Q: 2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card

Same problem after 3 years

My problem started 3 months ago as described in previous posts. I took great care of this laptop and I'm deeply disappointed. I was also a victim of the 6800gt problem. Come on Apple, we buy reliable computers and unique customer care, don't let us down!

The graphic problems were gone for a week... but they returned!

Here's my crash route:

- a week after upgrade from snow leopard to mavericks the graphics crashed for the first time while encoding a video begin january

- used gfxCardStatus to do baisc work with intergrated gpu but some apps like logic or after effects need the AMD GPU

- i prepared the mac for repair: did a clean install of mavericks and took out the extra optibay hard disk

- after startup it seems the problem vanished even when using intense graphics a few days

- i decided to restore my snow leopard system wich never let me down

- just now after a few days without problems i opened google earth and after a minute the graphics crashed again

Taking it for apple care service repair tomorrow.

MacBookPro8,2 early 2011 discrete AMD/ATI gpu failure last December 2013. 560 € here in Greece to replace the logic board.

In 2 year of intense use.. have to pay 560 € for a logic board replace. And the proble is in apple not

correct choosing the components for the laptop.

Really disappointed.

I would normally agree. Buck up, you got a lemon. Try again.

if it were just me, that would be the right answer. Unfortunately (for Apple) this appears to be a global issue, and few, if any MBPs survive the 2 year mark.

While that may be a great marketing strategy (limited life) for some companies, we all hold Apple to a higher standard. They, themselves advertize and portray themselves as the up-scale computer system. We expect to pay a premium for a premium system.

Historically, buying a high-end computer extends the useable life of the system. I've been in the industry since before apple built their first computer. I've used both PCs and Apples for as long as they have existed. I have PC that are 5-7 years old that still run just fine for their application. Every now and then I put in a bigger disk or more memory, but they are still running.

For me, it's doubly important. As a consultant, I'm on the road 24/7. My machine is my link to my income stream. No machine, no $$. I have a 17" MBP. There is no replacement for this machine. I've done everything in my power to make this the machine I'll use for the next few years - 16G RAM, 1T SSD (main bay) 1T Drive (optical bay).  Parallels and the best software from the PC and Mac world for my type of work.

I want to choose when my computer is of no use to me. If a design flaw (and this appears to be just that) turns my expensive computer into a paperweight, I expect the flaw to be fixed. When the design flaw has world wide implications and the blogosphere shows 1/4 Million hits on a single discussion thread, there is a problem.

This is typical fodder for class action. Apple must address this, or the media and the lawyers will.

http://appleinsider.com/articles/14/01/16/owners-of-late-2011-macbook-pros-repor t-critical-gpu-failures-system-crashes

Ok, APPLE, that was a spendy piece of tech I bought.

I bought it because I had hopes it would last for a long time.  I can't replace it with a new Mac.  And 530.00 buys me a PC. Or less.

Thanks!

A Once Loyal Fangirl.

Having posted a lengthy account of my GPU issues in 'Re: 2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card' above I need to retreat the line of argument that it falls into the same issue category as my MBP and is not the by others faulted Early 2011 model.

My MacBook with the issues described is a:

Retina MacBook Pro Mid 2012 a.k.a.

MacBookPro10,1 Sales# MC975LL/A, Model# A1398, Production week 27-2012

with a discrete NVIDIA GT650M chip.

The issue of a lack of transparancy on HW issues I can nevertheless underline from having an issue-ridden MBP from another prior episode. The (first) Intel MBP 2006 I had in use produced a high pitch whining noise which similarly resulted in 2 mainboard swaps. The time it took until it became an acknowledged issue with service being aware of it was lengthy, and the customer experience then mimicked the one described before.  

Same problem here with my late 2011. I hope the Apple takes care of this one.

Well said darwinp - given how much this issue has negatively impacted my own work over the past 3 weeks, I can't imagine what the aggregate cost has been in lost productivity AND INCOME given the thousands (10s of thousands?) of people who a.) own this very same model and b.) depend on these machines to earn an income.

darwinp5101 wrote:

 

I would normally agree. Buck up, you got a lemon. Try again.

if it were just me, that would be the right answer. Unfortunately (for Apple and owners of 2011 MBPs) this appears to be a global issue, and few, if any MBPs survive the 2 year mark.

 

While that may be a great marketing strategy (limited life) for some companies, we all hold Apple to a higher standard. They, themselves advertize and portray themselves as the up-scale computer system. We expect to pay a premium for a premium system (that lasts significantly longer than 2 years, let alone other, far less expensive systems)

 

Historically, buying a high-end computer extends the useable life of the system (that's one of the primary reasons the vast majority of 2011 MBP owners decided to buy this specific model over all the others available. The other reason is that this specific model was the MOST POWERFUL, FUTURE-PROOF and matte-screen notebook that money could buy in 2011). I've been in the industry since before apple built their first computer. I've used both PCs and Apples for as long as they have existed. I have PC that are 5-7 years old that still run just fine for their application. Every now and then I put in a bigger disk or more memory, but they are still running.

 

For me, it's doubly important. As a consultant, I'm on the road 24/7. My machine is my link to my income stream. No machine, no $$. (This x1000!! The vast majority of owners of this specific MBP model are "power users" who earn their livelyhood through the use of these machines! Does Apple not understand how much these system failures are HURTING those of us who need their machines to earn an income!?) I have a 17" MBP. There is no replacement for this machine. I've done everything in my power to make this the machine I'll use for the next few years - 16G RAM, 1T SSD (main bay) 1T Drive (optical bay). Parallels and the best software from the PC and Mac world for my type of work.

