Q: 2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card

Hi D3us, do you have any indication that Apple actually reduced the GPU performance by means of a firmware update? If so, there is no point to perform a stress test. What's your opinion on this?

"Submarines apparently are subjected to vibrations and shock."

As are cars, planes, backpacks, and dropped electronics, apparently.

"Its amazing what happens to electronic devices when put on a shake table or attached to platform and then have huge pendulum hammer strike the platform."

It is amazing.  All consumer, military, and commercial electronic product vendors utilize either/or HALT and HASS chambers which product both temperature and vibration stresses.

I was able to get a refund for a reball done by a guy in Rancho Cucomunga, CA.  Note however, Apple wouldn't pay for my shipping costs to get the computer to the repair shop.  Overall the process wasn't too bad - provide receipts for reball, etc, but I feel a bit put out on the $50 to ship the laptop to repair their problem...

carl wolf wrote:

 

"Submarines apparently are subjected to vibrations and shock."

As are cars, planes, backpacks, and dropped electronics, apparently.

"Its amazing what happens to electronic devices when put on a shake table or attached to platform and then have huge pendulum hammer strike the platform."

It is amazing.  All consumer, military, and commercial electronic product vendors utilize either/or HALT and HASS chambers which product both temperature and vibration stresses.

It would be interesting to see what would happen if 2011 MBP production were subjected to these chambers.

Would the current stock of replacement motherboards pass that testing?  If yes then the tests are ill focused because current replacements have a history of failing within a short period of usage.  If no then that replacement inventory got through production at less then the standard of those preproduction boards that were subjected to the tests prior to the production run.

The fact that this problem got into the wild indicates that within Apple's production process there are some weak tests that need better calibration.

We can improve anything to the degree we can measure it, otherwise it's a guess.

"It would be interesting to see what would happen if 2011 MBP production were subjected to these chambers."

You should have read my post more closely.  The products you mentioned were tested in the manner I described.  I'm just spitballin' here, doctor, but I'm guessing that the products did not fail in a HALT chamber because the failure mechanism is not due to either mechanical shock, or vibration.

carl wolf wrote:

 

"It would be interesting to see what would happen if 2011 MBP production were subjected to these chambers."

 

You should have read my post more closely.  The products you mentioned were tested in the manner I described.  I'm just spitballin' here, doctor, but I'm guessing that the products did not fail in a HALT chamber because the failure mechanism is not due to either mechanical shock, or vibration.

Sorry Carl... I haven't seen that Apple did subject 2011 MBP production to these chamber tests prior to putting in inventory.

Based on the current failure rate, if Apple's testing process is effective, why are so many failing MBPs making it to the customers?

I think it would be reasonable to think that Apple didn't ship production they knew would fail.

I think it would be reasonable to think that Apple's test was unable to catch this problem.

It would be reasonable to think that until Apple can find this problem, with their inventory of test cases, during production they can not reasonably expect not ship other products with similar problems.

Is that how you see it too?

I just had the logic board replaced in my 2011 15" MBP.  I asked about the new part and the Apple Store employee told me the new part doesn't have the same problem that the old part had.

I had mine replaced at an Apple Store.  The CPU and GPU models appear to be the same as they were before.

I haven't done any tests.  The CPU and GPU models appear to be the same as they were before.

According to mbp2011.org....

• Apple has started a repair program for all 2011 MacBook Pro computers experiencing this issue.
• Mid-2012 through Early-2013 MacBook Pro computers are also covered for a similar issue.
• Money spent to repair these computers (for graphics-related issues) will be refunded by Apple.
  
  
• The "repair" is to swap out the logic board with a new one. Apple is claiming that the new logic board is different and was designed "with this issue in mind." Whatever that means.

They were told the logic board is different. Is there any way to check if this is so after the repair?

Exactly; Hear, Hear!

XLT77 wrote:

They were told the logic board is different. Is there any way to check if this is so after the repair?

That's part of the million dollar question. Apparently the problem is with the soldering material and/or method of soldering the gpu to the logic board, not with the particular chip being used. So even an eyeball test probably won't reveal anything. The only test will be time and whether or not they start failing over the ensuing months.

I've had three replacements so far, with the most recent one at the end of January. I'm hoping that this would be a new and improved version, if indeed that is really happening. As an aside, I got my refund started yesterday for the one logic board that I have paid for. The very friendly man said that it would be in my bank account within 15 days via direct deposit.

Brent Shum wrote:

 

I was able to get a refund for a reball done by a guy in Rancho Cucomunga, CA.  Note however, Apple wouldn't pay for my shipping costs to get the computer to the repair shop.  Overall the process wasn't too bad - provide receipts for reball, etc, but I feel a bit put out on the $50 to ship the laptop to repair their problem...

Brent... can you gives us more information on how you presented your choice of using a third party?  I am one of those who, after seeing the reoccurring failures from motherboard swaps, decided to use a third party. 

Looking at the clock Dave, my neighbor and mailman, should be at the door in about 20 minutes with my repaired 17" early 2011 MBP.

My pocket book would feel a lot better with the repair cost in my pocket.

I am sure there are others on this list that would enjoy hearing what you did to get a refund.

Thanks

Jim

I'm done with Apple. The local Apple store declined the repair because my MacBook Pro is a biohazard. Cat hair and smoke. Unbelievable...

Frank Fenn

An ex-Apple user

ok thanks. I am bringing my computer in tomorrow so lets see what happens when it is returned...