Q: 2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card

tammyrojas wrote:

...

My question is about the RAM: The tech stated that the 2011 Macbook Pro was not rated to run more than 8g and that higher would cause it to overheat.

Clearly a case of an overzealous tech who missed his calling in jurisprudence.  If this were Apple's policy with regard to the GPU problem, you can bet that it would be applied uniformly and without exception to every MBP serviced under the program.  Instead, some people who have already received their repaired machines back have told us that hardware that had been added after purchase, e.g., larger hard disks, additional memory, had not been removed.  Besides, what is the tech's definition of "overheating"?  When the fans turn on?  When the fans can no longer prevent the temperature from rising?  Given reputable companies like OWC that sell extra RAM for these machines and can't afford to be taken to court for frying them, I would ignore the tech.

got my $337 check in the mail today.

Love you apple!

Wow, that's great!

Looks like the new logic board supports 1600 MHz RAM where as the old one had support for 1333 MHz. So, it seems that the logic board is different from the old ones.

Pratik.Mac wrote:

 

Looks like the new logic board supports 1600 MHz RAM where as the old one had support for 1333 MHz. So, it seems that the logic board is different from the old ones.

Interesting and promising!

How can you tell that it supports 1600 MHz RAM? My most recent logic board replacement was just three weeks before the new program, so I'm wondering if I got the 1600 version.

See the link here.

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2554175/repaired-early-2011-macbook-pro-p erformance-difference.html

Is it safe, then, to assume that because mine still says 1333 that I don't have the new board and that it is much more likely to fail again?

Try with 1666 RAM and check if it shows 1666 or 1333.

It shows 1333 installed as one would expect but it also says it will take 1333 with no mention of 1600. Is there any way to verify this without me purchasing ram that I may not be able to use?

We should ask other users if they can confirm it. If it's the case then it's good for us.

Pratik.Mac wrote:

 

Looks like the new logic board supports 1600 MHz RAM where as the old one had support for 1333 MHz. So, it seems that the logic board is different from the old ones.

But does it run at 1600MHz ?

1600MHz modules are cheaper to get than 13333 these days as it it is more used.

The system will just run it at 1333MHz if 1600 is not supported.

Not supported does not mean it won't work in it.

Only has to do with timings.

I took my 2011 MBP to a Genius bar yesterday - the first day of the repair program where I live. The machine failed the VST test almost immediately.

A passing member of staff claimed that failing the test was like winning the lottery, as many MBPs had passed (what does that say about the test?)

None of the excuses about third-party RAM or software - the tech that ran the test booked the machine in for repair, but had to order the replacement part, which he claims is a new board and not the same ones that have been used previously. It will take a few days to arrive and then a few more for the turnaround (what's a few more days, right?) He wouldn't go into detail about the new board, so I guess I'll have to find out for myself.

Can somebody find an explanation why we pay in Belgium 709€ to replace the motherbord, while in America the price is only +- 300$ ?

They have a so called 'flat rate repair' (vertaald: platte reet reparatie) probably something obligated by US law? Something that limits the repair costs for the client. It is replaced with a refurbished item and not a new.