Just for the record...
I have the same issue. MacBook Pro early 2011 build, 17" antiglare screen, 2.3GHz i7 Quad Core, the works. Bought in the US brand new for about $3k. I have 95 days of the original warranty left, thankfully (I say that tough in cheek). Today I took it in, I had waited a month, prior to today, in hopes there would be some attention on this spectacle. Sadly I see very little. I am not an Apple fan boy, I buy Apple products because I depend on it for my job. I work mainly in the audio industry and yes... there is a reason we all buy expensive Apple products. Or should I say -did- at this point?
Let's do a quick run through of what led up to today.
Everything was perfect in my little island of the Apple world until early November of 2013. This also coincided with my "free" upgrade to Mavericks, like many others here.
I ran into all the aforementioned problems everyone else has.
- When the failure begins to grab hold of your precious machine, it first exhibits a torn “dual screen” in your single screen laptop. It will freeze, you will reboot fine, and the problem worries you but, in the end; you don’t think too much about it.
- Depending on how lucky you, are the problem recurs. In my case it was about a week and the “glitch” reemerged. Only this time “Alice” (the consumer), is dragged down an abysmal rabbit hole. In a matter of 2 days I went from the split torn screen, system lockup that was only solved with pram reset, the pram reset begins only working after many many retries, system then won’t even boot and gives off beep error code (associated to failed logic board), pram reset does work on RARE occasion but, OSX is so unstable at this point it locks up within a minute of use.
- I then do a trusty google search for my problem and low and behold I found this thread in it’s infancy (15 - 20 pages). I decide to myself, I will wait a little while until more laptops start exhibiting the same behavior. Even then, everyone agreed it was a manufacturing problem. In my dream world, for some idiotic reason, I thought maybe I could hassle Apple or the Apple Store for a new machine out of the conundrum. Even if I were to get a new machine, I would never get that 17” Antiglare-screen back BUT, I would deal with it... and possibly shut up about the hole thing. <- Never do or think this... And side-point: the highest build of the current MBP only has .3GHz/300MHz over my current baby and costs exactly the same as I paid for my machine 2 years ago.
- Life get’s busy, the holidays go by, and by anomaly I haven’t -had- to use my MBP for awhile. The nearest Apple store for myself is an hour and half drive to somewhere I’m rarely ever at. Things slow down and I realize my warranty is getting close to the end. I check back into this thread and am astonished by the massive amount of others having the same failure. Google it some more and find this widespread failure, for what I feel like is everything manufactured around this time, is still not getting any mainstream media attention or a response from Apple.
- I make my appointment, well prepared, head in to talk to a “genius”.
- Upon entering the cult-like store with innumerable mesmerizing blinky screens and oh so many people staring at them with twinkly eyes of glee only a small child exhibits on Christmas day, I am immediately greeted by one of the lower-level initiate neophytes. You know, the cattle herders in there? I pass with my reservation and credentials. A second level herder asks what my issues are with the laptop before I am granted a seat with the gods at the genius bar. I immediately open with, “I’m not sure if you’re aware but, I have an early 2011 MBP that many people are experiencing GPU failures with.” A look of fear instills on his face. He responds, “Yes, I know about it. No need to explain everything. I’ll have a seat ready for you in 5 minutes with someone” I then distract myself with the new Mac Pro that looks like a trash can. After a little digging on the strange tiny trash can (and not very impressed by it mind you. As most expansions for this computer requires feeding the machine even more money - this was the original purpose of the Mac Pro itself, was it not?), I am then granted a seat at the inner sanctum called the “Genius Bar”. My “Genius” is a very nice, early twenties, pretty girl. I feel very sorry for the wrath I am about to unleash on this poor girl but, I have no choice as I see it.
Again, I open with the same line, “I’m not sure if you’re aware but, I have an early 2011 MBP that many people are experiencing GPU failures with.” I go into more depth as to how the problem evolved and is currently. I’m very nice and respectful at this point, as we have yet to reach a point that I have to be a bit unfriendly.
“Oh wow, awesome. You’ve done everything I would have done to find the issue with your computer. Let me just run a quick diagnostics test to be sure there are no other problems.”
I explained I had already done this but, ok. It boots up with the blue lines of death. She reponds, “Yup, exactly as you said and I already know what the problem is.”
I kind of play dumb and nice with the pretty girl to poke for any information I can get.
Me, “So this is a common problem?”
“Yes, I’ve seen plenty of these machines exhibit the same problem.”
“So, what is the fix for this?”
“Since you’re under warranty we’ll send it off for repair, more than likely they will replace the logic board. All this is covered under your warranty, you won’t have to pay anything.”
“So, what if the problem recurs?”
“Well, all repairs are covered for 90 days. You have 95 days left on your warranty. In your case, you’re covered for 95 days”
“Once my warranty is out, how much would this normally cost?”
“Logic board replacement is normally $500 with us when not under warranty.”
“That’s a fair amount of money and not a very long warranty period.”
