For anyone with the 2014 or 2015 15" MBP with dGPU, are you experiencing problems related to video?

[kevinkyoo]

Title. I know Apple released a program for the 2011-2013 rMBP's specifically because of this problem, but I'm afraid that this problem extends into the more recent 2014 and 2015 rMBP's. I have the 2015 rMBP with the M370X. When I'm playing a video on Safari OR iTunes (So it is not a problem specifically attributed to Safari, and I've uninstalled Flash), the screen will freeze, and the fans will kick on. And just yesterday was the first time where the entire screen turned black. The charger was still green, and the peripherals connected to the USB hubs were working, but the screen was black and showed nothing and had no sounds.

Is this something I can bring up to the Apple store for a possible replacement of the computer?

 

[tubeexperience]

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/mbpr-freezes-when-graphics-card-switches.1965079/

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...-screen-vertical-lines.1962039/#post-22687749

And that's just doing a 30-seconds search.

 

[matt_on_a_mtn]

I had the 15" 2015 with m370x for a short while, and the switching was noticeable and pretty much guaranteed the fans would kick on. I ended up returning it, as while the switching was noticeable, the performance change really wasn't outside of gaming.

I've got the base 2015 15" now and I'm much happier.

I haven't seen much about the 2014 and 2015 models having failures, but there's plenty of complaints around regarding switching, fans, and heat.

 

[tubeexperience]

Title. I know Apple released a program for the 2011-2013 rMBP's specifically because of this problem, but I'm afraid that this problem extends into the more recent 2014 and 2015 rMBP's. I have the 2015 rMBP with the M370X. When I'm playing a video on Safari OR iTunes (So it is not a problem specifically attributed to Safari, and I've uninstalled Flash), the screen will freeze, and the fans will kick on. And just yesterday was the first time where the entire screen turned black. The charger was still green, and the peripherals connected to the USB hubs were working, but the screen was black and showed nothing and had no sounds.

Is this something I can bring up to the Apple store for a possible replacement of the computer?

Well, I have a 2011 MBP and I will say this: what you described is pretty much what happens to me when the GPU fails.

 

[kevinkyoo]

This is comical. I just got off the phone from a senior customer service rep, and he told me that they've "never experienced this problem with any MacBook Pro." It's getting ridiculous. I'm thinking of just selling this computer off and getting one from another company who won't give a **** computer that breaks down by having a dGPU inside. Speechless.

 

[Fancuku]

FYI, the 2014 has nVidia graphics, not AMD like the 2015.

 

[content]

Set your display scaling to default, and disable the automatic graphics card switching.

Let us know if it still happens...

The switching bug has been around forever. 2014 and 2015 MBP users have been complaining about the same thing in large threads on Apple forums. Different dGPU, it's a software bug.

The switching issue is a bug in AppleMuxControl. It's a known issue (OS X 10.6.8 +), unstable kernel extension. OS X 10.6.8 Thunderbolt Software Update 1 contains the first iteration of AppleMuxControl.

 

[spacebro]

Mine stays in discrete graphics if gmail is open for some reason. Which is all the time.

 

[kevinkyoo]

Set your display scaling to default, and disable the automatic graphics card switching.

Let us know if it still happens...

The switching bug has been around forever. 2014 and 2015 MBP users have been complaining about the same thing in large threads on Apple forums. Different dGPU, it's a software bug.

The switching issue is a bug in AppleMuxControl. It's a known issue (OS X 10.6.8 +), unstable kernel extension. OS X 10.6.8 Thunderbolt Software Update 1 contains the first iteration of AppleMuxControl.

No problems occur when I disable automatic graphics card switching, but the battery life is then around 3-4 hours, and this is just for using web browsing.

 

[content]

No problems occur when I disable automatic graphics card switching, but the battery life is then around 3-4 hours, and this is just for using web browsing.

At least you know it's a software issue. The problem has been around forever. With every new MBP release people think they have a hardware issue because of this. Battery life drops because the dGPU will stay on when switching is turned off. Try and take a look at gfxCardStatus to see if it helps you out...

 

[alphadog808]

This is comical. I just got off the phone from a senior customer service rep, and he told me that they've "never experienced this problem with any MacBook Pro." It's getting ridiculous. I'm thinking of just selling this computer off and getting one from another company who won't give a **** computer that breaks down by having a dGPU inside. Speechless.

I actually got the base 15" just so i can avoid the headache that a dgpu may bring and I have no complaints.

 

[smelly cat]

I actually got the base 15" just so i can avoid the headache that a dgpu may bring and I have no complaints.

Same here. The Iris Pro 5200 delivers surprisingly good performance, consumes less power, produces less heat, and is cheaper to top it all off.

I'm excited at the future of integrated GPUs. They won't be good enough to satisfy the needs of performance enthusiasts for some time -- discrete GPUs are the way to go. However, remember that backside cache on daughterboards and separate floating point processors used to be discrete as well. Now, hardly anybody even remembers such a time.

 

[matt_on_a_mtn]

Same here. The Iris Pro 5200 delivers surprisingly good performance, consumes less power, produces less heat, and is cheaper to top it all off.

I'm excited at the future of integrated GPUs. They won't be good enough to satisfy the needs of performance enthusiasts for some time -- discrete GPUs are the way to go. However, remember that backside cache on daughterboards and separate floating point processors used to be discrete as well. Now, hardly anybody even remembers such a time.

It really does have some solid performance for being integrated. It may not run the latest and greatest games on high settings, but it performs better than one would expect.

As for the future of integrated GPUs, I'd say it won't be long before we catch up to discrete GPUs. Not just because integrated GPUs are advancing rapidly, but because discrete ones mostly are only advancing incrementally.

I'm also curious to see how things like external graphics cards come into play. I doubt this will happen much for Macs, but it's already an option with some windows notebooks, and I'm looking forward to seeing how that option grows.

 

[content]

@kevinkyoo
I forgot, you can also try and set your display scaling to default, without disabling the automatic graphics card switching. Let me know if this works. This alone works for some and not others. The switch will cause your screen to blink when the switch occurs, but nothing major...

Let me know if this works for you.

 

[azpekt]

Yeah, I do have issues. When dGPU kicks in, and it always kicks in with external display in clamshell mode, this stuff happens.

 

[Queen6]

This is comical. I just got off the phone from a senior customer service rep, and he told me that they've "never experienced this problem with any MacBook Pro." It's getting ridiculous. I'm thinking of just selling this computer off and getting one from another company who won't give a **** computer that breaks down by having a dGPU inside. Speechless.

Typical Apple denial, statements like this are exactly why we no longer use Apple`s hardware. Was a time I have would unreservedly recommended the Mac, these days I pretty much discount it

Q-6

 

[ohms12]

I've had issues with discrete graphics cards on my Macbook Pro's from 2012 until the mid 2015 model. Frankly, I don't know if they'll ever fix them. I've had 2 replaced laptops and 3 logic/graphics card replacements in that time.

 

[Queen6]

I've had issues with discrete graphics cards on my Macbook Pro's from 2012 until the mid 2015 model. Frankly, I don't know if they'll ever fix them. I've had 2 replaced laptops and 3 logic/graphics card replacements in that time.

As long as Apple remains to push consumer components to the upper limit of their thermal envelope, prioritises form over function the MBP will continue to suffer premature failure of the dGPU.

Apple will also continue to do it`s level best to disregard it`s customers who have issue, well until it`s blatantly obvious that Apple will loose in a court of law - 2011 15" MBP Radiongate being prime example, one of many...

Q-6