Apple launches repair program for MacBook Pros with faulty GPU
If your MacBook Pro has what appears to be an issue with its screen, there may be reprieve for you. In some older MacBook Pros, a GPU supplied by AMD wasn't up to snuff, and is causing some users to see lines or otherwise glitchy behavior. Now, Apple is going to fix those computers for you, even if they're out of warranty. It's a welcome announcement for those affected, as the screens are pretty useless under heavy strain, especially when editing video.
According to Apple, those eligible have "distorted of scrambled video on the computer screen", "no video on the computer screen (or external display) even though the computer is on", or if your computer "restarts unexpectedly".
The intitial complaint was widely reported for 2011 MacBook Pros, but Apple is extending the reach to MacBook Pros from 2011 through 2013. It covers both 15 and 17-inch screen sizes, and encompasses both regular and Retina displays.
Affected users can mail their MacBooks to Apple, or pop into an Apple Store. If you think you might be one of the affected, but aren't sure, we suggest checking out Apple's coverage checker, which is linked below.
An Apple spokesperson says "we've found that a small percentage of MacBook Pro models sold between February 2011 and December 2013 may exhibit video issues and we will repair those systems free of charge. We are contacting customers who paid for a repair through Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider to arrange a reimbursement."
The repair program launches tomorrow in the US and Canada, and will extend to other countries starting February 27. If you're not noticing an issue, but have checked your device and found it to be part of this warranty extension, you'll have until February 26, 2016 to get it fixed, or three years from the time you purchased the device, whichever extends the furthest.
If you've already paid to have the issue fixed, there's a link at the bottom of Apple's support page, which is also linked below.
Source: Apple, Apple Coverage Checker