It's hard to say at this point whether we should point the blame at NVIDIA, Apple or right in between the two corporate campuses, but it seems that an uncomfortable amount of
17-inch MacBook Pro owners are having some serious issues with their GeForce
9600M graphics card. For those unaware, there is actually a
9400M in there too, but word on the street has it that the random green lines and nasty artifacts are only showing up when the more potent card is kicked into action. Most folks are saying that a reboot solves the problem momentarily, but eventually it returns to bother, annoy and sadden new owners. Anyone else out there pulling their hair out over this? Here's hoping a firmware update is all that'll be needed to bring closure to yet another
NVIDIA-Apple related fiasco.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Update: We just got word from an NVIDIA spokesperson, who had this to say: "Our understanding is that Apple is investigating this, and if they need our help we will certainly support them. But right now it's unclear what the issue is, so jumping to conclusions at this point is premature." We'll keep you posted!
posted March 5th 2009 9:48PM
9400M has problems too: irritating flicker and distortions in some apps, especially (but not solely) Safari/Webkit views. It's a fantastic card, let down by – I suspect – some dodgy drivers.
NVIDIA cards + OS X = problems, at the moment.
Flickering seconded - I am not running the 9600M since I prefer battery life, but I was seeing bad flickering at times.
I hope they fix that soon - chances are it's fixable in software or firmware updates.
Where did you get the info about Safari/Webkit views? I think it kinda sorta makes sense because the flickering happened all the time for me before I installed a bunch of seemingly unrelated updates. Post updates, flickering has become a very rare event, most of the time the display is just perfect.
Irritatingly, my carefully constructed reply seems to have gone missing in the system. Basically, I use a MacBook with the 9400M, and I regularly get tearing/flickering artefacts when scrolling; mainly noticeable in Safari through experience, there's a thread on Apple's discussion boards. Sometimes it comes and goes. Very noticeable on Flash videos, but miraculously goes away in full screen mode (notice that in Football Manager 2009, too; no distortion in full screen mode). I've also twice noticed a slight rapid fluctuation in the backlight intensity (not related to the automatic adjustment) which a few other people have complained of. That's nothing regular though.
I love NVIDIA better than ATI but I have to admit I've read some issues about the company having issues with their newer chips, you would've thought they learned from their 8600 fiasco, but they're probably still using the same fab process which made the 8x00 series problematic. Old habits die hard.
call me a hater, but nvidia needs to get it's act together
(I prefer it losing business)
oh, and just to let you know, i do own shares of AMD
fuck intel, and fuck nvidia
I had that same issue back with my old 17'' Powerbook. That was back in '05 when they were using the ATI graphics cards. I had to have the whole machine replaced; it was unfortunate. That screencap brought back memories...
Possibly related to the introduction of the matt screen?
Nonsense. It doesn't matter when you buy it. If it's a bad batch, it could be in any revision.
Do you blame Hindustan Motors when your Ford Fusion doesn't start? Awful, bush-league reporting...
There's no other notebook line you can name that's also having problems with the 9600M GT. The MBP is also by far the slimmest notebook which comes with the card. The cooling solution.wasn't designed or tested with load temperature in mind.
I think Apple's to blame....their products are always plagued with malignant technical failures.....iPods on fire....Faulty chips in old MBP....HDDs never shutting off in iPod Classic draining the battery....faulty click wheels........and then again more iPods on fire, and then iPhones on fire....Apple get it together!!
Jeeeeez those fanboys are really scrambling to come up with an answer to justify paying an exhorbitant price for a piece of crap!... Let the hate begin.
Yeah, never happens with Windows machines .......
Windows is an Operating System not a System Manufacturer that has complete control over the harware design and software integration.
Come up with another excuse.
The 9600M was known for having issues before the MBpro hit the retail market. One can only assume the MBpro was well into production b4 all the faults of the 9600M started to surface. Of course Apple decided to shovel the sh*t onto the consumers.
All those waiting for a driver or firmware fix are SOL, there is no fix for a defective chip but don't worry I'm sure Apple will have a better more expensive MBpro for you to buy soon.
In case you haven't noticed by now; Apple will always continue to buy old and questionable stock to save a buck especially in the gpu dept.
What makes me laugh is all the Mactards with their knee jerk "OMG MICROSOFT SUX WINDOWS PC HAS ISSUES TOO" reactions to any criticism launched at their beloved Apple.
News flash, Microsoft doesnt make PCs, if PC hardware fails then go moan at the manufacturer not Microsoft. A lot of the Windows crashes and issues are due to 3rd party programs and drivers causing system instability, you would have thought that Apple that has such control over the hardware design and software integration you wouldnt get these issues.
Yet consistently first revision hardware from Apple always has issues then when they are pointed out "its a feature not an issue" till enough people whine about it and get it into media spotlight then the issues are solved.
It shouldnt work this way ESPECIALLY when you pay exorbitant amounts of money for the "Mac Experience", if this is the experience i should expect when i buy a Mac ill carry on building my own computers.
Wow! With all the Mac and PC back and forth, I no longer need to watch my Melrose Place reruns for drama.
Funny!
The same thing happened, with my old second intel generation 17 inch macbook pro(2,33 ghz core 2 duo).
That time, the problem was with the ati x1600 vga, under windows the problem was the same...
