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8600M GT revisions, possible to scope out online?

R

retta283

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Original poster
Jun 8, 2018
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My hunt for a fixed GPU 17" MBP is going nowhere at all. I've heard that the Late 2008 model, mostly a streamline of the earlier 2008 17"s have the fixed GPU revision, but I cannot track any down. They had LED and 1200p standard unlike the early 2008s, so that's something to keep an eye out for.

However, some eBay listings don't give enough info on specs to have any idea what revision it is, especially not for the 2007s/early 2008s on GPU info. Is there any info in System Profiler or elsewhere that indicates what revision the GPU is/whether it's been replaced before? I know you can see it on the board but it's too much to ask the seller to completely tear the machine down to check, IMO.

Edit: Accidentally posted in PPC Macs board, I have reported it to be moved, my bad. Old habit...
 
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I know that a "green dot" sticker on the RAM slots indicates the logicboard has been replaced by Apple and the machine in question thus has a fixed GPU. Which is how I know my 15" 2007 MBP is safe. No way to check in System Profiler AFAIK.
 
Are you looking for a "collectors item" or do you intend to use it as a daily driver?
A friend of mine got a 15" back in 2008. He got his first logic board replacement after 9 months. until we graduated he got 2 more and a GPU-replacement in a repair shop. He used it for gaming and video editing, so GPU load was more on the heavy side, but still you can't call the replacement boards "reliable". I heard similar stories from 17" owners a lot, and that's what you get to read in many marketplace listings, too.
I'd go X1600 or unibody.
But back to topic, the genuine replacement boards are standard boards without serial number. After replacement a special tool is used to write the serial number to the chip. At this point, there is no easy way to determine if it's the first LB
 
Ideally it would be a daily use or nearly daily use machine. I do have a late 2006 17", but I'd like the newer OS support of the 2007/08s, and the x1600 isn't the best GPU for even games at that era. Getting a high-res screen would be nice as well. I do not know if it's possible to swap the displays out to put the high-res in a 2006.

I might just have to go to the Unibodies series at this point, but personally I don't like the glossy screen so I'd have to look for a Matte one and the 17" unibodies are pretty expensive for what they are.
 
Amethyst1 said:
AFAIK once you have the "revised" GPU (which you can only identify by looking at the chip's markings themselves) the board is reliable as in the GPU is known not to fail again.
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Do you have a vague month/year, since when a revised GPU was used? I know of at least one replacement in 2012 (had the receipt on hand) where the GPU still did fail. ...which makes sense because NVIDIA could't get this problem solved a 100% until the 650M in the first 15" retinas.

@retta283 go for a mid 2010 matte (330m). avoid the later 6750m cards, they are nearly as bad as the 8600GTs
 
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Does the green sticker always mean the GPU has been replaced with the revised version?
 
Learn something new every day. I never attributed my late 2008 MBP logic board failure to be GPU related. It was sitting in storage (worked when last booted) but I could not get it to start when I applied power to it. I have since replaced the logic board, and have it booting into 10.13.6 these days.

Still a really good machine, I love the IR sensor and my home application for this machine is to connect to my local Mac Pro Tower and view media on my TV in the office.
 
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840quadra said:
Still a really good machine, I love the IR sensor and my home application for this machine is to connect to my local Mac Pro Tower and view media on my TV in the office.
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I absolutely loved the IR sensor and ability to add remotes, Front Row, XBMC and a few others that I used made the Mac a great HTPC platform. From laptops to iMacs this was present so you had the chance to make a little media computer even with a MBP.
 
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retta283 said:
I absolutely loved the IR sensor and ability to add remotes, Front Row, XBMC and a few others that I used made the Mac a great HTPC platform. From laptops to iMacs this was present so you had the chance to make a little media computer even with a MBP.
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Yeah being able to add functionality with 3rd party software, or some Terminal tricks has always been great. I do have a license and activated copy of Rowmote Pro on my old iPhone 4 that does a bit more, but it is also nice to grab nearly any Apple remote I have, and quickly interact with this device in the event of a call or whatever.

I am glad I can still use it, This was my first brand new Mac Laptop, and I remember watching Steve Jobs unveil it in a special event. IIRC I ordered and picked it up the same weekend at a local Apple Store. Still a solid feeling machine, but I mirror some of your concerns about the screen. I got used to it but it is still not ideal, but it is bought and paid for!

(I am actually posting on this device now)
 
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