Graphic glitches - 5300m 16" MBP

[Xgx]

Hi guys

I'm seeing some artefacts when using an external display with my 16" MBP 5300m.

I have owned this device since December last year and always used it with the same external display (1080p). The display does not produce these artefacts when connected to any other devices.

These artefacts have only appeared within the last 2 months, i.e. not when the computer was new. I haven't seen them when the computer is not connected to the external display. I understand an external display automatically triggers the dGPU, so I suspect the 5300m is in some way to blame.

The photos shows purple squares. I have also seen green squares. They seem to appear at random although more often than not when using Safari. Sometimes they appear in small groups as pictured, sometimes many appear at once. They always display in the same short, diagonal arrangements.

Has anyone else had an experience of this? Can anyone shed any light?

 

[ght56]

When using the computer with the clamshell open and without an external display, if you manually engage the dGPU (you do this in Energy settings by unchecking automatic graphics switching), do you see any distortions on the MBP's built in screen?

 

[Xgx]

Thanks for your input. When I try that setup no, I don't see any distortions. I'll continue to test that setup over the coming days to be sure. Another point to note is these distortions do not always appear immediately on my external display, they usually appear after the computer has been running for some time, anything from a few minutes to a few hours.

 

[Xgx]

Anyone else experiencing a similar issue?

 

[brianmowrey]

Are you putting more time on the display with the MBP than with the “other devices” since the issue began? If so it could just be that you haven’t seen the issue reproduce with the other devices, and that the issue is in fact with the display or connectors or interference in the room. That’s the trouble with tackling intermittent issues...

 

[Xgx]

Are you putting more time on the display with the MBP than with the “other devices” since the issue began? If so it could just be that you haven’t seen the issue reproduce with the other devices, and that the issue is in fact with the display or connectors or interference in the room. That’s the trouble with tackling intermittent issues...

Thanks for your help Brian. I like your thinking, but unfortunately that doesn't appear to be the case. I've used both a console and another MacBook Pro with the same display on many occasions for hours at a time and have never encountered this issue whilst doing so. Of course, there's always a chance that I'm just unlucky in my timing and that this issue would eventually surface with these other devices too, but based on how frequently it manifests when connected to the 16" it seems very unlikely that is the case.

 

[brianmowrey]

Oof. In that case, you're at the point where Apple Support would probably tell you you need to replace the logic board. So if you are eligible for the repair, let them do it...