After one and a half year!!!! apple fixed it, with an efi firmware update...
keep waitin' :D
Any reason why it's not happening on the 15" macbook pro. They have the same specs.
who say otherwise?
all models has presented some sort of troubles,from the 2007 mbp (15"-17") with the 8600m to the latest 2009 mbp with their 9600m gt.
After all, the 9600m gt is just a updated version from the 8600m gt.
NVIDIA - 'the way it's meant to be played' :D
I've had the ame thong on my 1st gen MBP with the Radepn chipset... it is not che chipset... i dissasembled the computer ind reconected everythiong and untill now... thats for more than a year everything is 100% OK...
Ah, once again Nvidia used the cheap underfill :/
I'm glad my 1640 came with an ATi card, it's a no-go for me if a laptop has any of the current nVidia mobile gpus.
So typical and such BS. nVidia came out a month ago with a solution to these problem filled chipsets. the solution? upgrade! they know their epoxy on the chips is f'ed cause they cut corners in manufacturing and the end user has to bear the bullet.
i have a dell m1330 which was replaced with a refub'd box having the same problems still which is now out of warranty. i'm not buying anything until nvidia's new models hit laptops, or go with ATI. they might have horrible linux driver support but at least the chips themselves aren't faulty!!!
It's Actually been Happening on my iMac.
I have a previous gen MBP and Mac Pro for about a year each with no problems. Not to say that I won't have any with future products, but I'm not an "early adopter" regardless of who makes products or what they may be.
I think the problem may be that Apple makes a product announcement and because of hype and demand releases it before it is ready. Their product announcements may be premature but necessary because of "leaked" information about new products that seems to be happening more and more. This would explain the recent and unexpected "official" release of the new iMac and Mac Mini. No one likes to hear about a new product, get all excited, and then be told 3 months before shipment for Q/A purposes (although it may be necessary).
As far as Microsoft vs. Apple goes...I'm on my 4th Xbox 360. 2 for the "ring of death" and 1 for a drive failure. I'm on my 3rd Xbox 360 wireless adapter. This is what happens when Microsoft makes hardware. Don't forget the "2009 glitch" that locked up just about every Zune out there. I'm not a big computer gamer. It seems like there are as many console games that move to PC as there are the opposite. I was playing Gears of War long before any desktop (Apple or otherwise). Go take a peak at a GameStop or EB Games and see how big the computer game section is. Old timers will remember how big it used to be.
Also can't see that Engadget is Apple biased. I see way more PC articles and announcements than Mac and the reviews on Apple products are not always glowing (nor should they be). If something new from Apple comes out, it gets and article just like a new Windows release, latest SSD, or cell phone.
@kangbp.nyc&Hamidxa
You would do well to learn from your lesson in sarcasm so that the next time you comment you don't look so stupid.
I have seen heat issues cause that type of behavior in other hardware. I wonder if that is an issue here as well.
Yes, this happened to me on the first day I purchased the new Unibody. I was in denial, so I held on to it like a mother does to the flesh that comes out of her womb. Only after 7 days of the issue peeking it's evil head, I decided to take her back into the home land. Once there, they made me recreate the symptoms, this was not hard. They immediately stated that they would exchange it for a new in box replacement. I accepted their offer and have not had an issue since, but I also have not taxed it very much since I just finished reloaded the bootcamp side since Winclone was a bad boy on Windows 7 beta.
im a new apple convert, im on my third macbook 2.4 aluminum, first two had failed video ram, with in the first two weeks. all i do is ebay email some document programs a few games like solitile. i really like the macbook id like to be able to keep it but i need for it to function properly. would welcome any suggestions of anything that i might be doing to cause this or is it really possible to get two in a row with the same problem?
Isn't this the thing that QA is for? Rushed much?
thats what u get when u buy laptop designed during winter. gpu overheating at the beginning of spring. =D
Now that's quality!
Apple means quality and this is the proof.
WOW! I will NEVER buy another computer from Apple again. I bought a MacBook Pro last year (Early 2008), "JUST" to see what all the hype was about, and since then I've made about 20 trips to the Apple store to get various things replaced. I've had the optical drive, both fans, the screen, and the HDD (still having issues) replaced already and the Laptop isn't even 1yr old yet.
The "geniuses" at the Genius Bar always want to keep my laptop for days to run diagnostics, which sometimes makes no sense - - when they can clearly hear the fan(s), optical drive and HDD either making weird noises or not working at all.
Sounds like an over heating issue. The most likely fix for this would be for Apple to issue a GPU firmware update that further under clocks the 9600m even more below stock.
Lets look at some facts, remember those BSOD in vista? that were mostly caused by nvida? And the faulty chipsets they released and the fix was to ramp up the fans , meaning less bat life in notebooks.
Stay away from nvidia , ati might not be top of the line at all times, but they make quality products
Looks like my HP DV9207 with 7600go! HP got millions from NVIDIA and won't fix them. At least the Apples are under warrantyand will get fixed.
yes. I got the same problem with my Lenovo T61 (Nvidia NVS 140M)
horrible green line when entering the POS (should be a black screen rather than green)
I won't buy anything related to Nvidia in the future.. not anymore.
JP
Oddly enough my 17" with 8600 has been having the same issues. As odd and random as can be. Apple tried to fix it over the phone; but could do nothing really. The issue does seem most common when the machine has been running for a while and is running video or photo editing software and other small things, or if big stuff was running and it went to screen saver. Apple had a service center look at it and they found nothing wrong hardware wise to cause the issue. So I was told to wait and see.