Q: Sudden rMBP graphic performance issues

I am on my fourth MBPr.

The first just locked up and I couldn't set up iCloud without it freezing - even after a reinstall - only had it for a day.

The second and third both had the SMC reset problem (the second one also had a lot of dead pixels and made a strange grinding noise and the third one was also about 4-5mm out where the casing lined up with the base).

So far (it's been about two months) the fourth one has not needed SMC resets (although the casing is about 1-2mm out where the casing lines up with the base).

So I can only assume from my personal experience this is not, as I had originally thought, a fault accross the line but is in fact a fault found in a number of machines but not others.  Unless Apple brought out a fix between my exchange of my third and fourth machine.

I can only suggest repeatedly asking for an exchange on machines until you get one that works or Apple realise how much money it's costing them and produce a fix for the machines that are affected.

Apple released the update yesterday that fixes this. Thank you Apple! http://www.macrumors.com/2013/03/14/apple-releases-retina-macbook-pro-smc-update -to-address-gaming-frame-rates-and-fan-issues/

You try to install an see some effect? I'm not, they fixed noting in my case. CPU throttling as before near 80'C

Same for me.  My rMBP was in for repairs for over 3 weeks now.  They tried putting in a couple of different logic boards but this did not fix the issue.  Eventually the new SMC update came and they applied it and told me that it was fixed.  Took it home and found that there was still throttling at about 80 degrees centigrade too!  I took it back and asked for a replacement machine.  I just got a call from the Service Centre telling me that Apple say it is a software issue so they won't replace my machine.  They will give no date when it will be fixed.  This is unacceptable.  If it is a software issue then it should affect all rMBP's.  This is not the case or they would have to stop selling them.  If it affects a few machines only then those machines are faulty and should be replaced.

I expect a refund or a replacement.  It is unacceptable that my incredibly expensive supposedly top of the line machine runs slower than a netbook! 

I am not a happy customer at the moment.  I feel totally let down by Apple. I've always been an evangelist for their products and have always recommended Macs to friends, colleagues, family etc.  I don't feel I can any more.

Did the latest udpates fix the issue in Win7? How about Win8? I wanted to know before I upgrade.

thanks for your help!

rMBP 15"/2.6GHz i7/16GB RAM/nVidia GT 650M/10.8.3/Win7 with Boot Camp 5.0

After the update no issue in windows 7 x64.

In the end, after much difficulty my Mac was replaced by Apple.  The replacement works fine.  It runs, cool, fast, and quiet. My suggestion for folks who are still having issues after the update is to insist your machine is replaced if it is not fixed within 14 days.  I ended-up writing an email to my service centre saying I would escalate to the consumer rights dept in the provincial government and to Apple directly.  They soon got the replacement for me then. 

Mine was in one of the early batches that had issues with heat.  Still not sure what the root cause was as the logic board was replaced twice.

Works fine in Win 8 on my replacement machine now.

Hello everyone,

I still have the same throttling issue  on my Entry level RMBP.

10.8.3 did not fix anything in my case, as throttling occur even without hitting 80°C...

I've tried every possible fix :

- latest nvidia driver

- delete driver, cc cleaner & reinstall driver

- SMC reset

- PRAM reset

- Nvidia inspector GPU core speed locking

- disabling CPU turbo (95% max state in power profiel management)

- lubbo fan control.

- using rMBP in a cool room

In every case, soon or later, throttling occur... without any apparent reason.

In addition, when i reset SMC, GPU speed sometimes lock @ 725mhz instead of 900. I have to reset SMC again ti fix it.

It's totally confusing... I will bring bag my mac to genius bar tomorrow and check with them this issue, hoping for a direct replacment instead of a 3 week repair...

Yeah, you'll need a replacement.  Apple, at least here in Canada were very slow to do this in my case.  The poor service tech ended-up getting sick with heart problems as he spent over 40 hours trying to fix my Mac.  3 different logic boards had the same issue so it must have been something else wrong.  Eventually I got a replacement.  If your Mac isn't fixed after 10.8.3 then you'll probably have the same issue as me.  Strongly insist on a replacement. 

Hi,

Well, i've been to the genius Bar, asking for a replacement. They answered me that they first need to replace the logic board, and to try everything before a direct replacement.

So, they replaced it, as well as the retina screen (hopefully by a samsung)

Problem is still there. It really seems power management-related instead of temperatures... Just like if CPU & GPU was consuming too much power for the small 85W PSU, and then throttling down.

for example in The witcher 2, throttle only occure when FPS are between 20 & 30, never occure at 30-40fps.

it's really, really odd....

LordSloman, has you throttling issue totally disappread with your new rMBP? even with high CPU & GPU load?

Hi Nedeus,

I went through the same process with replacing the logic board too.  My old machine had 3 different logic boards which all had the same issue.  I think that you are correct that the issue is something else other than the logic board.

My new machine is working beautifully.  The temperatures are much lower and although the fan does kick in when I'm really putting the GPU/CPU under load it doesn't seem to throttle like before and frame rate keeps steady without the pulsing effect I experienced with the old machine.

I hope that you can get a replacement sooner than I did.  I had to wait for over 3 weeks until they relented and replaced mine.

Good luck

What is your GPU temperature in Windows 7/8 when running a modern 3D game like Far Cry 3? My temperature is 85-88 degrees Celsius even after changing the thermal paste. The fans spin at 6000 & 5500 rpm. As a result, I have the throttling of CPU. The service center in Finland, said that the overheating wasn't detected. However, many other users of the retina have the GPU temperature in games around 72-75 degrees.

Proof http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUvSZCjOZIQ

I have a MacBook Pro 15 Retina display MC976 (i7 2.6ghz, 512GB SSD, 8GB RAM) which was released in 2012.

Do you think this is normal? Do you have any suggestions what I should do?

@teggo - thanks this fixed my issues as well.

I had a few strange crashes on wake from sleep, then the crashes stopped. But only later did I notice that I didn't have an NVidia card anymore!

System Information would show my integrated graphics, but no NVidia.

Did the SMC reset, and now all is back to normal, and System Information shows both cards.

Glad it worked! I still haven't had the issue since I originally changed drivers, but now with the MacOS update that should no longer be needed.

My logic board actually ended up failed and I had it replaced by AppleCare (glad I got applecare heh!). I'm assuming it died due to over heating, but that is just an assumption, but the laptop does get very hot when playing. I've heard the new MacBooks don't get as hot, but that's just word of mouth.

Did anyone here buy a newer Macbook pro retina? And if so are they having the same issues, or are these issues all from the old Macbook pros? Mine was produced in July 2012, so interested in hearing from people with Mac's produced end of last year, still having the same issues.