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2011 15" MBP - flickering/pulsing on certain shades of grey or fine-line patterns

C

Ceebee1980

macrumors regular
Original poster
Mar 30, 2011
104
0
Chatsworth, CA
I'm seeing this weird issue, on very rare backgrounds (like the grey background used on the Steam interface, and the occasional website), where a certain shade of grey, and/or fine lines on a grey or dark grey-blue background seem to cause a very even flickering, or pulsing.

This doesn't happen to the whole screen, just the area with that shade or pattern.

Could this be related to some strange confluence of 60hz w/ my screen resolution? Or perhaps my color profile? Video drivers? Or even with my video card?

I've googled, and seen a few different people asking questions like this over the last 2-3 years, but no real answers. The only people who seem to think it's a hardware problem are those who get whole-screen flickering...
 
Ceebee1980 said:
I'm seeing this weird issue, on very rare backgrounds (like the grey background used on the Steam interface, and the occasional website), where a certain shade of grey, and/or fine lines on a grey or dark grey-blue background seem to cause a very even flickering, or pulsing.

This doesn't happen to the whole screen, just the area with that shade or pattern.

Could this be related to some strange confluence of 60hz w/ my screen resolution? Or perhaps my color profile? Video drivers? Or even with my video card?

I've googled, and seen a few different people asking questions like this over the last 2-3 years, but no real answers. The only people who seem to think it's a hardware problem are those who get whole-screen flickering...
Click to expand...
Mine had the same problem. A trip to my local Apple store to have it confirmed by a genius was the key to getting a replacement.
 
Is this a replacement-worthy issue? I was thinking it might just be a refresh-frequency issue, or a problem with patterns that are too fine.
I see basically zero issue in games, browsing, or other normal operation.
 
Hmm... I don't know.
My worry is it's something inherent to the 15" MBP 1440x900 lcd.
Does anyone else get flicker?
I get flicker on at least 3 of the patterns, with a special color profile.
If I drop my color profile back to the LCD standard or whatever, I only get 1-2. Hmm...

I don't notice the issue in many every-day situations, so I'm hesitant to have
Apple crack my computer open and start fiddling with things... although I could use the opportunity to get the higher-res screen, perhaps?
 
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Late 2011 13" MBP also flickering or pulsing on certain shades of grey

I just bought a Late MBP 2011 and have the same problem. You can really notice the flickering in steam. I think it has to do with the particular graphics card in this case the intel HD 3000. My other late 2009 MBP 15 inch does not have this problem.
 
Same problem

I have the same problem with my MBP early 2011 with Intel HD Graphics 3000 512 MB.

The strange thing is that I didn't have the problem a month ago..
 
I'm also experiencing the same behavior on my MacBook Pro 17" 2011 model. I have about 2 months left on my AppleCare and wasn't sure if this is something Apple considers a defect or not.
 
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I took my MBP in and they sent it away to have the LED screen replaced, which didn't fix the problem. So, it's being sent off again to have the Logic board replaced. That AppleCare has now paid for itself over twice now.
 
MkVsTheWorld said:
I took my MBP in and they sent it away to have the LED screen replaced, which didn't fix the problem. So, it's being sent off again to have the Logic board replaced. That AppleCare has now paid for itself over twice now.
Click to expand...
So, they replaced the logic board and the issue immediately persists. I showed the reps at the Apple store after getting it back and they think it's a software or driver issue because the issue doesn't happen using Safari, ie go to Safari & Chrome then scroll down to the bottom of the page at PCworld.com.

Yet, if I uncheck "Automatic Graphics Switching" in System Preferences under Energy, the problem goes away, even with Chrome.
 
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Welcome to my world and many other's world as well. I just paid $300 this morning actually to get the entire computer refurbished at the Apple Store. I'm not happy about it. I hope the class action lawsuit goes through because I want a refund for this repair. I guess I got lucky because they issued a flat fee repair for the refurbish. A lot of other people were getting much higher quotes for the repair.

