Please show how your MacBook shuts down

[RusHayer]

Hello everyone! I have probably strange request, but it is really important for me. Last week I bought MacBook Pro 2020, everything is fine except for one thing: when I shut down it, the screen has some strange flicker, colorful flash, I really don’t know how to explain it, so check video please. My understanding this it not normal and my notebook is flawed. I had two weeks to return, so Apple agreed to take back my notebook and send new one. My request is – please make short video, how does your MacBook shuts down: any effects, flashes etc. Or it should be just fading and that’s all? Your videos will help me to compare my new MacBook with your cases, where everything works as it should be. Thank you!

 

[simonmet]

You returned because of that? How does it matter to anyone?

 

[RusHayer]

You returned because of that? How does it matter to anyone?

I just want to know is it ok or not? Is it flawed or not? I have no other MacBook to compare or friends with this laptop to ask if it’s normal. That’s why I created this post. Please just tell me does your MacBook shuts down with similar effects or not. Thank you!

 

[theorist9]

I just want to know is it ok or not? Is it flawed or not? I have no other MacBook to compare or friends with this laptop to ask if it’s normal. That’s why I created this post. Please just tell me does your MacBook shuts down with similar effects or not. Thank you!

Ignore the curmudgeon who posted for no other reason than to give you a hard time. Your concern is reasonable – while the flicker-on-shutdown doesn't currently interfere with your use of the Mac, it might indicate an issue with the video card that could give you a problem down the road.

If you have a store that sells Apple computers near you, I'd recommend going in and seeing for yourself if another machine does what yours does. If it doesn't, then you should definitely take Apple up on their offer to exchange it. Or if Apple told you the machine isn't supposed to do that, then you should also definitely exchange it.

 

[simonmet]

I just want to know is it ok or not? Is it flawed or not? I have no other MacBook to compare or friends with this laptop to ask if it’s normal. That’s why I created this post. Please just tell me does your MacBook shuts down with similar effects or not. Thank you!

Apologies for my tone/response. I must’ve been in a really bad mood because I’m normally quite friendly and helpful around here.

I think my 16” MacBook Pro would “flash” during shutdown and I experienced some other minor graphical glitches during use (invoking the dock while playing a game induced a subtle flash as well), but these have been fixed in recent system software/graphics driver updates and do not happen anymore. The screen turns off completely cleanly/normally now.

In my not so educated opinion, I think it’s very unlikely that the behaviour you’re experiencing indicates a hardware flaw; more a graphics driver glitch or quirk. If you see ongoing problems during use that’s another matter because it affects your use (and confidence) in the device.

In that case Apple may choose to replace or repair the computer even if it’s a software/driver problem. They sometimes do this if they don’t yet know what the problem is or how to fix it. Plenty of people have reported requesting replacements (sometimes multiple times) for all manner of problems only to find that the replacement exhibits the same issue(s).

That’s why it’s not always best to rush into returning a unit for something that is likely a software/firmware issue or could possibly be fixable by an update, but this decision really depends on how serious the problem is and how much it affects your use of the device. It’s really up to you. If it affects your use you’re more than entitled to return it or request replacement.

I guess what I was trying to say (rather unsuccessfully) is that a flash or funky pattern on the screen when you’re shutting it down really doesn’t affect your use of the device and on its own isn’t worth worrying too much about. I’d have waited to see if software updates fix it. You have a 1 (or 2) year warranty with the option to buy more to cover any worsening of issues should they arise.

 

[RusHayer]

We do not have Apple Stores in Russia, but Apple sells it’s products officially on their site online. I returned it, because still had my two weeks period. Courier took it today. Next week they will send me new MacBook, the same model.

 

[leman]

As far as I know, this is perfectly normal. Happens with all True Tone displays. They could probably fix it in the driver, but since it’s just “cosmetic” and doesnt affect normal operation...

 

[RusHayer]

As far as I know, this is perfectly normal. Happens with all True Tone displays. They could probably fix it in the driver, but since it’s just “cosmetic” and doesnt affect normal operation...

So if model that Apple send me would have the same flicker on shutdown, I shouldn’t be concerned, right? I ask, because I read reviews thread on this forum and no one talked about such things. And I don’t know if it’s nobody ever bumped with similar flickers or everybody have it, because it’s usual practice

 

[simonmet]

So if model that Apple send me would have the same flicker on shutdown, I shouldn’t be concerned, right? I ask, because I read reviews thread on this forum and no one talked about such things. And I don’t know if it’s nobody ever bumped with similar flickers or everybody have it, because it’s usual practice

Likely because most people don’t consider it a serious problem or even a problem at all.

 

[leman]

So if model that Apple send me would have the same flicker on shutdown, I shouldn’t be concerned, right?

I don't think it is any cause for concern. Startup and shutdown are special situations anyway and not really indicative to normal laptop operation. You can get concerned once once you start getting flickers during everyday work

Likely because most people don’t consider it a serious problem or even a problem at all.

Also because people don't shut of their laptops. Last time I turned mine off was probably three months ago?

 

[RusHayer]

Thanks for your replies! Maybe it’s really nothing to concern, but I showed this video to two Apple support specialist via chat conversation and both of them told me that’s not ok. So now I don’t know what to think 😅
Anyway I send my MacBook back and waiting for the new one.
Probably this flashes appear on 2020 models on Catalina, but unfortunately I can’t test it on other OS, because as you know there is no way to downgrade it

 

[theorist9]

Also because people don't shut of their laptops. Last time I turned mine off was probably three months ago?

