Display artifacts in Mavericks

Update:

I haven't had the issue at all since I upgraded to XCode 5. Not sure it's related.

Anyway, I've been using my MacBook quite intensely for the last few weeks and the issue seems to have completely disappeared, even in low memory / low disk / high CPU conditions.

I disabled automatic graphics card switching in system prefs and so far, no more issue. It's only been about a week, though...

Same issue here. Currently my 'workaround' is to reboot. Odd thing for me is that this has been going on since I got my Macbook Retina (as well as some odd issues with my right USB port) and that was before 10.9. Genius bar said they need to take it and replace the Logic Board to see if that fixes the issue, but since this is my only computer (bought it to become a freelancer) I can't live as of yet for 10 days without it... Hopefully it fixes the issue, I bounce around too much to not close my less-than-6-month-old laptop. I think I was due, have been on dozens of machines and this is the first issue I've had since the iLamp. 😉

This has started to show up on my MBP 6.1 (15-inch, Mid 2010), which contains an NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M 256 MB discrete GFX and an Intel HD Graphics integrated GFX. I have tried to narrow it down, but it seems rather pointless, because I cannot reliably trigger it. One thing that helps in my case is the use of gfxCardStatus v2.3. Whenever the smearing shows up (mostly by a third-party programm not calling the integrated/discrete switching properly, I suppose), I select "discrete only" for a while and the problem vanishes.

I have many possible culprits, among which for example are tools like Parallels, Office for Mac 2011 (especially Word and Outlook seem to be causing unmotivated irregular discrete/integrated GFX switches), Bitcasa, Safari plugins (especially any Adobe plugin, like flash), and others.

This problem never occurred on 10.6.x, or 10.8.x (which I ran on my MPB). It is very unlikely a hardware issue, and neither PRAM nor SMC resetting really helps. I believe we should start to collect suspicious concole log entries with regard to GFX to pinpoint the problem. For example (probably not related):

"Error: this application, or a library it uses, has passed an invalid numeric value (NaN, or not-a-number) to CoreGraphics API. This is a serious error and conributes to the overall degradation of system stability and reliability. ..."

This is the other thread to monitor regarding solutions: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5493333

Same problem here, 2010 17" MacBook Pro (MacBookPro6,1). Artifacts appear when plugged into the mains and using the Nvidia GeForce GT 330M. Cooling fans rev up as well.

The artifacts show up regardless of what is being done after a certain amount of time, but never on a cold boot. In case it is due to poor thermal management of the GT 330M in Mavericks, I'm only running on battery power until Apple fixes it.

I'd agree that it's related to the graphic switching but I'm having issues on a MacBook Pro 13" retina which has no discreet graphics hardware.

Update: running on battery power doesn't work, as noted earlier in the thread, it's the graphics switching that's the problem. So I'm stuck using the power hungry GeForce GT 330M.

Note to Apple: I have a few ideas on how you can spend your overseas cash horde.

I have a mid-2012 Retina (15", 2.7GHz i7, 16GB of RAM) with the Nvidia GT650 graphics card and I'm getting artifacts much of the time when I wake the machine from sleep. It's running 10.9.1. I've had the automatic graphics switching disabled for months now to no avail. I've nuked and paved - the problem always comes back. HOWEVER, it's very short-lived - the artifacts go away as soon as I start doing something in Safari. It's almost like taking an anti-eraser to the screen...move cursor about and click, and voila! The artifacts disappear. Sometimes closing the lid and reopening it will do the trick too.

I'm now going to start shutting down Safari each time I stop using it, to see if it's in any way related to Safari, since I have always had it running when this happens.

Because of the unpredictability of the issue, I've not yet taken it into the Apple store. (I'm afraid it will be like that mysterious noise in the car - the moment you take it into the shop, it stops happening!) At first I thought it only occurred when the Mac had been sleeping for more than a couple of hours, but it can happen any time...or not. It's still under warranty (bought in July of 2013), so I will take it in soon if I can't figure out why it's happening, since if it is hardware, it should be fixed. It was purchased through the refurb store - it's the first refurb I've ever had any issues with, but again - not sure it's hardware or software.

Having the same issue (see attached) Mac Pro with ATI 5870. Its really driving me nuts.

Having similar grapics artefact on my Retina MBP 15 mid 2012. On 10.8 all was OK.

Ok so i have a temporary workaround, it seems this issue has something to do with the video driver refresh polling. So I set my desktop wallpaper to change every minute to a set of images.. so far so good i havent seen a jumping artifact since 3am last nite.

I think it is a problem with the last Safari update, not a Mavericks issue. Came out about the same time?

Safari 6.1.1 is crashing Lion 10.7.5, something to do about caches and memery I believe.

Can Mavericks run an older Safari, I'll bet it's rock solid.

Hi I have a similar problem with my MacbookPro Mid 2010. It seems I must replace my motherboard but it costs about 800-1000 $ I can buy a new computer for this money. I have proposition for all who have similar problems with Macbookpro from 2009 till 2012. It seems apple doesn't care for this global and confusing problem with hardware around the world. We must be united and go to court. I think apple has to fix it for free. I have spent a lot of money (about 1800 euro or something like that) for my model of macbookpro and I think it's fully crap. My computer is at least 3 years old and it is defective from simply a two years of I'm using it. My warranty ended. So what should I do? I have to spend more money for apple products who are defective or replace my motherboard for the cost of new computer with windows or linux

It's very unlikely to be your logic board. Try turning off automatic graphics switching and if that fixes it, then it's a software (Mavericks) problem.

Best not put too much trust in the "Apple Geniuses"; they were named "geniuses" as an ironic joke.