Graphics Problem - Software or Hardware?

[TheBuffather]

I have a new late 2016 15" MacBook Pro, 2.9GHz i7, 16GB Ram, Radeon 460 graphics. I am randomly experiencing artifacts within application windows, often after swiping with four fingers on the trackpad to switch Spaces. Artifacts have shown up in Mail, Preview, Messages, Safari, Finder, etc. Attached are a couple of images showing the problem.

Calling Apple last night, I was told this was a software problem and I should reinstall the operating system. Would anyone here potentially agree? They did not even so much as hint as it could be hardware, which is what I fear. The reason I ask is because I have experienced a similar situation before, with the 2012 MacBook Pro Retina actually, where it was the graphics card. I am asking because I have a Genius Bar appointment next week and want to know if I should push the hardware line of thought harder. Thanks!

 

[kevinkyoo]

Hardware problem. I had the same issues with my 2012 and 2015 15" MBP's. They issued a repair program for the 2012 model, and they still haven't said anything about the 2015 one. It has to do with their dedicated GPU's (Whether it's the GPU themselves, or how they're soldered onto the MOBO).

They will either let you swap out for the exact same model, or replace the logic board, but you'll always eventually run into this problem. I suggest you return this computer, and either look elsewhere for a powerful laptop/PC, or look at a combination of a 13" Apple laptop and a PC.

 

[FrankySavvy]

Had the same issue, I returned and exchanged and have had no problem since! Fingers crossed its just software.

 

[tubeexperience]

It's most certainly a hardware issue.

Almost every single model of MacBook Pro with dGPU has issues with the dGPU.

 

[Wildkraut]

I have a new late 2016 15" MacBook Pro, 2.9GHz i7, 16GB Ram, Radeon 460 graphics. I am randomly experiencing artifacts within application windows, often after swiping with four fingers on the trackpad to switch Spaces. Artifacts have shown up in Mail, Preview, Messages, Safari, Finder, etc. Attached are a couple of images showing the problem.

Calling Apple last night, I was told this was a software problem and I should reinstall the operating system. Would anyone here potentially agree? They did not even so much as hint as it could be hardware, which is what I fear. The reason I ask is because I have experienced a similar situation before, with the 2012 MacBook Pro Retina actually, where it was the graphics card. I am asking because I have a Genius Bar appointment next week and want to know if I should push the hardware line of thought harder. Thanks!

Well try to reinstall from scratch, without using the recovery partition, and use disk util to wipe the disk before installing it.
You have nothing to lose, and still enough time to test till the appointment.
Who knows, maybe they used some faulty mac image...

Btw. I had this once on my iMac late 2012, too. But magically disappeared and never came back...

 

[voyagerd]

It definitely looks like a hardware issue since not everyone is having issues. One strange thing that I'm seeing that points to hardware is that after every kernal panic due to dGPU resets, the flickering checkerboard gets worse. After 4 kernal panics, even my login screen flickers now.

• After 1st kernal panic, no other visible issues
• After 2nd kernal panic, very mild flickering when opening a photo with Quick Look
• After 3rd kernal panic, occasional mild flickering of desktop and around certain text
  
• After 4th kernal panic, constant noticeable checkerboard flickering on some areas of the login screen