Q: 2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card

This why why it is pointless to have these repairs due to this defect. By repairing it numerous times, only suggests that Apple needs to address this issue in a better way as replacing the logic board does not fix the underlying problem of the defect.

631 pages say you're not wrong in that statement

Bizarre. How come a logic board that came with the machine when I bought it lasted about 2 and a half years before showing initial signs of the problem, and that THREE replacement boards fail within a week or several after installation? IN OTHER WORDS THESE REPLACEMENTS DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM and can only be badly re-conditioned boards presumably with weakened chips - Next time I shall ask them to reball with a new chip and see how they react. Under guarantee of the first replacement and reimbursement of part of the cost as rebelling with a new chip should be cheaper. I am still un-decided as to getting somebody else to reball it at some stage as I still believe and hope that all our protestations will ultimately bear fruit.

I paid 700 € for the FIRST replacement, nothing since, and no doubt it will go on this way with relentless regularity until either Apple coughs up a RELIABLE new machine (but presumably if they finally agree or are forced by law suits it will be "re-conditioned" machines they will fob us off with).

At least for me it is not pointless to continue replacing boards, as I have already paid for the first one. But if I were in NGarth's position of not having already paid out for a replacement out of guarantee, I would certainly consider reballing with a new chip.

Oddly enough I elected not to buy Applecare with this machine, which would have given me a "free" repair of this board, as until now all the Macs in the family have functioned well and very reliably, with only minor problems, for example a White MacBook distorted battery replaced under guarantee.

Guys,

I have a 17" MBP, and I will share my workaround - it may have been mentioned before, but I don't want to read 9,453 comments to find out if it has.  :-)

I switch the Mac on, and get the usual problem screen. I put it on a blanket, hoodie, towel, whatever, and wrap it around the machine, basically covering the bottom and the hinge area on top. Within a few minutes the MBP gets too hot, and switches itself off.

Unwrap, wait at least 30 seconds, switch on. Everything boots as normal for me. I have done this AT LEAST A DOZEN TIMES!  Never failed.  I am guessing that the overheating soften the solder or something like that, and solves the issue for a period of time. I use my machine a lot, and probably do this now every couple of weeks or so.

Hope it helps.

Hugh

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I'm joining in as well, my early 2011 MBP (bought when it came out) is part of the GPU failure club. I regularly work with photo & video editing, which is impossible now. About two weeks ago my Mac started completely crashing once the graphics card came under load, the screen will go black or white with stripes, the fans will start to blow and a forced shut down is the only thing that can be done.

Even an HD youtube video can bring this machine to failure - after paying around 2000€ for it 3 years ago I'm aghast and wondering were the longevity and quality of Apple's computers went. People depend on their machines and these widespread and drastic failures are most definitely a manufacturing fault. I hope the petition/lawsuit will be able to help me out, since I cannot afford a new Mac and I'm not willing to fork over a load of cash for a repair that is not confirmed to be helpful.

Try the fix I posted just above. May solve your issue for the moment.

Hello there!

After reading news about this problem, i thought it would never affect my MacBook (15" MBP Early 2011, 6750M), since i'm barely using the discrete graphics. I always switch manually with gfxcardstatus. I have BootCamp installed and used it sometimes, mostly for gaming. But not really much.

And this bothers me. If the GPU even dies under not so frequent use.. hm..

Failures happen, i understand that. But they have to admit and fix it.

"...for high performance gaming, pro video editing and graphics intensive applications..."

Just another one to add to the list. My MacBook Pro Early 2011 with exactly the same characterístics just went into a blue screen two weeks ago while trying to open a PowerPoint. So far, I had no idea about this problem. I began to search on the internet and I found this thread and all the massive amount of information about this issue. I bought my computer back in 2011 and I don't make an excessive use of the Graphic Card as mainly I use it for "office" work. But if failed anyway.

