'Flexgate' Display Issues Affecting 2016 MacBook Pro and Later

[HJM.NL]

I've already replaced my MBP with a Surface Book 2. If my wife's MBP goes, its replacement won't be a Mac.

Sad but logical decision. Macs just aren’t what they used to be. It’s going downhill since 2012.

 

[ScreenSurfer]

No Issues for me. MacBook Pro 13" 2016, MacBookPro 13" 2017 and MacBookPro 15" 2018. All with touch bar. As an engineer it is always of great importance to analyze the user picture, or how the mac is handled, to pick up any similarities among people getting troubles. If the user handling may influence the issue. Those having problems should explain their user picture, in order to help us without problems and to prevent us getting troubles: My answers are in red.

1. Open and close the display lid a lot of times daily? 10 times each Day
2. Open and close a few times daily? No
3. Open and close a few times a week? No
4. Open and close very fast, medium or slow? Medium to slow, not very fast
5. Are you closing and opening the display lid really hard and fast resulting in a clap and hard end stop? No, are you crazy. I do it soft and gentle, and slow down the last millimeters.
   
6. Always closed display lid due to connected to docking station and external display? No
   
7. Open and Close by holding in 1 point, top/middle screen? Yes
8. Open and Close by holding in 1 point, top/right or top/left screen? No
   
9. Open and Close by holding in 2 points, top/right and top/left screen? No
10. The display is always in open position? No, but have consider changing to this situation
11. Open to maximum, medium or minimum angle most of the time? Medium
12. Using the Mac in very hot surroundings or hard use causing overheating? No
13. Using the Mac in cold surroundings? No
14. Using the Mac in normal, wet or dry moisture conditions? Normal Nordic Interior climate
15. No damages due to falling down or hitting hard surfaces? Not at all
16. Use the Mac mainly at home or at office, no moving around that much? Yes

3 of them? Good luck, bro!

 

[MusikkNils]

3 of them? Good luck, bro!

I am a Lucky Guy with these 3 MacBookPro´s. Really lovely machines. No troubles. No user in this thread with "broken" display have told me how they handle their MacBookPro. So I suppose most people who is writing in this thread even don’t own a MacBookPro.

I use Hp laptops in my Job and I can tell you it is a tough and hard road, both the Hp hardware and the cooperation with Windows. And I am talking about top Hp Zbook that cost more than MacBookPro 15. And I have owned many both Hp and Dell laptops, so I know what I am talking about.

 

[GStevens1]

Just picked up a 2015 Macbook Pro Retina 15, with the 2.8GHz processor, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, AMD Radeon discrete GPU, the list goes on. I absolutely am in LOVE with this machine. This is the world's greatest laptop.

My 2013 Macbook Pro Retina 15, also fully spec'd out, is also one of the best computers I have ever owned.

2016 and newer? I would never buy. If given one, I would sell. You can keep it! I love watching the idiots reap what they sow. Stupid is as stupid does. You can't fix stupid.

 

[AnonMac50]

Just picked up a 2015 Macbook Pro Retina 15, with the 2.8GHz processor, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, AMD Radeon discrete GPU, the list goes on. I absolutely am in LOVE with this machine. This is the world's greatest laptop.

My 2013 Macbook Pro Retina 15, also fully spec'd out, is also one of the best computers I have ever owned.

2016 and newer? I would never buy. If given one, I would sell. You can keep it! I love watching the idiots reap what they sow. Stupid is as stupid does. You can't fix stupid.

Any difference in day-day usage between the two?

 

[mrex]

2016 and newer? I would never buy. If given one, I would sell. You can keep it! I love watching the idiots reap what they sow. Stupid is as stupid does. You can't fix stupid.

and how would all those idiots have known the design error in internal parts? watching the same magic ball as the brightest minds in internet who always know everything and what they do, it is only the right way to do it.

 

[kl3618]

I'm confused. Didn't Apple's MacBook 12" (Retina) also use flex cables for the screen? It's very similar, minus the fact that it doesn't wrap around a daughter card, but are folded instead. Why weren't those affected?

I'm also very concerned considering that I just bought a MBP 2018 last month. It's a bit too late to return it.

 

[mrex]

I'm confused. Didn't Apple's MacBook 12" (Retina) also use flex cables for the screen? It's very similar, minus the fact that it doesn't wrap around a daughter card, but are folded instead. Why weren't those affected?

I'm also very concerned considering that I just bought a MBP 2018 last month. It's a bit too late to return it.

 

[kl3618]

I already saw the YouTube video. What I'm saying is to look at the 12" MacBook (not the Air or the Pro, the small ones initially released back in 2015). Below is the image of the screen and it's connector.

https://mk0beetstechqtgw52p3.kinstacdn.com/wp-content/uploads/CMP-6212-UTWX_0_WEB-1600x1600.jpg

It's a slightly different flex cable design but yet so far haven't heard of any complaints with flex gate with it.

 

[mrex]

the video explains the issue with mbp quite clearly.

