iMac 2020, 5700XT - graphical glitch?

[jtaylorau]

5700 series should never been released

 

[iDomDotCom]

Which graphics card model should I buy? I don't necessarily need more than the 5500XT. Do they all have these issues?

 

[wilberforce]

Which graphics card model should I buy? I don't necessarily need more than the 5500XT. Do they all have these issues?

No issues with the 5500XT. (Which I have). Well, there is always someone that has an issue with anything, but I haven't heard any consistent repeated complaints.
The 5500XT is a good choice if you don't need more than 5500XT.

That being said, the initial serious graphical glitches with the 5700XT have been resolved by software updates. There are still some lesser glitches reported with the 5700/5700XT (like during shut down), but if you need the much better GPU performance of the 5700XT don't let that dissuade you from getting it.

 

[jtaylorau]

No issues with the 5500XT. (Which I have). Well, there is always someone that has an issue with anything, but I haven't heard any consistent repeated complaints.
The 5500XT is a good choice if you don't need more than 5500XT.

That being said, the initial serious graphical glitches with the 5700XT have been resolved by software updates. There are still some lesser glitches reported with the 5700/5700XT (like during shut down), but if you need the much better GPU performance of the 5700XT don't let that dissuade you from getting it.

AMD trying to resolve the issue for over two years without luck what makes you think Apple might have better luck with 5700

 

[wilberforce]

AMD trying to resolve the issue for over two years without luck what makes you think Apple might have better luck with 5700

I don't think Apple might have better luck.
But maybe you are just making a rhetorical statement (which is fine).

 

[ADGrant]

No issues with the 5500XT. (Which I have). Well, there is always someone that has an issue with anything, but I haven't heard any consistent repeated complaints.
The 5500XT is a good choice if you don't need more than 5500XT.

That being said, the initial serious graphical glitches with the 5700XT have been resolved by software updates. There are still some lesser glitches reported with the 5700/5700XT (like during shut down), but if you need the much better GPU performance of the 5700XT don't let that dissuade you from getting it.

I don’t think any of the 5700XT glitches were that serious but the ones everyone was complaining about seem to have been resolved.

 

[hoodafoo]

That being said, the initial serious graphical glitches with the 5700XT have been resolved by software updates. There are still some lesser glitches reported with the 5700/5700XT (like during shut down), but if you need the much better GPU performance of the 5700XT don't let that dissuade you from getting it.

Sorry, but why would anyone have an issue with a graphical glitch during shutdown? Are apple users that anal about things?

 

[jtaylorau]

Sorry, but why would anyone have an issue with a graphical glitch during shutdown? Are apple users that anal about things?

also wake from sleep & graphical kernel panic not just shutdown

 

[neuralengine]

Anybody running the 11.3 beta notice an improvement in the remaining graphics glitches? The different gray tones on the two halves of the screen, and True Tone randomly toggling on and off? These still happen here with some regularity.

I would add to this that scrolling on all Chromium browsers is exceptionally stuttery on this iMac. I think it’s a GPU thing as disabling hardware acceleration mostly fixes it and no other Macs I’ve seen are quite this bad, including one also on Big Sur.

I wonder if these drivers can/will be updated.

 

[neuralengine]

Anybody running the 11.3 beta notice an improvement in the remaining graphics glitches? The different gray tones on the two halves of the screen, and True Tone randomly toggling on and off? These still happen here with some regularity.

I would add to this that scrolling on all Chromium browsers is exceptionally stuttery on this iMac. I think it’s a GPU thing as disabling hardware acceleration mostly fixes it and no other Macs I’ve seen are quite this bad, including one also on Big Sur.

I wonder if these drivers can/will be updated.

Just installed the 11.3 update and… none of this has improved.

 

[anthony13]

I'm on a 11.3. But my white line issue stopped last Fall with an update. The only persisting issue I have had is some spotty True Tone issues (randomly turning off). So far it's fixed in 11.3. Only been a few hours.

