Why do 2012 15" Retina MacBook Pros with a dGPU die?

October 22, 2019

What are the symptoms of this common issue?

This issue is present on Late 2012/Early 2013 model 15" MacBook Pros that have a GT650M Graphics card. The issue can present itself in several different ways, including sudden shutdowns, kernel panicking, black screening, or just no image on the screen.

What causes this issue?

This is a very common issue on this model of MacBook. The chip responsible for creating GPU Vcore in this machine is called U8900. This chip sends out spikes of 12V into a coil, which averages out to around 0.9V on VCORE. However, the solder joints on U8900 are very suceptible to cracking over time, causing GPU VCORE to drop to 0.6V or lower. This causes the machine to randomly shut down or black screen.

How can I fix this issue?

If you don't know how to fix it yourself, you can send your MacBook Pro to our store in New York City for our logic board repair service. We offer competitive pricing and expert repairs from all over the world! Click here for our Mail-In MacBook Logic Board Repair Service.