 

[maflynn]

I am so happy that I sold my MBP. Back when I bought the 2012 rMBP, I said it was the absolutely best laptop I ever owned. Fast forward to 2018 (and 2019) and I have to say the 2018 MBP is the absolutely worst laptop that apple designed.

 

[millerdj94]

That's very interesting that you say this.
I am typing on a 2013 Apple Macbook Pro 15 Retina, that has never needed a repair, has only 4 battery discharge cycles, and has been the greatest laptop I've ever owned.

Tomorrow morning, I am purchasing a mint condition 2015 Macbook Pro 15 Retina, 2.8GHz with the 1TB SSD, 16GB RAM laptop which was kept in a case for its whole life. I really like that the 2012 - 2015 Macbook Pros are still serviceable by users, hard drives are removable and upgradeable, data recovery ports are in tack, and repairs are relatively easy.

The new 2016+ Macbook Pros are engineered to be non-repairable 100%, and they have factory defective designs (faulty display design issues, keyboard issues, no internal data recovery port, non removable storage, lack of legacy ports, garbage keyboard when it does happen to work, soldered in storage, no magsafe power plugs, no illuminated apple logo, no function keys, and the list goes on and on). I feel so terrible for folks that spent $3k - $6k+ for a notebook that has constant hardware defects.

I am thankful that I didn't follow everyone else and "upgrade" to the 2016 line the minute they were released. I'm seeing some on craigslist which were sold for $3k going for around $1,XXX range. Some people out there are starting to become smart. Their extended applecare + warranty on 2016 units will fail this year in 2019, and they will be stuck with massive repair bills, not IF but WHEN.

I will let go of my 2013, 2015 Macbook Pro Retina laptops, once I'm dead and/or killed.

As of now, I'm not sure I would even take a 2016+ Macbook Pro *for free,* due to the faulty and unreliable hardware which is guaranteed to fail someday depending upon usage. If given one for free, I would quickly sell it to some unsuspecting idiot.

Where are you buying your new laptop from?

 

[drewsof07]

I have to imagine heat cycles from fan exhaust behind the hinge will compound this over time as well. These are the sort of short-sighted engineering decisions I would expect in a thin margin product, not the state of the art.

 

[Mendota]

Don't forget the 2007 models as well. Mine failed while Apple lied about being effected like every single one other company was.

They extended the warranty and they fixed it but broke the optical out and it wouldn't burn a disk anymore. Didn't notice that in 30 days and they wouldn't fix it I gave it away after that. Don't have time for that crap and I wasn't going to sell it for someone else to have issues

I admire your integrity. So many people unload problem machines onto unsuspecting victims. And they don't see anything wrong in doing so.

 

[Kobayagi]

That's very interesting that you say this.
I am typing on a 2013 Apple Macbook Pro 15 Retina, that has never needed a repair, has only 4 battery discharge cycles, and has been the greatest laptop I've ever owned.

Tomorrow morning, I am purchasing a mint condition 2015 Macbook Pro 15 Retina, 2.8GHz with the 1TB SSD, 16GB RAM laptop which was kept in a case for its whole life. I really like that the 2012 - 2015 Macbook Pros are still serviceable by users, hard drives are removable and upgradeable, data recovery ports are in tack, and repairs are relatively easy.

The new 2016+ Macbook Pros are engineered to be non-repairable 100%, and they have factory defective designs (faulty display design issues, keyboard issues, no internal data recovery port, non removable storage, lack of legacy ports, garbage keyboard when it does happen to work, soldered in storage, no magsafe power plugs, no illuminated apple logo, no function keys, and the list goes on and on). I feel so terrible for folks that spent $3k - $6k+ for a notebook that has constant hardware defects.

I am thankful that I didn't follow everyone else and "upgrade" to the 2016 line the minute they were released. I'm seeing some on craigslist which were sold for $3k going for around $1,XXX range. Some people out there are starting to become smart. Their extended applecare + warranty on 2016 units will fail this year in 2019, and they will be stuck with massive repair bills, not IF but WHEN.

I will let go of my 2013, 2015 Macbook Pro Retina laptops, once I'm dead and/or killed.

As of now, I'm not sure I would even take a 2016+ Macbook Pro *for free,* due to the faulty and unreliable hardware which is guaranteed to fail someday depending upon usage. If given one for free, I would quickly sell it to some unsuspecting idiot.

Yep, the 2015 models are great. Back in 2015, I waited till the last moment to see what Apple was doing with the new MacBook Pro. When I saw they made it only usb-c and added that stupid touch bar, my decision was very quickly made. I went out and got one of the last (if not the very last) 15" with the 2.5 ghz i7, M370X gpu and 512gb ssd. It's still blazing fast and is still rocking MagSafe and all the other useful ports.

Super happy with it, especially seeing how I dodged a bullet with how much trouble these new ones have, especially the 2016 models with their crappy keyboard.