 

[dspdoc]

It is very troubling to hear that Big Sur Intel iMac machines are having these weird issues still. Almost feels like abandonment. It isn't beyond Apple to do this with products when their focus shifts to their own silicon.

 

[neuralengine]

I'm on a 11.3. But my white line issue stopped last Fall with an update. The only persisting issue I have had is some spotty True Tone issues (randomly turning off). So far it's fixed in 11.3. Only been a few hours.

The True Tone thing definitely still happens here (happened three times this morning alone) and scrolling and animations are still intermittently very choppy, especially in Chromium browsers.

I haven’t seen the 'different gray tones on two halves of the screen' thing but it's never been regular so it may yet happen.

It's frustrating but I imagine it's more AMD's fault than Apple's.

 

[jtaylorau]

It is very troubling to hear that Big Sur Intel iMac machines are having these weird issues still. Almost feels like abandonment. It isn't beyond Apple to do this with products when their focus shifts to their own silicon.

AMD graphic issue affecting both platforms on 5700 series near the companies been able to fix it been over two years for AMD

 

[anthony13]

It is very troubling to hear that Big Sur Intel iMac machines are having these weird issues still. Almost feels like abandonment. It isn't beyond Apple to do this with products when their focus shifts to their own silicon.

I think these original issues have predominantly been solved in a software patch last Fall. I don’t think anyone is still having the white line glitch.

 

[marzer]

I think these original issues have predominantly been solved in a software patch last Fall. I don’t think anyone is still having the white line glitch.

I recently purchased a 5700XT iMac and have had none of the issues mentioned. I wonder if anyone still showing issues would have any luck doing a clean install of Big Sur.

 

[Peet_B]

Since the last 11.4 update my iMac has lots of True Tone glitches. It happens when switching windows (like going from fullscreen Safari back to my desktop). It flickers and my screen becomes either blue or very orange. I'm guessing this is a software bug but could it have something to do with my 5700(non-XT)? I also experience the same glitching of the color difference on half of the screen when shutting down, like others are experiencing as well. I gave Apple feedback about this but they can't be bothered to fix these issues?

 

[dspdoc]

Since the last 11.4 update my iMac has lots of True Tone glitches. It happens when switching windows (like going from fullscreen Safari back to my desktop). It flickers and my screen becomes either blue or very orange. I'm guessing this is a software bug but could it have something to do with my 5700(non-XT)? I also experience the same glitching of the color difference on half of the screen when shutting down, like others are experiencing as well. I gave Apple feedback about this but they can't be bothered to fix these issues?

Exact same issues as you and I have the XT. When shutting down every single time now half of the screen is a different tone. Indeed it feels like Apple could care less about their Intel lineup now. Almost like it’s on purpose. Very troubling that Apple is seemingly practicing the not so subtle, questionably ethical nudge to their new silicon.

 

[neuralengine]

Since the last 11.4 update my iMac has lots of True Tone glitches. It happens when switching windows (like going from fullscreen Safari back to my desktop). It flickers and my screen becomes either blue or very orange. I'm guessing this is a software bug but could it have something to do with my 5700(non-XT)? I also experience the same glitching of the color difference on half of the screen when shutting down, like others are experiencing as well. I gave Apple feedback about this but they can't be bothered to fix these issues?

Either the drivers for this series of cards (5500, 5700 XT/non-XT) are just not good or these cards are just not very good at doing the job of drawing UI. They might be fine for doing GPU-bound work but they seem to have a ton of small issues just doing basic macOS stuff.

With 11.4 there was an AMD driver update. For me (5500 XT), some things got better – my True Tone glitches are fewer and less frequent now, but framerate/stuttering issues when scrolling/moving windows got a bit worse.

I’m kind of holding out hope that 11.5 or the next macOS fixes this, either with another update to the AMD drivers or with workarounds in the OS but I doubt it. Depending on what they announce next week I’m beginning to get very tempted to just sell this iMac and buy the next big M-series iMac. I have an M1 Air and the overall experience is just so much smoother without these GPU bugs.

