Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Sadly, wont work for me - I`m using FCPX/Resolve and bunch of other GPU/vRAM dependant applications.

Taking into account the scale of this problem (I saw numerous reports on flickering), I hope Apple will came up with some driver/firmware update.
 
From Apple, I just purchased a refurbished 2015 MBP with the M370X. I unpacked it yesterday and then installed all updates (including El Capitan). I've not yet installed any additional applications.

I noticed the flickering last night while lightly using Safari and iTunes. Haven't yet determined the action that is causing it. It's not awful but it is disappointing, considering the price.

Since I'm still within the return period, I considered contacting Apple to (presumably) have them swap it for another one. I figured I would Google the issue first ... which led me here. Any suggestions as to how to proceed?
 
  • Like
Reactions: muminovumid
Thanks. But doesn't that, in effect, disable the M370X altogether?

Just the opposite. It disables the switching from iGPU/dGPU and results in the M370X running all the time. That is what I have done and the impact on battery life and heat have been minimal.
 
Ha, my next question would have been whether engaging the M370X all the time results in diminished battery life and increased heat. Glad to hear that's not the case.

Also relieved to know that the problem has nothing to do with my MBP being refurbished.

Has it been conclusively determined if this is a hardware flaw or a driver flaw ... and whether the problem can be fixed?
 
Ha, my next question would have been whether engaging the M370X all the time results in diminished battery life and increased heat. Glad to hear that's not the case.

Also relieved to know that the problem has nothing to do with my MBP being refurbished.

Has it been conclusively determined if this is a hardware flaw or a driver flaw ... and whether the problem can be fixed?

There is an impact but not significant in my testing when doing non-GPU intensive tasks. I don't believe anything has been conclusively determined.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CGW
From Apple, I just purchased a refurbished 2015 MBP with the M370X. I unpacked it yesterday and then installed all updates (including El Capitan). I've not yet installed any additional applications.

I noticed the flickering last night while lightly using Safari and iTunes. Haven't yet determined the action that is causing it. It's not awful but it is disappointing, considering the price.

Since I'm still within the return period, I considered contacting Apple to (presumably) have them swap it for another one. I figured I would Google the issue first ... which led me here. Any suggestions as to how to proceed?

Same problem! MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2015). Unpack 3 days ago.
 
Last edited:
For those of you experiencing this issue, Are you using any plugins/or extensions in Safari? I had this issue occur as shown in the Youtube video in the OP post on my Mid 2014 rMBP(only when i was running 11.11, not 11.11.1). It occurred exactly twice in Safari for me, by which time I had isolated my computers particular video gripe to an issue between Dynamic Switching and Adobe Flash Player(I use gfxCardStatus, and I always run Activity Monitor, so this behavior was really easy to notice). Changed settings to ALWAYS block flash content by default, cleared my website data, closed all apps using Webkit underpinnings manually, then CLEAN restarted my Mac.. I have not seen this issue since...

I hope this info helps..
 
There is one way to fix this issue, switch GPU to integrate only. It works with gfxCardStatus. Unfortunately don't know how to fix it with dynamic switching.

Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2015
OSX El Capitan 10.11.1
R9 M370X
 
Last edited:
I have the same problem! I bought a new MBP Mid 2015 and after few days I noticed this problem. I went to an authorized service and they sent the problem to Apple Ireland. They said that it's to early to change the mainboard (one week after I've purchased the Mac) so they told me to go and change the Mac because I have the right to do....so I did....and surprise...the problem is there. From what I understand they change the mainboard from 4 to 4 months (that's why they have "Early", "Mid", "Late").

Until then I have 3 solutions:
  1. Use the dedicated video card
  2. Leave like this and deal with the problem
  3. Wait few more months and then change the mainboard and hope for the best.

Did anyone solve this problem in another way?


OS: El Capitan 10.11.3
 
Why not take it to an ARS as soon as possible to see if it is a hardware issue, since it most likely is, and as long as there's not accidental damage you can look forward to getting a free repair? And does this happen in your Windows partition?
 
