New MBP graphics card issues

[Warranty Voider]

Ok, let me first begin from the very beginning... On October 16, I bought a new MBP. As soon as I got home and opened it up, I noticed a white line flickering in the bottom left hand corner of my screen (as mentioned in this thread) So I took it back and exchanged it. This time, I checked it in the store, and what do you know... It has the same exact problem. So I exchange it for yet another one, and check it in the store. It seemed perfect so I took it home all happy. But, the next day I noticed a major problem. Images and text was getting scrambled up. It appeared to be a graphics card problem, but I did a complete erase and install just incase, but the problem was still there. So yesterday I called applecare and asked to get it exchanged yet again. The guy said yes and told me that he would set up another genius appointment for me for thursday. So I'm going to go tomorrow and hopefully this will be the last time they have to replace it. BUT, NO ONE should have to go through 4 laptops to get one that is generally OK. Right now I'm really pissed with the quality of the new MBP. I love the new look, and the glossy display isn't bugging me too much, but the quality of the internal electronics sucks. This was my first laptop from apple, but I'm starting to think that it's going to be my last.

EDIT: (I forgot to add this before) The problem only happens when I'm running off of battery power which is sorta weird...

Pics of the scrambled webpages below...

 

[whateverandever]

It happens to everyone at one point.

I've had a few lemons, but honestly... if you love Apple's design, you've got nowhere else to go.

Plus, having the Apple Store makes it a lot easier to exchange it. If you had the same bad luck (and that's what it is -- millions of people get great ones) with a Dell or HP, you'd probably be mailing them back and waiting for new ones.

 

[Warranty Voider]

It happens to everyone at one point.

I've had a few lemons, but honestly... if you love Apple's design, you've got nowhere else to go.

Plus, having the Apple Store makes it a lot easier to exchange it. If you had the same bad luck (and that's what it is -- millions of people get great ones) with a Dell or HP, you'd probably be mailing them back and waiting for new ones.

I'm not comparing Apple to anybody else. I know that apple is just as prone to defects as everyone else, but having to exchange something this many times starts to get really frustrating no matter who the company is.

 

[bcaslis]

If you are only seeing this on webpages, it's very unlikely it's a graphics problem. More likely the browser cache is messed up. Empty the cache and open the pages again. It if was the card you would see it outside the browser window.

 

[Warranty Voider]

If you are only seeing this on webpages, it's very unlikely it's a graphics problem. More likely the browser cache is messed up. Empty the cache and open the pages again. It if was the card you would see it outside the browser window.

No, it happens everywhere but it happens most often when I'm scrolling through many pages. It also happens in Pages. Also, when I'm watching youtube vids, the video will be all scrambled up. Same goes for any other flash on webpages.

 

[SkylerXR]

This might not be helpful, but I wish you the best of luck and hope that the next one you get will be a perfect machine! It really sucks when something like this happens.

 

[itcomic]

It happens to everyone at one point.

I've had a few lemons, but honestly... if you love Apple's design, you've got nowhere else to go.

Plus, having the Apple Store makes it a lot easier to exchange it. If you had the same bad luck (and that's what it is -- millions of people get great ones) with a Dell or HP, you'd probably be mailing them back and waiting for new ones.

However, the sad truth is that, the people who bought Dell or HP computers do not experience faulty notebooks as frequent as Apple products and their price is much more competitive. Having good design is one thing, but lacking quality control to save cost is another thing. The 20 billion NET income of Apple sure get alot of their $ from assembling their computer products with the cheapest parts they can find possible regardless of quality.

 

[TodVader]

I don't know what your problem is but I do know that GPU problems cannot be seen with a screenshot.

 

[iVeBeenDrinkin']

However, the sad truth is that, the people who bought Dell or HP computers do not experience faulty notebooks as frequent as Apple products and their price is much more competitive. Having good design is one thing, but lacking quality control to save cost is another thing. The 20 billion NET income of Apple sure get alot of their $ from assembling their computer products with the cheapest parts they can find possible regardless of quality.

Do you have proof to back this claim?

 

[bcaslis]

I don't know what your problem is but I do know that GPU problems cannot be seen with a screenshot.

I'd agree, the bad image would happen after the image is sent from memory not before. For it to show in a screen shot shows the actual image in memory is messed up. I suppose it could be a problem in the video memory itself.

