@Molly
I'm sure you'll find no surprise in this but mine was ultimately replaced, and the replacement machine exhibits the exact same issue. I'm currently working with a Senior Advisor at AppleCare but have yet been given any concrete information as to a fix or workaround. I handed over a data file and some small videos I took of the issue while it's happening, and am waiting to find out what happens with their engineering people. I don't want to speculate as to the cause except to say that I think this problem may be endemic to this computer model.
The only things I've found out that may be of consequence...
- If I leave the MacBook Pro plugged-in but not hooked-up to anything else, the issue does not spawn, and presumably because of Power Nap.
- If the MacBook Pro is on battery-only, and wakes from Standby Mode, I have a 2:1 chance of it happening.
- I've left the MacBook Pro without anything hooked-up to it overnight (on battery), wake it in the morning, and it flickers.
- Close/re-open the lid doesn't always work to clear the flicker(ing), I will often have to reboot the Mac to get it back to normal.
- NVRAM and SMC resets don't resolve it.
- Even a fresh install (format/erase; no extra software) doesn't resolve the issue.
At first, they theorized the problem was related to an external monitor I often use (27" ACER K272HL 1080p) but it flickered and continues to flicker without an external monitor involved. My wife uses the ACER monitor all the time with her work MacBook Pro (via DVI) and has no issues with it, no flickering. I think that theory doesn't yet hold water but who knows.
The model of the original and replacement MacBook Pro is the same so it remains unclear if this is software and/or hardware. To date, AppleCare has given me absolutely no indication as to if/what the problem is, or what will fix it--the waiting game continues.... ♂ I'm hoping this gets resolved quickly. I've been a Mac owner for fifteen years, this is not helping my confidence in the product.
Anecdotal to this problem, I'm using my wife's old white unibody MacBook (2009) as a workaround, only sparingly using the MacBook Pro as-needed. I spent a few hours over the weekend updating the MacBook to 10.13.5 High Sierra, and it's working just fine albeit slower than the MacBook Pro but no flickering at all. I'm using this white MacBook with the same ACER monitor, no issues, flickering or otherwise. For an older, slower machine, it works pretty well considering it's been mothballed for nearly three years. I'm glad we decided to keep it as a backup.
