The MacBook Pro has a new hardware problem. A report from iFixit describes how the backlights of the screen can fail. An iFixit user has already named the problem “Flexgate”.
According to iFixit, the problem lies in the cable used to connect the screen to the laptop’s motherboard. Since 2016, Apple has been using a pair of flexible ribbon cables that are tightened when you open your laptop. This can damage the cables over time.
This damage can then lead to the lighting at the bottom of the screen looking irregular, with a kind of ‘stage lighting effect’. In the end, the screen can even collapse completely if you open the laptop by more than half.
It is not clear how widespread the problem is. The effects on the screen only occur over time, as the cables become more damaged, so it is not immediately clear whether or not your device has been affected. According to iFixit, this is the problem: the damage to the cables may only become visible after your device is already out of warranty.
In addition, since 2016, the cables have been directly integrated into the screen. When they fail, the whole screen must be replaced. This while with older Macbook Pro models you could simply have the cable replaced. These older models would not be sensitive to the Flexgate problem.
Butterfly keys
A hardware problem with the keyboard of the MacBook Pro 2016 models also came to light earlier. The butterfly buttons (butterfly switches) used by Apple turned out to be particularly sensitive to defects. One stain under the button was enough to prevent proper operation. Apple fixed that problem with a redesign of the keyboard last year and extended the warranty for affected laptops.
Related: New MacBook Pro barely faster due to poor cooling
This news article was automatically translated from Dutch to give Techzine.eu a head start. All news articles after September 1, 2019 are written in native English and NOT translated. All our background stories are written in native English as well. For more information read our launch article.
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