Link about lawsuit: http://appleinsider.com/articles/14/10/28/apple-hit-with-class-action-lawsuit-over-2011-macbook-pro-graphics-failures

There is also a nearly 11,000 post discussion about this on the official Apple Support Forum. https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4766577?tstart=0

Edit: Don't be surprised if you have increasingly more frequent and worse graphical issues.

----------

Direct quote from: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4766577?start=10965&tstart=0


Not having tread all 12000 posts to this issue, I try to summarize the issues and workarounds discussed here.

The MacBook Pro model from 2011 (Early, Mid and Late) are equipped with an Internal Intel HD-video 3000 GPU and a AMD Radeon HD 6770M GPU. The former is normally used for basic screen display, the latter is used when you start to use the MacBook Pro for more advanced graphical application (one of the main features most of us bought such a very expensive MacBook Pro to start with).
The AMD Radeon GPU, due to heating up, or bad soldering or what ever, in many cases progressively breaks down, ending up in MacBook Pro that is hard to boot and when booted, a MacBook Pro that crashes as soon as you try to use its advanced graphical features.
The ‘solution’ Apple provides is to replace (for free or paid) the Logic Board. The chips on this replacement board fail progressively too, so that is not a real solution.
You can opt for re-soldering or re-balling the AMD Radeon HD 6770M GPU by a third party. A process in which they (re)install the (new?) AMD Radeon HD 6770M GPU on the Logic Board, but the better soldered. Beside this is done by third parties and you effectively give Apple all reasons to dismiss any future claims from you, these processes apparently do only provide a longer lasting, but no a real lasting solution.
Using a tool like gfxStatusCard you have the opportunity to put the GPU used to the internal one, resulting in little bit more stable system, as long as an other process does not force the use of the more advanced AMD Radeon GPU. What happens quickly since we bought this expensive MacBook Pro for it’s advanced graphical capabilities.
I have the option to (re)move the drivers the AMD Radeon GPU. Resulting in a system that can’t be forced into an advanced graphical mode anymore and is more stable again. It lacks however all advanced graphical features apple computers are well known for.

Am I complete and correct? If so then I bought a very expensive Lap Top that apparently does not live up to it specification and live expectancy that I as a consumer may count on.
 
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I don't think mine is Radeongate because my flickering issue goes away when I force my MBP to use the discrete graphics card. It's the integrated graphics card that seems to have trouble with certain colors.

I immediately reported this issue when I went to pickup the laptop, but the senior (or supervising) tech who came out at the Apple Store said "It's a software or driver issue" and had a dismissive and untactful attitude. So, I just took my MBP and left.

After thinking about the issue more for a few days, I decided to call AppleCare to see what I could do about this persistent gray flickering issue. I got a senior rep at AppleCare that had a better attitude and offered to send me boxes to Fedex my MBP away for a simultaneous display/logic board replacement.

I'll keep this thread updated with my with results.
 
MkVsTheWorld said:
I don't think mine is Radeongate because my flickering issue goes away when I force my MBP to use the discrete graphics card. It's the integrated graphics card that seems to have trouble with certain colors.

I immediately reported this issue when I went to pickup the laptop, but the senior (or supervising) tech who came out at the Apple Store said "It's a software or driver issue" and had a dismissive and untactful attitude. So, I just took my MBP and left.

After thinking about the issue more for a few days, I decided to call AppleCare to see what I could do about this persistent gray flickering issue. I got a senior rep at AppleCare that had a better attitude and offered to send me boxes to Fedex my MBP away for a simultaneous display/logic board replacement.

I'll keep this thread updated with my with results.
Click to expand...
Hey. I just started having the black flickering issue on my MBP 2011 on integrated graphics. Did you solve yours? Or any tips? Other than running on dGPU. Because It will go bad eventually on the 2011 models.
 
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