New mid-2015 Macbook Pro Retina screen flicker. Can you reproduce this?

I was able to replicate this on the exact same model macbook pro (mid-2015 15" with two graphics cards). Even worse, my screen completely bugs out at times with the whole screen showing static and flickering. With a lot of finagling, I'm able to get the screen back, but it comes and goes -- and it's definitely getting worse. Will probably have to send in for repair soon.

I can replicate the issue you're describing on my mid-2015 MBP with discrete GPU running 10.10.5. I regularly use the scaled graphics option for more space and I definitely don't want to get back to the default setting, however the flickering issue is super annoying. When I'm browsing and happen to hit a graphics-intensive site (the new iPhone 6s page is a nice example) that forces the Radeon to kick in, the screen first flickers and then goes black for a few milliseconds before showing the content. So I think this is a definitely a quite serious issue. My take is that it is software-related though and I'm really waiting to see if 10.11 provides a solution.

Hey,

Did you visit the Apple Stor? If so was it a software bug or a hardware issue?

Thanks..

Same problem with absolutely new MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2015), AMD Radeon R9 M370X 2048 MB.

Could it be a software issue? How to fix it?

So I purchased the Mid-2015 Macbook Pro and was getting the same flickering screen. At first it happened while I was browsing the internet, but then it started happening when I was watching a movie or working on a document. So, I took it into the Apple store and they ran a diagnostic, which came back with an "unknown error" effecting the display. Luckily, I was within the 14-day window to exchange it right then and there.

The problem is, the new one they gave me is now having a similar issue, where it flickers when I'm browsing on Firefox (luckily, it doesn't happen with any other applications). I'm not sure if it's hardware or software, or even if Apple is aware of how many Macbooks have this defect (if it is one at all)- but I'm thinking I may need to go have this one checked out too.

*side note- I had a 2009 Macbook Pro for almost 6 years and never had a single problem with it. I decide to upgrade to a top of the line Macbook Pro w/ Retina and it's been a headache ever since.

I also have the Mid-2015 15" MacBook Pro with the screen flickr issue. It has blinked twice while writing this sentence. I have tried all of the simple fixes recommended on the forums without success. I suppose my next step is to try re-installing El Capitan to see if it was something with the download. If this doesn't work i'll be off to the Apple Store. It is unfortunate that a simple issue like this seems to be such a common occurrence for a machine of this caliber and cost.

Cheers

I too can reproduce this issue on El Capitan 10.11 15-inch, Mid 2015 2.5 Ghz Intel Core i7 and Intel Iris Pro 1536 MB. Before I read this post and learned how to reproduce it, I would only see it when having terminal, editor and chromw open. It would happen intermittently, but often enough that it bothered me. I brought it to the Geniusus only to have my Mac disassembled, fitted with a new screen, tested (same results), and refitted with the old display again after the swap was deemed unnecessary. I was told a new logic board would be installed, but they told me they never did that since it was unnecessary and deemed this a display settings issue. Oh I was pretty much told because of the warning in display settings ("using a scaled resolution may affect performance") that they could not fix the problem unless I could reproduce it in the default display setting. Now I have a thoroughly molested mac pro with a protruding screw that I have to live with. This seems quite unfair, If I had noticed this sooner (with in the 15 days) I would have definitely returned it and gotten the insane amount of money that Apple charged me for this product back.

Man, you can call apple and have them replace the motherboard. Believe me.

Now, if you go under Apple, about this Mac, and go to system report.

Check under Video, copy and paste everything that is listed under M370X, and paste it here. Lets see if its a revision issue with some of the M370X cards. I do not have that issue, but... I have other. 30% of the time I try to connect it to the external monitor, I get this...

Thi

Tried reinstalling OS X, same thing. Different video cables, ports. This is BS. I don't want to say that AMD cards suck, but... I have more faith in Nvidia products for some reason.

Apple needs to address this asap.

My M370X information:

Revision ID: 0x0083

ROM Revision: 113-C5670E-777

gMux Version: 4.0.20 [3.2.8]

EFI Driver Version: 01.00.777

It's yet another huge screw-up by Apple.

They have a straightforward policy: Apple simply drags it's feet for 2-3 years, then the problem largely goes away.

If you got screwed and have one of these machines, there is an incredibly handy placeholder fix that will make the machine at least usable, get the free software at gfx.io ....

You can then force the laptop to use the crappy Iris graphics card (which works perfectly reliably).

(Apple's own software, on Preferences, for setting which graphic card to use, is utterly useless and broken.)

I have a 2015 mbp with the problem - Apple swapped the whole motherboard and it made no difference - still the identical problem.

I got screwed - I lose. They'll never fix it.

You'll never get a solution from Apple - just assume "they won" and you've lost a few thousand dollars. You'll never win; Apple know they can just drag their feet for a couple yrs and the issue will go away. Apple have done this over and over, over the years, with known hardware problems. It will be no different this time.

The key thing is that any time you're buying an apple laptop, tell the store manager that you're totally aware of the video card "f'up" and you insist on seeing the machine running properly before you leave the store. If it's a dud and you see flickering, just get your money back or get another machine from stock.

John-Paul. What problem do you have? Flicker during video playback when GPUs are switching, or artifacts on the screen that Ive posted?

Thanks

Tim

Hi Tim, artifacts and flickering. The discrete card itself and the apple system which switches between the two cards is screwed.

When do you get artifacts? Do you mind posting a picture? I just want to see if its similar to mine.

🙂

I also have m370x issues, man, thats annoying

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pYMpsI_0NA