 

[TodVader]

I'd agree, the bad image would happen after the image is sent from memory not before. For it to show in a screen shot shows the actual image in memory is messed up. I suppose it could be a problem in the video memory itself.

Exactly. Thanks for making what I said more clear, I was too lazy to say the whole thing

This is a known Safari bug that used to happen to me ( haven't seen it in a while ) but OP says it happens elsewhere.

Go ahead with the exchange, you got an apple store and you got nothing to lose but this is certainly not a GPU issue.

 

[Warranty Voider]

I don't know what your problem is but I do know that GPU problems cannot be seen with a screenshot.

It CAN be seen with a screen shot... just not with shift+apple+4. I used shift+apple+3 and then cropped the image. If I used shift+apple+4, the text and images would correct themselves. When I called applecare, I got transfered over from the first guy, to a smarter guy because the first guy didn't know squat. The second guy told me that it was a graphics card issue.

Also, if it was only a safari bug, then it would be happening in other apps and it wouldn't only be happening while I'm using the lower end graphics card.

 

[DeekinBlooz]

It CAN be seen with a screen shot... just not with shift+apple+4. I used shift+apple+3 and then cropped the image. If I used shift+apple+4, the text and images would correct themselves. When I called applecare, I got transfered over from the first guy, to a smarter guy because the first guy didn't know squat. The second guy told me that it was a graphics card issue.

Also, if it was only a safari bug, then it would be happening in other apps and it wouldn't only be happening while I'm using the lower end graphics card.

So, this only happens when you are on battery and using the integrated graphics? Can you explicitly toggle a setting to use the dedicated graphics card while on battery to get by until Apple gets you a replacement that works?

I hope I'm not a graphics bug magnet when I buy mine! What a pain!

 

[DGaio]

I've seen this happen in other computers, it seems to be a graphic driver problem, so unless its to severe and change the MBP with another one, or try and wait for an update of the graphic drivers and see if it clears.

I would recommend you doing a clean install to see if the problems persists before exchanging.

 

[costabunny]

However, the sad truth is that, the people who bought Dell or HP computers do not experience faulty notebooks as frequent as Apple products and their price is much more competitive. Having good design is one thing, but lacking quality control to save cost is another thing. The 20 billion NET income of Apple sure get alot of their $ from assembling their computer products with the cheapest parts they can find possible regardless of quality.

Not really True

Out of the last 10 laptops we've had from Dell - 7 were DOA or needed replacing within a week, (one even looked like someone had sat on the screen).

I cant comment on HP though

 

[Warranty Voider]

So, this only happens when you are on battery and using the integrated graphics? Can you explicitly toggle a setting to use the dedicated graphics card while on battery to get by until Apple gets you a replacement that works?

I hope I'm not a graphics bug magnet when I buy mine! What a pain!

Ya, that's what I'm doing right now...

I've seen this happen in other computers, it seems to be a graphic driver problem, so unless its to severe and change the MBP with another one, or try and wait for an update of the graphic drivers and see if it clears.

I would recommend you doing a clean install to see if the problems persists before exchanging.

I've already done a clean install and it didn't help. Also, I decided to not return it because I'm afraid I'll just get one that's worse. I'm just going to wait until apple does a driver update or something, and if the problem is still happening, then I will exchange my computer.

 

[bcaslis]

Hmm, so you only see this when using the 9400 and on battery?

Well the 9400 uses shared memory (the main RAM). Is yours stock or did you add third-party memory.

Have you run the hardware diagnostics test? Restart and hold down the "D" key. After a few seconds it should boot into the hardware test. Select extended diagnostics and run. It will take an hour or two to run the extended test but that will test the memory more throughly.

 

[donbenjy]

I've noticed this with my replacement Pro...Not sure whether to wait for drivers (it didn't happen on my previous machine, which had fan noise) or to replace it...Hopefully they'll do an update soon though...interestingly, does anyone with this issue have bootcamp and windows installed? Might be worth trying out the windows drivers and seeing if it's still an issue.

If it is a driver problem, why would only some models be affected? Might give a call to applecare if it continues or gets worse...though I don't wanna go through the hassle of getting a new new mbp

Oh well, I guess this is to be expected as early adapters