 

I want to choose when my computer is of no use to me. If a design flaw (and this appears to be just that) turns my expensive computer into a paperweight, I expect the flaw to be fixed. When the design flaw has world wide implications and the blogosphere shows 1/4 Million hits on a single discussion thread, there is a problem.

RoscoeBiscayne wrote:

. Most are complaining about paying that, and in some case 3 times or more that amount for a replacement that has been known to fail numerous times thereafter because Apple refuses to acknowledge an evident manufacturing flaw.

 

If it had been working within warranty period it's not flaw. I understand some machines wear out more or less faster. It is kind of lottery. It's not fun when I picked such product. But I had to admit its been working within warranty period.

RoscoeBiscayne wrote:

 

Apple built their company on reliable, cutting edge, high-performance hardware and software for graphic and video pros- all of us big boys and girls. Until Apple decided to build toys... I don't expect a $600 iToy to last 3 years, your right. But I expect a $3,000 monster machine to live a lot longer, specially when the defect is not the result of user negligence nor normal wear and tear.

As I said in the previous post the price tag won't reflects its durability, nor did Apple say it comes with premium durability. Parts are made in china. It doesn't matter if it's iToy or not. iToy can last 5 years. Actually one of my iToy has been working 5 years. It can happen because some iToys have less actuators and less sources of heat than laptop has.

ciu5781 wrote:

 

RoscoeBiscayne wrote:

. Most are complaining about paying that, and in some case 3 times or more that amount for a replacement that has been known to fail numerous times thereafter because Apple refuses to acknowledge an evident manufacturing flaw.

 

If it had been working within warranty period it's not flaw. I understand some machines wear out more or less faster. It is kind of lottery. It's not fun when I picked such product. But I had to admit its been working within warranty period.

 

 

RoscoeBiscayne wrote:

 

Apple built their company on reliable, cutting edge, high-performance hardware and software for graphic and video pros- all of us big boys and girls. Until Apple decided to build toys... I don't expect a $600 iToy to last 3 years, your right. But I expect a $3,000 monster machine to live a lot longer, specially when the defect is not the result of user negligence nor normal wear and tear.

As I said in the previous post the price tag won't reflects its durability, nor did Apple say it comes with premium durability. Parts are made in china. It doesn't matter if it's iToy or not. iToy can last 5 years. Actually one of my iToy has been working 5 years. It can happen because some iToys have less actuators and less sources of heat than laptop has.

In a perfect black-and-white world, ciu5781 would have a point. However, on Earth, if Apple wishes to conserve its reputation and consumer trust, it has to address the issues on what is clearly a badly designed product.

ciu5781 wrote:

 

If it had been working within warranty period it's not flaw. I understand some machines wear out more or less faster. It is kind of lottery. It's not fun when I picked such product. But I had to admit its been working within warranty period.

 

 

I'm impressed with your very low expectation of quality and durability.

I expect the lifespan of a product to exceed it's warranty period.
When buying a macbook pro I'm not playing lottery; I'm buying a high-end tool for my work.

If Apple can't produce and support it's product properly, clever consumers will go elsewhere.

Yes, computer parts fail sometimes. That's normal. That said we are dealing with an out of the ordinary problem when such a high percentage of product is defective. Note that at this moment Apple can't even properly repair these computer because the replacement logic boards have a high failing percentage too. So "you should have bought Applecare" isn't a valid argument either. There's an inherent problem with these boards from 2011.

buzzart wrote:

 

You can go to "About This Mac" under the Apple menu. Then hit the "More Info…" button. And it should show you which graphics chip is currently being used.

It only shows "Intel HD Graphics 3000 512 MB" on the "About this Mac Screen", but when I click on "System Report...", then 'Graphics/Displays', the "Video Card" pane does should the AMD Radeo HD 6750M.

However, when I click on AMD, the info box doesn't show "Color LCD" under "Displays" like the Intel HD 3000 does.

Does that mean it worked and that I can no longer?

Ugh... nevermind, just opened Firefox and gfxcardstatus auto-switched from integrated to discrete.

Is it not possible to remove the AMD files with FileVault enabled?

Hi Folks - another disappointed owner of an early 2011 MBP joined this club. Left me also with a Thunderbolt display, which is no more usable with my MBP. And even more disappointed as a repair seems not to solve the problem and there is no Apple computer one can buy as an equal substitute for this machine. (With nowadays MBPs I would have to bring a Ethernet-adaptor and a DVD-drive along to my clients). Can’t Apple imagine they have customers who do more with their computers than listening to music and watching videos? I’m not a friend of those ugly computers from the other system - but they last more than two and a half years and one can get his job done in time while saving a lot of money on the other hand.

Maybe it is time for Apple to spend a little more money on loyal customer service than on lawsuits over patents and with other companies?  It is loyal customers and new customers that have gotten them to a highly respected company position but with this kind of thing now happening in one form or the other way to often eventually they will loose those who are willing to pay the big price tag.  I love all my Apple products and like others pay the price feeling that it is worth it.  I pay for the extended coveraget as well so I am not looking for out of line free service.  All electronics can break but this is a huge number which continues to increase daily and with all the same issue.  It is not a low end model but an upscale model.  As someone else said there is nothing now even availible to replace it with as 15" models are now down to a couple of retena display units with small SSD drives and the larger drive option ones are very expensive.  If the repairs were successful that would be some encouragment but it seems they are only a small delay in time returning to the same issue again.  We just need Apple to help us faithful customers stay that way.  We believe in you Apple so please help prove us right!