Sorry for the misunderstanding, I was referencing the OP since he said he had one. It's a shame the same thing happened on a second Mac, but I'd still go back at least one other time and since it's the same thing again, they're more likely to replace it faster as long as you're not restoring from a time machine backup from one of the other faulty computers. I know tons of people who have that year and mode and don't have issues. If it's replicable, I'd also try it before leaving the store if you get another replacement.
 
Under Windows 10 I don't have the flickering problem.
By the way, after all this month since I started this Thread the problem still exists.
I have just today read all your comments since October and I will try this solution with the switching. I will report back in a couple of days.
Cheers
 
I this and that - changing to Radeon only, using gfxMenu, etc, etc...

It still freaks out. Well, since I have this issue only when I`m working in graphics demanding applications, like Resolve/FCPX and in high-res - that doesnt impact me much.

So I decided to embrace some inner calm, and will wait for Skylake or whatever comes next :)
 
So, just got a new macbook pro 15 in today and I am having these issue too...

Haven't even used the thing for a hour and already having this problem. It was happening a bit before I installed my creative cloud apps so I can't blame those...

Well, going back to the apple store tomorrow to get it replaced I guess? I see that it seems to be a problem for everyone so i'm just expecting it to happen again to this replacement!

Don't know if I should just get my entire refund and head down and get a PC once and for all? Does this issue seem to just be the 15" since the graphics card isn't attached to the motherboard or is it the same with the 13"?
 
I just had to return a 15" rmbp, base model without dedicated gpu, for this and other issues. How discouraging to find that this is a common issue.

it happens in multiple programs, so it's clearly a rendering issue: so, either the os, the integrated gpu, or the drivers.

Edit: it's a rendering issue because if you look closely it is clear that the flickering is an image being rendered very briefly and improperly, usually in black and white. Eg, I had my toolbar render sometimes for 1/4 second mid screen, otherwise a panel, usually very hard to tell without watching closely.
 
Last edited:
Hi,

My rMBP 15" mid 2015 is just 3 weeks old and I got this wird screen flickering when watching You Tube Videos. Even one time the screen turned black.
Could it be a software issue?

Cheers





[doublepost=1458437265][/doublepost]I get the exact same flickering. I turned WiFi off and it stopped. Turned it back on and the flicker was back in just seconds. This sounds like a badly needed firmware or software update to me.
 
  • Like
Reactions: duervo
I've had the logic board + display replaced 3 times on my MacBook...It still happens, but only when the M370X is active, and disabling graphics switching does not solve the issue. Happens in anything so long as the M370X is active, Safari, Chrome, Photoshop, Xcode, Numbers, Spotify, etc. It happens more with apps like Photoshop or "graphics intensive" YouTube or Zillow.com, but rarely happens when just browsing the web.

I'm not sure that it is a hardware issue, because if it is, then virtually all logic boards with the M370X would have the issue (just guessing, since several replacements have not solved the issue)... but I can't recall if I ever had the issue in Bootcamp, I don't have Bootcamp anymore, but I don't believe it was an issue there.
 
I can't find the thread(s) right now, but per LVR01's post, I do believe this is WiFi related. I can't explain why; others have commented that they have had their screens replaced and that this *can* fix the issue. The WiFi antennas are located in the screen, so perhaps there are screen components that are poorly shielded against electromagnetic interference.

But I can tell you that this doesn't have to do with the 2015 model and doesn't even have anything to do with the ATI graphics! To disprove the ATI theory, all you have to do is read a few posts back where somebody who bought the model without discrete graphics also has the problem. And then you can consider my case: I have a 2012 model (with NVidia discrete, not ATI!), and I also experience this issue occasionally! For me, it only ever happens when I am transmitting or receiving data over WiFi. Watching a YouTube clip is a good way to reproduce the problem, actually. If I shut the WiFi off and connect my Ethernet adapter instead, problem is completely gone.

It doesn't happen often enough to me and isn't disruptive enough to me when it does for me to bother with trying to get the screen replaced. But the problem does go all the way back to the original 2012 rMBP, and it is definitely tied to the WiFi somehow.

-- Nathan
 
Thanks for the tip... I'll connect to Ethernet and see if it happens again!

EDIT: Still happens for me.
 
Last edited:
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.