After reading this thread, I went to the Apple Store and the Bar Genius recommended a Logic Board Change for $500. Obviously I suggested the depot repair and he agreed with that, being able to change the Logic Board for $310 (why didn't he offer this in the first place?). That was one week ago and the computer is already in my hands. I am afraid that the Logic board fails again out of the 90 days of warranty. I don't know if Apple would clean their hands if the Logic board fails after that (91 days), or they would be reasonable and change it again at least. That It is going to fail I am sure. In fact, this very morning, the screen showed unusual and familiar strip lines after coming back from sleeping in the login screen. That is the only symptom so far, but it is something considering it's been just two days.

I have already signed the petition, emailed Tim Cook, completed the Apple Feedback form and called Apple to explain my situation. I have my fingers crossed that Apple comes across with a solution to this problem because the evidences that there is a manufacturing error are outstanding.

JJFLO wrote:

 

 

"...for high performance gaming, pro video editing and graphics intensive applications..."

Apple can say what they want.

A notebook is NEVER really suited for that.

D3us wrote:

 

Apple can say what they want.

A notebook is NEVER really suited for that.

There's (as there was in 2011) plenty of pro notebooks with Quadro or FirePro mobile GPUs that won't fail. Also, 3D accelerated UIs, high res video streaming, GPU accelerated web browsing or even the most basic 3D game, are blurring the line between pro and consumer computing power needs. Plus, a properly designed device like the latest iPad, can host a passively cooled 2bn transistor SoC and take some heavy GPU load without breaking a sweat.

A properly designed notebook is perfectly up to any computing intensive task under normal conditions. The subject of this discussion is a product that probably has some major design flaws. Please avoid implying that people doing computing intensive stuff on a "pro" machine they paid 2000+ $ a few years ago should have known better. As I've said before, a pro machine with a pro price tag has to withstand a pro workload.

There was a time when computing intensive stuff could only be done by desktops. Some decades have passed since.

But it's Apple's strategy. They always see themselves as a mobile devices company.

Apple is putting everything on mobile devices:

MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iPhone, iPad mini, iPad Air vs. Mac mini (notebook hardware), iMac (better notebook hardware), Mac Pro

alessiodd wrote:

 

D3us wrote:

 

Apple can say what they want.

A notebook is NEVER really suited for that.

 

There's (as there was in 2011) plenty of pro notebooks with Quadro or FirePro mobile GPUs that won't fail. Also, 3D accelerated UIs, high res video streaming, GPU accelerated web browsing or even the most basic 3D game, are blurring the line between pro and consumer computing power needs. Plus, a properly designed device like the latest iPad, can host a passively cooled 2bn transistor SoC and take some heavy GPU load without breaking a sweat.

 

A properly designed notebook is perfectly up to any computing intensive task under normal conditions. The subject of this discussion is a product that probably has some major design flaws. Please avoid implying that people doing computing intensive stuff on a "pro" machine they paid 2000+ $ a few years ago should have known better. As I've said before, a pro machine with a pro price tag has to withstand a pro workload.

 

There was a time when computing intensive stuff could only be done by desktops. Some decades have passed since.

Well, I'm gonna say it again:

Apple can say what they want.

A notebook is NEVER really suited for that.

Apple should have known better and inform their customers more honest.

Notebooks often have problems with heavy workloads, like rendering for hours..

Especially with the great cooling design they have and the great pasting job they do.

Add to that the great service you get on a fail production....

Hope in a year or 2 the 2012 models don't start failing too...

Oh, wait, that would ge good new for me.

Gettig in extra repairs....

Overrated, overpriced...

I have a MacBook Pro early 2011 15". Unfortunately, I am joining the club as well.

As of 2 weeks ago my discrete GPU gave up. Strangely, this only started to happen after I upgraded to Yosemite.

Not sure if it's coincidence or what.

I'm not willing to pay for repair that doesn't seem to resolve it.

For now I'm trying to force it to use integrated only.

This is ridiculous. A $2000 machine that cannot last longer than 3 years.

But it didn't ecen survive heavy load like in my case. that little usement even killed it.

And normal notebooks should survive even heavy workloads. Because of thermal throttling.. and its really common these days.