Another GPU fail
I have a late 2011 Macbook Pro 15" that just failed last week. Here's the deal:
1) The graphics cards would be fine if they were better attached to the logic board. It's Apple's method of construction, rather than the graphics card itself, that causes the overheating and eventual failure.
2)Even if your machine doesn't fail or experience glitches right now, it could still be affected in the long run. Mine lasted three years before catastrophe.
3)Apple's replacement boards are refurbished to the exact factory specs of the original boards that are failing. They might have even failed once before, then had another gpu and more thermal paste applied, only to be sold to another unsuspecting customer under the auspices that the replacement board will be better than the first. That's why most 2nd and 3rd boards are doomed to fail. Apple has no long term solution to the problem, only to keep replacing boards (many times at the customers expense - which means this is an ongoing problem, not something that happened to a small batch of Macbooks four years ago. They are still peddling these failure-prone logic boards today.
4)Apple is clearly trying to wait this one out by staying mum on the subject. Their official line is that there is no problem. Period. End of story.
5)The only available solution, at least if you're out of Applecare, is to have a third party repair shop reball the gpu and affix it properly to the logic board. If you're still on Applecare, just keep replacing and failing gpu's until they give you a retina. If you get a replacement board right before your warrantly lapses, you're likely to end up with a sad mac.
That's my takeaway after a week of investigating since my own computer failed. I spoke with an Apple rep for twenty minutes on the phone, listening to the corporate runaround. I had already made the decision to take my computer elsewhere for repairs, I just wanted them to add my name to the growing pile of complaints. They were nice and gracious, but unyielding in their denial.
If you have a 2011 Macbook Pro that hasn't failed yet, it might still be a good idea to have the fans cleaned out, and maybe even spring for a reball if you really want to be on the safe side. If you catch it early before it really burns up the logic board, you should be able to save all the components and have a long-lasting computer. I got my Macbook back from repairs yesterday, and it runs cooler, quieter, and faster than it did when it was brand new.