“Well, maybe it’s time you get a NEW computer. This one is two years old, it’s getting to be that time isn’t it?”
“No, not really. The specs on this machine are only 300MHz below your current top of the line MBP. Not to mention I can’t get this 17” screen anymore. I know, you don’t have to give me the line about the retina screen and it’s resolution. You see, I’ve grown up with a laptop in my hands since a kid. See these eyes? *points to eyes” They have poor vision because of this fact. I actually appreciate and in a way use the 17” screen for a purpose.”
Her face and demeanor immediately change to a face of shame.
“Well, you are right. I would suggest, if you’re really worried about the laptop continuing to fail... when you get it back, sell it on ebay and you will probably have enough money from the sale to get a comparable new MBP.”
“Ebay is great for that stuff isn’t it?”
She smiles with a sigh of relief, hoping I am content with the answer and responds with a “Yes.”
“Yeah, where I can then be the evil person instead of Apple and unload my dysfunctional product on an unsuspecting consumer to make a quick buck, Cover my a** and move on like nothing is wrong. See, I actually disagree with all of this logic and do not take this personally; I understand you’re just an employee here. By our conversation and your responses , I can most assuredly postulate you are 100% aware that this problem is widespread and even unfixable in the end. You barely even checked the machine for problems after I explained everything. You, yourself even suggested I sell the machine after it is “fixed”. This confirms that you think this product is faulty. The employee I spoke to before you even confirmed with me that this is a problem -many- users are experiencing. See, I actually use this product for work, there are no games on this machine, I don’t own it just because it’s f*****g cool, or makes me better than someone else. I paid $3k for this machine a couple years ago because I need a computer with higher processing power for the programs I use that will last longer than a year or two; a computer that doesn’t crash often and is stable. See, crashes equal loss of time, which equals loss of time on the job, which equals loss of money and any free time I would have had on my part in this case. I told you earlier, I’ve had a computer in my hands since I was 4. As a teenager I self employed myself by working on others computers, even putting together custom builds for them and myself. I know, for the most part, the ins and outs of all this. I still have the very first computer I ever built as a kid for nostalgia purposes. I built that machine when I was 13. Guess what? I’m 28 now and it still boots and runs like the very first day I turned it on. That’s 15 years on that computer, at the time it was top of the line for a PC and cost me about $1k and that’s pushing it. This top of the line machine that I am forced to buy to a degree, because of my work... only lasted 2 years and cost 3 times as much. I’m not even taking inflation into consideration. So, about 1/7th the lifespan and 3 times or more the price. Apple has it’s position and following because of people like myself giving you credit for the high-end line of products you furnish us. The party will end when you do this to these customers. Again, I apologize if I come of as an a** and I am not directing this straight at you. I’m just explaining my frustration of the situation. There are few companies period these days that make quality products and I am very sad to see Apple start to go down this path. Unlike companies today, I have to live with my failures and own up to them as a responsible person in this society.”
Very wide eyed and seemingly, genuinely concerned about the problem, she responded. “Well, there is really nothing I can say to make you happy at this point. I do agree with about everything you said and you’re right. That doesn’t really change anything. If the problem persists while you’re under warranty we -might- be able to do something for you. I am really really sorry.”
We continued to talk some more but, that is the jest you should know.
So, my MBP is in transit to wherever it goes and will be back in a week.
Now, I have a few questions, concerns, and statements.
- It seems to me everyone’s MBP died around the time Mavericks rolled out, correct? This is one of two things: 1. just timing of the parts to fail or 2. If I were an evil genius, lost faith in humankind as a whole, and was only concerned about the bottom line for my company and myself... I would design it to fail so people would be forced to buy more of my product and it turn make myself filthy rich. Point 2 is really just me playing devil’s advocate but, this is a standard business practice these days. It’s even taught at college in these strange times. Food for thought nonetheless.
- What did she mean, “...we -might- be able to do something for you”? She did say there was no way she would forget who I was and if I did come back with the same problem to ask for her. Has anyone out there been lucky enough to get a new machine out of this debacle? That’s what should happen in a perfect world. Although, an even better world wouldn’t have had this problem in the first place.
- This question relates to the second. If some people are lucky enough to get a new machine, should I stress test the machine until she breaks? If no one is getting a new machine, the answer is undoubtedly, no... The best thing you can wish for is -maybe- a year more of life if you’re lucky and careful.
- Mainly from my experience today, what have I learned? Apple and all their employees know about this problem. What they or we will do about it, time will tell.
Sorry this is long but, I just had to voice my frustration. If we all do, someone has to pay attention. If they don’t, then voicing an opinion must be done with your dollars. That’s all anyone pays attention to these days, sad but true. In the long run if Apple were to initiate a replacement program on these machines or even replace the machines themselves: this is good PR and marketing and worth the expense in a long term cost analysis. I will keep you all posted as to how things go in my situation, until then another picture to verify and add to the heaping pile of crap.
