News Apple sued over MacBook Pro GPU failures

Apple had a very similar problem with the 8600M GT (supplier changed substrate solder formulation unexpectedly, leading to thermal stress fractures after many load cycles), and had a warranty extension program for it. Can't think why they wouldn't do the same thing in this case too.

 

Hardly Apple's fault, this one's down to AMD (like the last was NVIDIA). That period of lead solder was bad for GPUs

 

2011 era, huh? So three years - isn't that normal expected life span for computer components?

 

So it's the consumers fault that Apple chose AMD then? Ahhhh, I see!

And no, Pete J, three years isn't the normal expected life span for computer components. Otherwise you'd be seeing people chucking xboxes and playstations into their bins in droves. I'm still using (alongside my main PC) an 8 year old laptop, a four year old self-build PC, a 10 year old shuttle PC....they all work just as they should, so no, three years isn't "normal"...especially for premium systems/laptops.

 

Hardly - it is £1500+ worth of professional grade laptop, not a £300 Acer from a supermarket. UK consumer law tends to agree. My 2006 MBP is still going strong with it's second owner, as it the 2008 MacBook I had after that.

There were sporadic failures reported in the first couple of years but nothing major. The 2011s then started failing in significant number from 2 years onwards, almost all due to AMD GPU failure. Most exhibit some sort of corruption before it fails completely, I wasn't so lucky - my late 2011 model had a sudden failure in April, so I took it to the Apple Store to get it assessed. They quoted £500 to fit a replacement logic board, which after checking was a refurbished part and only had 90 days warranty on the repair. After discussions with the genius supervisor they agreed to a no cost repair under consumer law. The initial repair failed after less than four weeks, it was then in and out of the Apple Store for the next couple months as replacement logic boards all failed in a similar fashion. Apple have now replaced the Mac.

The 2011 is a great product, but is fatally flawed. Corporate won't admit there's an issue, hence the class action. I can't fault the customer service from the Apple Store though. Can't much fun trying to keep a straight face whilst denying there's an issue with them.

 

Damn, I wish I lived in the UK.

I've already paid once to have my logic board replaced and while I've had no issues since then, I'm sure it's only a matter of time before I'll have to send it in again.

 

If it fails again it suggest you get it repaired. There's a couple of companies in the UK that will do a board level repair, fitting a new GPU with leaded solder for a fraction of the price of a badly refurbished board from Apple. Feedback from the people that have used them is good so far.