MBP 16" Graphics Issue

[jyyz]

I seem to be having a strange, intermittent graphics issue on my MBP 16". It's the 2.4Ghz i9, 32GB RAM, 5500 8GB model.

Take a look at the screenshots. I have four spaces / desktops set up with different things assigned to each. Issue seems/ed to occur when the computer switched from integrated graphics to the 5500. The desktop image on Desktop 1 doesn't render correctly. The rest of the spaces / desktops seem unaffected. When the issue is present, switching between the graphics cards, the image appears normal on integrated, abnormal when switching to the 5500. After repeated switching between graphics cards while the issue is present, the incorrect rendering of the desktop image then seems to then just occur on either graphics card. I have also seen the black in a band on the right side, and around open windows on the screen. Another time the black was a band hovering on the bottom of the screen just up from the dock.

Today, everything seems fine. Yesterday I was able to reproduce the issue, and it occurred several times.

Reset SMC. That seemed to resolve it for a few hours yesterday, only to recur.

After the SMC reset and reoccurrence I reset NVRAM. Was able to reproduce the issue shortly thereafter.

After the NVRAM reset and reoccurrence I reinstalled MacOS (running 11.1.) Was able to reproduce the issue shortly thereafter.

Today, I can't reproduce the issue at all. 🤦‍♂️

Any thoughts on this? If it's a graphics card issue, I would think the entire display would be affected, and not just Desktop 1.

Couple of other points - the issue seems to be the desktop image. Any items on the desktop in the messed up areas render correctly. Interestingly when the issue is present, I dragged an open screen shot across the screen. The screenshot image appeared somewhat transparent when moving over underlying icons on the desktop.

I don't think this is related, but I had a weird issue with AirPods being connected and showing they were routing sound through the AirPods but the sound was coming out of the MBP speakers - this seemed to be around a time yesterday where the issue appeared.

Running the onboard diagnostics say everything is normal.

I first noticed the issue about a month ago when a program triggered the 5500. On that occasion the graphics issue was displaying only on Desktop 3 while the other spaces desktops rendered fine.

To me sounds like a hardware issue. I'm just perplexed that it only appears to affect one space / desktop at a time. I have an appointment to get it looked at in a couple of days, while I have screen shots and recordings of the issue, if I can't reproduce it - then I don't know if there's much point to taking it in.

If anyone has some insights or thoughts on this, I would greatly appreciate it. TYVM!

 

[jyyz]

Just an update in the event anyone else experiences this issue, and comes searching.

Apple had me take the MBP in for repair. They kept it for a week where I presumed it was being repaired. At the end of the week they called claiming they couldn’t find anything wrong with it. This notwithstanding my photos and videos documenting the issue, and Apple Support having viewed the issue multiple times during support calls.

The issue recurred once again the next day after picking up the computer. They had me erase and reinstall my back up. They had me erase and just install files. They had me erase and install nothing. Issue recurred each time. Had me do a data capture. Looks like they are going to be replacing the computer... So not sure what the issue is in the end. Hopefully the new one will be better.

Haven’t had much luck with the 16. When mine was in for repair, I needed something for work, so purchased a second one... Wouldn’t boot or charge out of the box. So been without a proper working computer for weeks now...

 

[smsmart]

I think this is more likely an issue with Big Sur as opposed to the computer itself. I had this same thing happen with my 16" MBP that I had purchased about two months ago. On one of the desktop spaces the wallpaper showed the same kind of incorrect rendering as in your screenshots (only the very top portion of the wallpaper was displaying and everything below was black, however all of the other UI elements were displaying normally) -- the problem occurred after I had just woken the machine up from sleep by opening the lid.

I don't think it had anything to do with the discrete graphics switching as at that point the machine was running off of the integrated graphics, and all of the other aspects of the computer were working just fine. I rebooted the machine and the desktop was back to normal, and the issue hasn't returned since. In the end I chalked it up to a software bug in Big Sur, as the issue hadn't occurred on Catalina it was preloaded with.

(I've also had AirPod issues since Big Sur, like being unable to get the system to connect to them at all).

 

[jyyz]

I don’t know what to make of it. It started as a one off, but then has increased in frequency for me. When the issue presents itself, it also bogs down the performance. Other controls become unresponsive, do not disturb will activate and nothing will turn it off. I guess we’ll see what happens with the replacement.