Apple finally admits 2011-2013 MacBook Pro GPUs were faulty

Apple has finally rolled out a large-scale repair program to fix longstanding issues with MacBook Pro and Retina MacBook Pro laptops shipped between February 2011 and December 2013. The issue seems to be related to the soldering process of the GPUs, it affects laptops with AMD and NVIDIA GPUs so its not vendor specific. Apple doesn't provide specifics but it's rumored that the problems arose because the lead-free solder that's used to connect the GPU to the motherboard cracks through repeated thermal cycling.

As a result of the defect, affected laptops may exhibit distorted video, no video, or unexpected restarts. Full details of the repair program can be found at Apple. Customers can bring affected laptops to an Apple Store or service provider or send it in via mail for repair. Additionally, Apple also promises to reimburse clients who have paid for a repair either though Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider.

Affected Models:

MacBook Pro (15-inch Early 2011) MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2011)

MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2012)

MacBook Pro (17-inch Early 2011)

MacBook Pro (17-inch Late 2011)

MacBook Pro (Retina, 15 inch, Early 2013)

Note: If your MacBook Pro is not experiencing any of these symptoms and is not one of the products affected, you do not need to contact Apple.