the hardware and MacOs deal with the issue. Before I answer though,Anyway, here it is.

The reason one or more of your screens are flickering is because your Mac is struggling for memory. The biggest resource gobbler of your GPU and RAM are web browsers. If you have lots of tabs open, especially if they have resource hungry websites loaded, then something has to give. Your MacOS and the Mac itself has save memory from somewhere and your monitor(s) are a last resort.

Furthermore, if you have lots of files on your desktop, this will also contribute to the problem.

So you can put the soldering iron away, just clean your tabs and desktop up, then wait a few minutes for the magic to happen.

[Edited by Moderator]

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Answer 3

David Illig Author

Level 1

96 points

Jan 8, 2024 3:30 AM in response to hcsitas

It was purchased from MacMedics, an authorized Apple reseller and repair facility with far more experience than any Apple Store. It is under Apple Care. I will visit the Apple Store, my last resort, this week, but first with the video only, to hear their suggestion(s).

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Answer 4

David Illig Author

Level 1

96 points

Jan 8, 2024 4:58 AM in response to hcsitas

You are mistaken about MacMedics; you have no idea what you’re talking about. “MacMedics also has two Apple-only retail stores in Maryland, located in Severna Park and Lanham. As an Authorized Apple Reseller, we offer everything (except iPhone) at the same price as the Apple Store.”

I have been dealing with them for years with complete satisfaction. The issue is the intermittent nature of the flickering. They were unable to fix a problem that they couldn’t see. If this is a lemon, it’s Apple’s lemon, as Apple delivered it.

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Answer 5

David Illig Author

Level 1

96 points

Jan 8, 2024 5:21 AM in response to hcsitas

BTW, I didn’t start this thread to argue about MacMedics. I wanted to know if anyone else here had seen this flickering problem and might know whence it arises. I take it that you have not experienced this.

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Answer 6

David Illig Author

Level 1

96 points

Mar 7, 2024 9:25 PM in response to Troy The Man

Thanks for your cogent response. I don't doubt your expertise in the least, but your description does not seem to exactly fit my case. Firstly, I do not keep Safari open when I am not using it. The screen video depicts Lightroom Classic open, and nothing else. I also don't keep a cluttered desktop; it currently shows just two .rtf files occupying about 600 bytes. I file my desktop documents promptly, or trash them, as appropriate. Why would the problem affect this Mac, with its 64GB of RAM and none of the five other Macs in use the house, including an Intel MBP with only 16GB of RAM that also runs Lightroom and Photoshop? It has been several weeks since the flickering problem manifested itself. I am saving your response to see what is going on if it should happen again.

Thank you again for your time and your cogency.

[Edited by Moderator]

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