My rMBP's GPU is dying :(

[ltorrelles]

Some of the artefacts don't even appear on the screenshots. I'm sad, this ************ rocked flawlessly since I bought it in OCT 2012.

Do you guys have any idea of how much would it cost to replace the GPU (or I guess the entire motherboard) of a 2012 15 inch rMBP?

I'm totally not buying one of the newest MBP's, so it's either this or getting a Windows custom built PC to handle my workload. I need a new computer anyway, because the GT650M is disastrous and hugely outdated. But I'd like to keep the rMBP for mobility purposes, so...

 

[maflynn]

A good look on ebay and the logic board for 2012 MBPs seem to be going for around 400 to 700 dollars.

I'm not sure its worth putting that much money in a 4+ old computer, especially when you can get a 13" MBP for 1,000 and a windows machine for the price of the logic board.

 

[Gav2k]

Have you tried creating a different user account or booting in safe mode to rule out software issues??

 

[Apple 26.2]

It obviously depends on how much you're wanting to shell out, but $200-300 dollars should get you a very good one.

 

[sunapple]

Time for a new laptop! Shell out 2000 bucks for a nice used 2015 model with AMD graphics and sell the old one for scraps.

 

[keysofanxiety]

Ouch... that's definitely hardware. Your model does have documented issues with the graphics and also has a repair program: https://www.apple.com/uk/support/macbookpro-videoissues/

However as you bought yours in October 2012 and the repair program runs for 4 years, it likely won't be eligible for this.

Regardless, your absolute best bet is to get to an Apple Store and have them take a look at it. Not an AASP but an official Apple Store. Sometimes they push things through as goodwill. Although it's massively unlikely, see what they say from there and then we'll work backwards to find a solution if they can't do anything.

 

[ltorrelles]

Ouch... that's definitely hardware. Your model does have documented issues with the graphics and also has a repair program: https://www.apple.com/uk/support/macbookpro-videoissues/

However as you bought yours in October 2012 and the repair program runs for 4 years, it likely won't be eligible for this.

Regardless, your absolute best bet is to get to an Apple Store and have them take a look at it. Not an AASP but an official Apple Store. Sometimes they push things through as goodwill.

Oh wow. That's a bummer. I do also have random kernel panics (had two yesterday alone). Shame on me! Should have heard about this before.

I'll drop by an official Store and check what can be done.

 

[leman]

It doesn't make any economical sense to repair that laptop. It is going to be expensive and you will still be stuck with an old, outdated, underperforming machine. Four years is a good lifespan for a computer, time to move on.

 

[keysofanxiety]

I'll drop by an official Store and check what can be done.

Thank you. I hope they'll be able to solve it. Hopefully if it's chargeable then it won't be too expensive — if it's circa $300 then I'd take the plunge on the repair. It'll also carry a 90 day warranty if they do that.

Also your CPU is still very powerful and the GPU has similar performance to the iGPU in the 2015 15" MBP. So if it's not too expensive to solve (providing they can't do it for free), you're not exactly spending cash on a bad machine.

 

[maflynn]

if it's circa $300 then I'd take the plunge on the repair. It'll also carry a 90 day warranty if they do that.

The only issue with a repair from Apple is that they'll be using a refurbished logic board, or to put it another way, a logic board that was defective. Like the 2011 repair program this may only buy the OP some time before he incurs another failure.

I can't answer for the OP, but if it were me, I'd be very wary of spending anything over 300 on a repair that might not last long, regardless of having a 3 month warranty.

 

[Queen6]

The only issue with a repair from Apple is that they'll be using a refurbished logic board, or to put it another way, a logic board that was defective. Like the 2011 repair program this may only buy the OP some time before he incurs another failure.

I can't answer for the OP, but if it were me, I'd be very wary of spending anything over 300 on a repair that might not last long, regardless of having a 3 month warranty.

Another vote here to replace, if Apple doesn't cover repair free of charge (you might get lucky), spending good money on a 5 year old notebook is not the best of investments.

Q-6

 

[wilsonlaidlaw]

My rMPB, as I posted on another thread, also has a dying GPU, albeit with different symptoms. I keep getting machine crashes with a GPU Kernel panic, sometimes 10 times a day. Mine is also October 2012, obviously a bad vintage. Once my phone line is restored after the electricity company dug through the duct, I will see what Apple is offering. I have ordered a new 15.4 MBP Touchbar due to arrive next Monday but there is another family member who has a 2009 13" MBP with a dying screen, who would like my old rMBP if it can be repaired either free or at a concessionary price.

So many of these seem to have died this month, it is like Apple put a time bomb in them to explode, a few weeks after their repair programme expired.

 

[ZapNZs]

Did you take this to Apple to perform the VST? The VST would verify if this is indeed a failing GPU from the issue that until a month ago was covered under warranty.

If the computer still boots, but with distortion, you could try using a combination of GFScardStatus and SwitchGPU, where you would set SwitchGPU to execute on startup, to force the computer to use integrated graphics only.
https://github.com/joachimroeleveld/switchGPU

 

[cvtem]

That’s video RAM or GPU (RAM related section)
The replacement program was started actually due to dodgy connections on an IC causing the GPU to never power on.
Regardless, This would have still been covered.
I’ve had several of those models recently (my own included) die in the last few months.

The other issue (no display) is easy (relatively) to fix, but unfortunately what your experiencing, you are better off replacing.
As others have mentioned. If you do find someone to fix it, you are wasting your money, it’s only buying you time, and not much.

Because those GPUs run so hot when used, the thermal expansion and contraction eventually causes the balls in the GPU to fail.
This is inevitable, and the older they are, the more likely they are to be about done for.