MacBook 12 inch display flickering, stripes and weird behavior. Worth buy it?

[slimmy18222]

Hello, I'm looking yo boy this MacBook model for university. Display have flickering, stripes and weird behavior as shown in the attached video. When plugged to and external display it wors normally, no aberrrations. Does it worth buy it? This could be a simple ribbon loose cable reapair or probably it's the LCD bad or display cable connector on logic board to be replaced?. The last two scenario make no sense to spend money.

Thanks!

 

[Mike Boreham]

Depends on the price and your attitude to gambling!

Could be a great punt or you might lose your stake (though could probably still sell for spares).

If I had to guess that is more like video card failures I have seen in the past than a simple connection issue).

 

[slimmy18222]

Depends on the price and your attitude to gambling!

Could be a great punt or you might lose your stake (though could probably still sell for spares).

If I had to guess that is more like video card failures I have seen in the past than a simple connection issue).

I hope to buy it around 150USD!

Yes, those are the typical signs of graphics card failure, but connecting to an external display they disappear, perfect image.

 

[Mike Boreham]

I hope to buy it around 150USD!

Yes, those are the typical signs of graphics card failure, but connecting to an external display they disappear, perfect image.

Yes good point, problem must lie with the screen then, though it might be the connection on the logicboard side of the screen connection.

Still a gamble! I have no experience of sourcing and fitting second hand screens, but if you can find one for say $300 or less and the ability to fix it yourself, and it turns out not to be the logic board side of the connection, you could have a bargain, lot of IFs!

You haven’t said what year, model or cosmetic condition the MacBook is in so can’t comment on what its fully working price would be.

Personally I would not get it but I am not you. I always buy second hand or Apple refurbished but only fully working machines.

 

[CooperBox]

I hope to buy it around 150USD!

Yes, those are the typical signs of graphics card failure, but connecting to an external display they disappear, perfect image.

If no problem with an external display I bet it's not related to the GPU. Imho most certainly a bad connection between display cable connector and logic board (may be corrected by disconnecting/cleaning/reconnecting), or fraying of the cable on the screen side (far more problematic).

 

[aednichols]

I have a 2016 12" with the same symptoms (I am the only owner). It is usable with an external display via a cheap USB C breakout box.

However, if I was buying a computer today that could only be used as a desktop, it definitely wouldn't be the MacBook - get a desktop for the same price and it'll be way faster.

By the way, the quoted price from Apple for repair is $575. I was covered under the extended warranty on my Amex and chose to deposit the check and put it towards an ARM replacement instead of fixing.

 

[hassan.elsabaa]

Hello All,

i am new to the forum and would like to ask about a problem i am having on macbook 12 2015 modell .. originaly the macbook was having a backlight issue and i solved it , but after that the image on the screen is getting lines and flickering as in the picture below .. any advice what could be wrong with the device or any clue where to look ?

thanks,

 

[halledise]

Hello, I'm looking yo boy this MacBook model for university. Display have flickering, stripes and weird behavior as shown in the attached video. When plugged to and external display it wors normally, no aberrrations. Does it worth buy it? This could be a simple ribbon loose cable reapair or probably it's the LCD bad or display cable connector on logic board to be replaced?. The last two scenario make no sense to spend money.

Thanks!

View attachment 960960

a new display is around AU$850 fitted whereas if it's the graphics controller that could be less.
however, if memory serves me correctly it's all integrated so that's the unknown.
simplest solution is to call an authorised Apple repairer for a chat and approx cost

 

[Solo Keita]

Hello, I'm looking yo boy this MacBook model for university. Display have flickering, stripes and weird behavior as shown in the attached video. When plugged to and external display it wors normally, no aberrrations. Does it worth buy it? This could be a simple ribbon loose cable reapair or probably it's the LCD bad or display cable connector on logic board to be replaced?. The last two scenario make no sense to spend money.

Thanks!

View attachment 960960

I am curious about what you did with your MacBook... Did you manage to fix it? Did you sell it? I am having the same problem now and looking into options...

 

[naotoyo]

Well if that is the case then it is going to be one big problem for all of us and i know how hard it is to have a mac that is acting up too weird. Would you even care to sell that in a cheaper price?