Q: 2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card

I'll also contact apple today to fix the broken gpu. I'm curious about the price in germany for flat repiar

Straightliner wrote:

 

I'll also contact apple today to fix the broken gpu. I'm curious about the price in germany for flat repiar

Apple doesn't fix broken gpu's.

It replaces the motherboard with another one having the same problems.

Reason why some had the same problem within a few months, others in a few weeks and some even the same day again after picking it up.

If you have to pay 400-600 (dunno exact prices) euro and you have bad luck, it fals again shortly after your 90 days warranty meaning you have to pay again  another 400-600 euro for the same replacement, not beeing a real repair.

Frustrating as it is everyone who is affected needs to get into an Apple store and get this logged against their serial number. Forums such as this and the Facebook page (etc etc) may be great for venting frustration and possibly raising awareness - but it is not the same as reporting it to Apple. Even if it is out of warranty or Applecare support and you choose not to let them repair it. Telling Apple about a web site that lists a thousand failed machines will not result in a replacement programme. One thousand verified reports against valid serial numbers in the Apple support system might.

They know about my son's MBP early 2011. New logic board three weeks ago, and working OK so far. The problem is, my son is now too scared to use it for anything graphics-intensive. I said he should stress test it - the replacement logic board is only guaranteed for three months. But he is nursing his beloved Macbook, and won't entertain the idea.

My son's case is a good example of the advantages of buying a refurb machine direct from Apple. If he had bought it new, from the local Swiss dealer, the one-year guarantee would have run out eighteen months ago. But because he bought it refurb, when the model was already six months old, and direct from Apple in Ireland, he still has three months of the two year statutory EU consumer protection period left.

Same issue with my late 2011 MBP (AMD Radeon HD 6770M GPU).

I'm using gfxCardStatus to force the use of the integrated GPU only (Intel HD Graphics 3000), but this means I cannot use my external 27" monitor -- the thunderbolt display apparently needs the discrete GPU and won't run on the internal GPU.

Is the only solution to bring it into Apple for a Logic Board replacement?

Thanks,

js.

jsmoriss wrote:

 

Same issue with my late 2011 MBP (AMD Radeon HD 6770M GPU).

 

I'm using gfxCardStatus to force the use of the integrated GPU only (Intel HD Graphics 3000), but this means I cannot use my external 27" monitor -- the thunderbolt display apparently needs the discrete GPU and won't run on the internal GPU.

 

Is the only solution to bring it into Apple for a Logic Board replacement?

 

Thanks,

 

js.

You can let it reflow, reball or chip replaced.

All of tese 3 will probably give a longer lasting repair then swapping the mainboard.

Might make it not valid for a replace or swap plan if  apple comes up with a program.

Just to add, reflow only does not help (and I suspect Apple is doing that as a fix for the returned boards hence the repeat issues with the replacement boards).

Mine failed just about slightly more than a month after it was reflowed.

Can anyone chime in on the reliability after they have had it reballed with leaded solder balls? I am thinking I should go this route as I really need my notebook to be working.

Straightliner wrote:

 

I'll also contact apple today to fix the broken gpu. I'm curious about the price in germany for flat repiar

Gravis charged me 590€ for the replacement on my 17" + cost of the analysis (I think 80€). I don't think there's a flat rate price.

Message was edited by: degger, forgot to mention analysis costs

If you have to pay 400-600 (dunno exact prices) euro and you have bad luck, it fals again shortly after your 90 days warranty meaning you have to pay again  another 400-600 euro for the same replacement, not beeing a real repair.

That's what the try to make you believe. In fact the warranty for replacement parts in Europe is the same as for new products, so if they swap the whole logicboard most of your laptop will have a new warranty.

However it's important to understand that rules for the statutory warranty are a bit different than for a voluntary vendor warranty...

degger wrote:

 

If you have to pay 400-600 (dunno exact prices) euro and you have bad luck, it fals again shortly after your 90 days warranty meaning you have to pay again  another 400-600 euro for the same replacement, not beeing a real repair.

That's what the try to make you believe. In fact the warranty for replacement parts in Europe is the same as for new products, so if they swap the whole logicboard most of your laptop will have a new warranty.

 

However it's important to understand that rules for the statutory warranty are a bit different than for a voluntary vendor warranty...

Thanks for the update on this.

Apple never has been farr on warranty overhere. If they can bend the rules, they will.

They are forced to do it now, so let'shope they do.

(PC/laptop manufacturers never make problems on 2 years warranty, never ever had problems)

Especially on replaced parts.

But again, thanks, good to know.

Another deeply disappointed user, who bought the Macbook in USA two years ago. My version is MBP 15" with 2.2Ghz i7 AMD HD6750. I experience random boot failures with black screen, I prevent them by putting my laptop only to sleep. Even though this seems to keep me from my problems, I am unable/afraid to use my discrete graphics, as I can only wait for a day it will die! I will not stand this ignorance of Apple and their refusal to do anything about it!!

I was a pretty satisfied Apple owner but this situation has make me hate the brand and its attitude. Needless to say this is/was my last Apple product and I also encourage my friends not to be blindedly persuaded by the looks of their products and turn to the other manufacturers, which are known for better price/quality ratios.

Goodbye, Apple.

Just as a data point, using Apple's link, these things are barely worth repairing at this point.

Assuming that the Genius was right that my crashes were due to third party software, and their stress test found no hardware problems:

http://store.apple.com/us/browse/reuse_and_recycle

Apple MacBook Pro Core i7 2.5 GHz 17" (Late-2011) (I7-2860QM) (MD311LL/A)

I will not buy any more Apple products after this TOTAL ignorance from Apple. They should be ashamed of themselves acting so unprofessional and CHILDISH.

Apple - Greed is good.

I have excactly the same problem with my MacBook Pro early 2011. Which btw cost me at that time sth about 2.3k. The actualy market price now is about 1.2k. The replacement of the logic board would cost me almost 410€ (Logicboard 380€ + expenses 30€). This means a econimc total loss!

The genuis bar guys from Oberhausen,Germany told me that an replacement wouldnt fix the problem. There is an generell heating problem with this macbook pro series. This means in case of an replacement, the same GPU problem could appear again in maybe 1yr or 2yrs.

I also got the information, that soldering wont help neither. So this means that there will be no long term soloution for this dilema.

All we can hope for is a free replacement programm.

efkay88, did the Apple employee told you that there is a known heating problem with this series?

So far I understand nobody got that kind of answer from anybody at Apple, they just act surprised like we are an exception or something.

That would be a nice step forward getting some consideration and even better, if only it was an official statement from Apple..