Macbook Pro mid 2012 15" (non-retina) graphics tearing
Hello everyone,
I would like to post my experiences using two identical macbook pros 2012 (non-retina, with nVidia GT650M 512MB) who presented the same graphics cards glitches and problems, and hopefully to obtain some information.
Exhibit 1: My own macbook pro
Bought from France, in November 2012. Used mainly for professional non-graphics programming, it's clean, no bloated software, and only necessary professional tools are installed. 16Gbytes of memory, by Crucial.
At some point during July, when the machine was relatively cold and I was watching a youtube video, this happened (see attached pics). The mouse was moving, and the computer was fully operational, but with this "glitchy graphics overlay". I logged out, and logged back in. Problem disappeared and appeared again at random times, 4 times during an hour. All those times, a log-out and log-in would fix the problem. After that, I could not reproduce it. Apple changed the motherboard, claiming that it could be a faulty nVidia card.
Exhibit 2: My brother's macbook pro
Bought from Greece, in february 2013. Same model as my own, same RAM, same specs. Used for professional video editing, no bloated software, mostly using Final Cut Pro X. He noticed various malfunctions with FCPX, like freezing when applying a visual effect, and graphics tearing when rendering (that's when the nVidia card kicks in, normally). Yesterday, same symptoms as my macbook pro appeared, graphics tearing, etc.
EDIT: videos of the problem:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGBijGMO9NE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnEXtVWgKKM
Both machines are in a completely different environment (I live in France, my brother in Greece), non-smoking areas, and have worked in completely different ways. Both with OS X 10.8.4.
That's two out of two. Given nVidia's background, I am starting to feel that my purchase is not so reliable as I originally thought, and I am thinking that this problem is more generic than originally seemed.
Does anyone have any relevant information on this matter? Could these problems be related to issues with nVidia drivers? Is there any information about unreliable nVidia graphics cards on 15 inch macbook pros mid-2012 (non-retina)?