 

[Peet_B]

Exact same issues as you and I have the XT. When shutting down every single time now half of the screen is a different tone. Indeed it feels like Apple could care less about their Intel lineup now. Almost like it’s on purpose. Very troubling that Apple is seemingly practicing the not so subtle, questionably ethical nudge to their new silicon.

Exactly. I need the GPU performance the M1 can't provide (and it will probably take some time to get 5700-like GPU performance in their "affordable" line-up) and my '14 MBP was no good anymore so I practically had no choice but to buy the 2020 iMac. It's barely 6-months old and has lots of issues like WiFi constantly failing, the graphical glitches, a very audible fan and the Bluetooth stability of damp cloth... Not the experience I was expecting after paying more than €3200,- or almost $3900 (yes, it's $1300 more expensive here in The Netherlands...)

 

[dspdoc]

Either the drivers for this series of cards (5500, 5700 XT/non-XT) are just not good or these cards are just not very good at doing the job of drawing UI. They might be fine for doing GPU-bound work but they seem to have a ton of small issues just doing basic macOS stuff.

With 11.4 there was an AMD driver update. For me (5500 XT), some things got better – my True Tone glitches are fewer and less frequent now, but framerate/stuttering issues when scrolling/moving windows got a bit worse.

I’m kind of holding out hope that 11.5 or the next macOS fixes this, either with another update to the AMD drivers or with workarounds in the OS but I doubt it. Depending on what they announce next week I’m beginning to get very tempted to just sell this iMac and buy the next big M-series iMac. I have an M1 Air and the overall experience is just so much smoother without these GPU bugs.

So then it sounds like you’re falling right into Apple’s seemingly mischievous plan. What a shame. That really sort of whacks those of us needing to stay on Intel for as long as possible. This seems to happen with every major HW revision. Way to go Apple! You sure are brilliant at keeping people under your spell. ?‍♂️

 

[dspdoc]

It should be against some sort of regulation for Apple to allow bugs to increasingly creep in as they transition towards their own new HW. The whole planned obsolescence thing is repulsive to me.

 

[neuralengine]

It should be against some sort of regulation for Apple to allow bugs to increasingly creep in as they transition towards their own new HW. The whole planned obsolescence thing is repulsive to me.

So then it sounds like you’re falling right into Apple’s seemingly mischievous plan. What a shame. That really sort of whacks those of us needing to stay on Intel for as long as possible. This seems to happen with every major HW revision. Way to go Apple! You sure are brilliant at keeping people under your spell. ?‍♂️

Oh don’t get me wrong, I find it ridiculous, insulting and absurd that a $3k machine can't render its OS properly or handle scrolling. But at some point, they’re going to do what they’re going to do and I have to get work done. I don’t think there’s any amount of pressure we as customers can apply on Apple to get them to fix this. For all we know maybe they can’t fix it because the issues are in the GPU.

 

[Peet_B]

It should be against some sort of regulation for Apple to allow bugs to increasingly creep in as they transition towards their own new HW. The whole planned obsolescence thing is repulsive to me.

I agree. It's a shame that I have to use MacOS for most of my workflow and can't do the same in Windows. The only options I had was either buying a new Mac or building a Hackintosh. But since a Hackintosh needs a lot of maintenance, and due to the fact that MacOS will be ARM only by the time the 2020 iMacs lose support, Hackintoshes are probably also game-over... I hate it when companies have so much power and just don't listen to a reasonably large group of people like us, who depend on MacOS and/or X86...

 

[dspdoc]

Oh don’t get me wrong, I find it ridiculous, insulting and absurd that a $3k machine can't render its OS properly or handle scrolling. But at some point, they’re going to do what they’re going to do and I have to get work done. I don’t think there’s any amount of pressure we as customers can apply on Apple to get them to fix this. For all we know maybe they can’t fix it because the issues are in the GPU.

Oh I believe Apple can fix the issues as they are intermittent and have just fired back up as of this update. If they can’t they can certainly light a fire under AMD.