Danny Gorog13 October 2008, 5:00 PM
It took them 16 months to admit it, but Apple has finally announced free hardware fixes for all MacBook Pro users that suffer the graphics glitches.
Remember when we told you about graphics glitches that plagued the recent line of MacBook Pros -- you know, the ones that cause scrambled display on many MacBook Pros?
Well, despite Apple's denials, including one to a reader by Steve Jobs himself, Apple has finally fessed up -- almost 16 months since the first 15 and 17" MacBook Pros started shipping with NVIDIA graphics cards.
Apple now admits issues may exist on all models that shipped with the standard GeForce 8600M GT cards. The good news: If your machine 'fails within two years of the original date of purchase, a repair will be done free of charge.' If you bit the bullet and got your out-of-warranty MBP repaired because of this issue, Apple will refund your repair costs.
The problem, according to Apple, and already admitted long ago by other computer manufacturers, is related to a 'higher than normal failure rate' of NVIDIA 8600M GT graphics cards. Symptoms include 'distorted or scrambled video on the computer screen' or 'no video on the computer screen (or external display) even though the computer is on'
While Apple has admitted the problem with the graphics chips are real, they've also made it clear that NVIDIA is at fault, and that the problem has only been uncovered thanks to an 'Apple-led investigation.' Good work guys -- though it may also have had something to do with the thousands of messages posted in forums (including Apple's) from disgruntled customers for the past year.
Nonetheless, this announcement is clearly good news (albeit belated) for those users plagued with the nasty graphics glitch and goes some way to restoring the lost confidence and ill-feelings that many MacBook Pro owners felt towards Apple.
Better News
Apple will once again get a chance to make amends when they release brand new laptops this coming Thursday morning. No doubt you've read plenty on this already, but in short, both the MacBook and MacBook Pro family will receive updates this Wednesday morning.
It's rumored that this refresh will actually be a complete redesign thanks to the leaked photos of new cases and Apple's own technical documentation on the MacBook/MacBook Pro (late 2008) model. Rumors in the US of a sub $1000 MacBook may be true, but with pressure on the Australian dollar it remains to be seen whether Apple Australia will make the same play for a 'budget' MacBook in the Australian market.
Oh, and in case you were hoping that Apple would dump NVIDIA after the latest debacle, think again, as AppleInsider suggests the new MacBooks will sport NVIDIA chips onboard, deposing Intel's perenially underpowered integrated graphics chips.
We'll have a full report on Wednesday morning.