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Some 2013 MacBook Air Models Exhibit Severe Flickering With Photoshop

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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Customers on both the MacRumors and Adobe support forums are reporting severe flickering when using some 2013 13" MacBook Air models when using Adobe Photoshop, particularly the larger brush tools.

Adobe representative Chris Cox posted on Adobe's support forums that he believes it is a driver or GPU issue, or possibly a problem with the LCD driver circuits. Additionally, he says Adobe has not been able to reproduce the issue, suggesting that it could be a particular run or series of MacBook Air models that are running into issues.

When we file a bug with Apple that we cannot reproduce ourselves: Apple ignores it.

Apple needs to hear from customers who experience the problem, and needs details on exactly which systems have the problem.

We will continue to research this, and if we find a system that reproduces it, then we can file a bug with Apple and have some hope that they might investigate.

Also, thanks for the video - that is definitely a driver or GPU issue, though with that kind of flickering I'd also suspect the LCD driver circuits.
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New chipsets, like those in the new MacBook Air, occasionally have sporadic quality control issues. Some MacBook Air owners are reporting issues with Wi-Fi and Apple has issued a 'capture' order to Genius Bar representatives to take broken machines and send them to Cupertino for further analysis.

Adobe advises affected customers to contact AppleCare so the problem can be diagnosed and, hopefully, quickly resolved by Apple. Some reports have suggested that upgrading to Mavericks solves the problem, indicating a possible software issue.

Article Link: Some 2013 MacBook Air Models Exhibit Severe Flickering With Photoshop
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2013/06/28/some-2013-macbook-air-models-exhibit-severe-flickering-with-photoshop/
devinher

devinher

macrumors member
Mar 5, 2010
46
12
Am I the only one that thinks it's amazing that an AIR can even run a full version of photoshop?

Seems like just yesterday we were blown away that Jobs could fit one in an envelope, now we expect it to handle high end graphics applications.
 
ajcadoo

ajcadoo

macrumors 6502
Sep 17, 2011
276
132
San Diego, CA
Kinda unsure why this is considered front page news. The amount of people with a 2013 Air (announced just days ago) using Photoshop might be around the 500-600 mark.
 
iDemiurge

iDemiurge

macrumors 6502
Feb 7, 2011
275
212
Portugal
I love these. Upgrade to an unreleased OS and problem solved.

What do you do if you're not a developer? Apple has to fix it in 10.8.
 
Rogifan

Rogifan

macrumors Penryn
Nov 14, 2011
24,124
31,156
ajcadoo said:
Kinda unsure why this is considered front page news. The amount of people with a 2013 Air (announced just days ago) using Photoshop might be around the 500-600 mark.
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Because there is no real news or rumors to report and they need to fill up the front page with something to get site clicks.
 
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plasticsman

macrumors newbie
Sep 13, 2012
14
0
ajcadoo said:
Kinda unsure why this is considered front page news. The amount of people with a 2013 Air (announced just days ago) using Photoshop might be around the 500-600 mark.
Click to expand...

I have this problem on the Air and I appreciate that it was put on the front page. Apple and Adobe need to get this fixed without turning the blame on each other!
 
L

Larry-K

macrumors 68000
Jun 28, 2011
1,888
2,340
devinher said:
Am I the only one that thinks it's amazing that an AIR can even run a full version of photoshop?

Seems like just yesterday we were blown away that Jobs could fit one in an envelope, now we expect it to handle high end graphics applications.
Click to expand...
I just think it's amazing anyone would want to.

13" isn't big enough for a palette monitor.
 
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plasticsman

macrumors newbie
Sep 13, 2012
14
0
Larry-K said:
I just think it's amazing anyone would want to.

13" isn't big enough for a palette monitor.
Click to expand...

People connect big monitors to their air all the time. Why wouldn't we? Its a small powerful machine. And if traveling, can make some quick fixes.
 
r.harris1

r.harris1

macrumors 68020
Feb 20, 2012
2,190
12,628
Denver, Colorado, USA
Definitely bothersome! Although, Pot and Kettle here a bit too. Adobe isn't always so hot at jumping all over bug reports either, I have to say. (The CPU-hogging Adobe CEF Helper is my current annoyance)
 
thekev

thekev

macrumors 604
Aug 5, 2010
7,005
3,343
plasticsman said:
I have this problem on the Air and I appreciate that it was put on the front page. Apple and Adobe need to get this fixed without turning the blame on each other!
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Your concern is basically answered within that link. It's not all hardware, and Adobe doesn't have any of the affected hardware. I'm not sure how it could be anything other than a low level problem if it causes the entire screen to blank out like that. Adobe has their own issues at times.
 
T

theheadguy

macrumors 65816
Apr 26, 2005
1,156
1,385
california
devinher said:
Am I the only one that thinks it's amazing that an AIR can even run a full version of photoshop? Seems like just yesterday we were blown away that Jobs could fit one in an envelope, now we expect it to handle high end graphics applications.
Click to expand...

It's sad that your expectations are so low. This is not a $300 netbook.
 
A

Alumeenium

macrumors regular
May 15, 2013
200
68
Strobe light edition

untz untz untz untz untz untz untz breakdown!

untz untz untz untz untz untz untz I'm over heatin'
 
filmbuff

filmbuff

macrumors 6502a
Jan 5, 2011
967
364
theheadguy said:
It's sad that your expectations are so low. This is not a $300 netbook.
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Thankyou! The MBA is many times as powerful as high end laptops from ~5 years ago. Why couldn't it run photoshop? Even HD video is doable albeit not ideal.
 
L

lkrupp

macrumors 68000
Jul 24, 2004
1,873
3,795
kylepro88 said:
Ugh I really wanted to buy one of these and now they got me all jumpy. Sigh...
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I've never paid attention to this sort of stuff and have never been jumpy about buying an Apple product. Never, in my over 30 years of using Apple products have I EVER experienced any of the glitches reported by that ethereal "some users" crowd. The instantaneous nature of the Internet these days makes stuff like this look common when it is not.:confused:
 
autrefois

autrefois

macrumors 65816
Oct 22, 2003
1,442
1,496
I’m autrefois+, the same as autrefois but with a +
If you listen to the sound while the you watch the YouTube video, the MacBook Air's monitor starts flickering right around the time whatever annoying music that is in the background goes a little sour.

Maybe it has nothing to do with Photoshop. I think the screen is flickering because the MacBook Air is trying with all its might to shut that racket off. Keep trying, little MBA! :D
 
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indiekiduk

macrumors 6502
Jul 26, 2005
475
405
Glasgow, Scotland
devinher said:
Am I the only one that thinks it's amazing that an AIR can even run a full version of photoshop?

Seems like just yesterday we were blown away that Jobs could fit one in an envelope, now we expect it to handle high end graphics applications.
Click to expand...

Yes airs are the best choice for power and portability, for some reason not everyone has caught on. Down to pro marketing presumably. An extra 1lb just for a GPU or a dvd drive isn't worth it.
 
S

Seppentoni

macrumors member
Jul 14, 2011
95
95
Europe
ajcadoo said:
Kinda unsure why this is considered front page news. The amount of people with a 2013 Air (announced just days ago) using Photoshop might be around the 500-600 mark.
Click to expand...

I'm a graphic/web Designer an I work on a MBA full time (Of course with a nice 27" screen).
I don't understand what the MBP is for. The MBA does everything really great, unless you do video Editing then an MBA doesn't suffice.
 
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