I have to reboot mine at least weekly to avoid crashes. I was told by Apple that errors can accumulate in non-ECC RAM, and how often you need to shut it down (to clean out the RAM and thus avoid crashes) depends on your particular usage. That's why your experience is so different from mine. Some can go a long time without a need for reboot, others need to reboot much more frequently.

*Wikipedia, in reference this article (http://www.cs.toronto.edu/~bianca/papers/sigmetrics09.pdf), wrote: "In systems without ECC, an error can lead either to a crash or to corruption of data; in large-scale production sites, memory errors are one of the most-common hardware causes of machine crashes."

 

[RusHayer]

I shut my laptop every time I finish my work. And everytime I see this flash.
Maybe other MBP2020 buyers will check how their notebook behave? If everybody will tell me in this thread their laptop has same shut down effect, I will not be concerned at all when my new MacBook arrives

 

[0906742]

I shut my laptop every time I finish my work. And everytime I see this flash.
Maybe other MBP2020 buyers will check how their notebook behave? If everybody will tell me in this thread their laptop has same shut down effect, I will not be concerned at all when my new MacBook arrives

I shut (power down) mine also when I finish using it and it does that (ever since I installed Catalina). So what? It is not a fault in my opinion as long as it does not happen while I'm actually using it. Mine is 2019 MBP 13" by the way.

 

[RusHayer]

I shut (power down) mine also when I finish using it and it does that (ever since I installed Catalina). So what? It is not a fault in my opinion as long as it does not happen while I'm actually using it. Mine is 2019 MBP 13" by the way.

Ok, thanks for the reply! Now I see more and more people tell they see this kind of flash upon shutdown. Probably I shouldn't pay it much attention when Apple send me new laptop, if it only appears when I switch off my Mac

 

[0906742]

Ok, thanks for the reply! Now I see more and more people tell they see this kind of flash upon shutdown. Probably I shouldn't pay it much attention when Apple send me new laptop, if it only appears when I switch off my Mac

I'd say that would be good idea if you never see it any other situation (I see only during power off with mine). I understand this can be worrying. Believe me I'm one of those who seem to find some small flaws in every device I get and most of the times no one ever seen the problem I've noticed and keep telling it is flawed and theirs is ok. Then eventually it turns out they all are more or less the same, others just never looked the same thing as carefully as I. And that goes with most product supports I have dealt with too. They are usually only relaying to some internal database they have and unless something like this is written there, they just say no, not normal and must be faulty or similar. And the ones answering to you rarely have even seen the machine you are using nor they have one even available for them to check themselves. I'm not saying this is the case in this particular case you are reporting but I have a hunch it might. At least the above is what I have learned myself the hard way many times.

 

[26139]

nvm

 

[0906742]

Did you mean Non Volatile Memory or never mind??? Due to nature of this forum, that could be understood two different ways.

 

[Ultra3]

Ok, thanks for the reply! Now I see more and more people tell they see this kind of flash upon shutdown. Probably I shouldn't pay it much attention when Apple send me new laptop, if it only appears when I switch off my Mac

Hey Rus has this issue gone away with the new update that came out?

 

[RusHayer]

Hey Rus has this issue gone away with the new update that came out?

Hello! Apple send me new MacBook and it has the same issue too! I updated it, but it doesn’t help: the same flicker upon shutdown.
So I contacted Apple and they recognize the problem actually exist. It is software problem, not hardware. their engineers are working on fixing it. I asked does this issue happens only when you switch off notebook, they told yes. And added that they understand my concern: you want new laptop from the box to work without any issues. They agreed to to accept return. I decided to test it for about a week. Maybe if this happens only upon shutdown and does not affect anything during working on laptop, I should not be concerned and do not return it.

 

[Ultra3]

Hello! Apple send me new MacBook and it has the same issue too! I updated it, but it doesn’t help: the same flicker upon shutdown.
So I contacted Apple and they recognize the problem actually exist. It is software problem, not hardware. their engineers are working on fixing it. I asked does this issue happens only when you switch off notebook, they told yes. And added that they understand my concern: you want new laptop from the box to work without any issues. They agreed to to accept return. I decided to test it for about a week. Maybe if this happens only upon shutdown and does not affect anything during working on laptop, I should not be concerned and do not return it.

Thanks for the response! Very helpful information. Its especially good to know that Apple has recognized that this is a legitimate issue (let this message go toward everyone trying to claim it was normal). Also good to hear that they are attempting to get the issue sorted out but bad to hear that the new update does not help. They fixed several issues in this update, you would think this would be one of them especially considering how obvious it is (I owned the laptop for 1 hour and I noticed this). Hopefully it gets fixed soon in an update.

 

[0906742]

Its especially good to know that Apple has recognized that this is a legitimate issue (let this message go toward everyone trying to claim it was normal).

I don't think anyone tried to tell you it is normal but it is something not serious/hardware fault, likely just driver/software bug. I don't see myself how this could cause any problem using the machine? So I could not care less. Maybe you could elaborate what problems this is causing???

 

[Ultra3]

I don't think anyone tried to tell you it is normal but it is something not serious/hardware fault, likely just driver/software bug. I don't see myself how this could cause any problem using the machine? So I could not care less. Maybe you could elaborate what problems this is causing???

Several tried to tell us it was normal.

 

[0906742]

I don't see it that way. Anyway, could you elaborate in detail what problems this fault is causing you?

 

[Ultra3]

I don't remember saying that this issue was causing me problems, can you show me where I said that? Seeing a glitchy flash every time I turn off my laptop just makes me feel like i'm using a broken machine. If you are ok with it then by all means enjoy it.