 

[Eerriikkoo]

OK now this is a serious problem unlike complaints about the keyboard which were really more about hygiene and personal habits (eating while using it) than anything else.

My 2016 15” has held up really well. Hell it’s still in mint condition but that’s because I regularly clean it (wiping down the keyboard, display and case) after prolonged use. I also never slam the display shut.

I will actually take it in before the end of the year to complain about the keyboard having problems just to get a fresh battery before my AppleCare is up. Then I will either sell it or keep it for another year. It all depends on what they release this year.

Wow now that is a smart move. Hollowing out your consumer rights and being wasteful on top of it just for the sake of a fresh feeling and or a few extra pennies.

 

[Cloudane]

Interesting, I had this issue with a replacement screen that had been done on insurance and at the time, thought it must be a fake part sourced by the third party repairer (it also had a duff ambient light sensor, so I sent it back and had them do it again, the new one was perfect). Guess it must've just been the flex cable.

 

[Digital Dude]

Just more evidence of the CEO's cost-cutting measures and corporate greed.

 

[Gravydog316]

No. I’m sorry but what I said is true. Every time someone posted a video or picture of their messed up keyboard it was covered in grime. Try again.

At least you win the award for dumbest comment ever in the history of the world...
[doublepost=1552129674][/doublepost]

Just more evidence of the CEO's cost-cutting measures and corporate greed.

umm, America (& Tim Apple) have to do this now to build more products in America & not China anymore.
Business.

 

[IIeG3HappyMe]

So far I haven't had any issues with my 2017 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar. I've been using it heavily for 1,5 years now. *knocks on wood* That said I do find all these reports worrying.

Used to be you could knock on your MB if you didn't have any wood nearby.
[doublepost=1552501087][/doublepost]

2016 and newer? I would never buy. If given one, I would sell. You can keep it! I love watching the idiots reap what they sow. Stupid is as stupid does. You can't fix stupid.

I really hope you're referring to Apple, not the customers.

 

[bobmepp]

I have a 6 core/D500 Mac Pro 6,1. I got it for the reduced price in early 2017. I have long been suspect of all the Apple laptops. In looking at them in the store and viewing the tear-downs, they just don't have the feel of a $3 or 4K machine. I have always been concerned about weakness in the screen attachment/connection. How can it be adequate when a laptop is so thin and lightly built?

Say what you will about the Mac Pro 6,1's performance (which for me has been more than adequate), when you take the cover off and when you look at the ifixit teardown, at least it does look like a $3K machine. Also, there is NO fan noise, another reported issue with the MacBook Pros. I'm glad I didn't opt to get a MBP. I'll wait for the new Mac Pro and if it is too expensive or in some other way a let-down, not sure what I will do. Maybe just hope that my existing Pro keeps working, or hope against hope that a new iMac in a year or two will finally be easily openable for cleaning.

 

[IIeG3HappyMe]

I have a 6 core/D500 Mac Pro 6,1. I got it for the reduced price in early 2017. I have long been suspect of all the Apple laptops. In looking at them in the store and viewing the tear-downs, they just don't have the feel of a $3 or 4K machine. I have always been concerned about weakness in the screen attachment/connection. How can it be adequate when a laptop is so thin and lightly built?

Say what you will about the Mac Pro 6,1's performance (which for me has been more than adequate), when you take the cover off and when you look at the ifixit teardown, at least it does look like a $3K machine. Also, there is NO fan noise, another reported issue with the MacBook Pros. I'm glad I didn't opt to get a MBP. I'll wait for the new Mac Pro and if it is too expensive or in some other way a let-down, not sure what I will do. Maybe just hope that my existing Pro keeps working, or hope against hope that a new iMac in a year or two will finally be easily openable for cleaning.

I haven't had a desktop Mac since like the G4 (lol) but I don't know any reason why your Pro shouldn't last you at least another five years. Are the guts no longer modular or something?

 

[bobmepp]

I haven't had a desktop Mac since like the G4 (lol) but I don't know any reason why your Pro shouldn't last you at least another five years. Are the guts no longer modular or something?

It's the 6,1 Mac Pro, so the only parts that are (easily) modular are the storage and the ram. I see no need to upgrade the GPUs or CPU. That's why I agree I have years left in it. When it came out, I thought the G4 cube was very cool, but couldn't afford it then. Design wise, the trashcan pro is a reference to the cube.

 

[creativesmith]

Adding my voice, sharing my disappointment.

Our MBP has offered a lemon-bitter experience from day one. Headliners: malfunctioning keyboard, dead ports, loose batteries, clicking and popping when under load.

Sadly and simply, no longer wedded to Mac.

 

[Gravydog316]

Adding my voice, sharing my disappointment.

Our MBP has offered a lemon-bitter experience from day one. Headliners: malfunctioning keyboard, dead ports, loose batteries, clicking and popping when under load.

Sadly and simply, am no longer wedded to Mac.

I will sell you my 15" 2010 MBP.
$4,000 (no tax!)