Apple announced on Thursday a free replacement program for certain models of the MacBook Pro that have been suffering from graphic card issues, at times making the laptop virtually unusable.
The replacement program, that begins on February 20 in the US and February 27 in other regions, covers the 15-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pro models manufactured in 2011 and the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina models manufactured from mid-2012 to early-2013.Â
Apple says an affected MacBook Pro may display one or more of the following symptoms: distorted or scrambled video on the computer screen, no video on the computer screen (or external display) even though the computer is on, or the computer restarts unexpectedly. The problem has been relatively wide spread, with a slew of users complaining about it on the Apple Support Forum over the last couple of years.
Apple will repair the faulty MacBook Pro free of charge. Here are the options on how to get it repaired:
- Carry-in
- Bring your MacBook Pro to a participating provider – Apple Retail Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider.
- A technician will run a diagnostic test on the MacBook Pro to verify eligibility.
- Repair turn around time will vary based upon parts and technician availability.
- You will be notified when your MacBook Pro is ready for pickup.
- Mail-in
- Call Apple and request a postage paid box to send your MacBook Pro to the local Apple Repair Center.
- A technician will run a diagnostic test on your MacBook Pro to verify eligibility.
- The repair process takes approximately 5-7 days from the time your MacBook Pro is received at the repair center until it is returned to you.
- After it has been serviced, your MacBook Pro will be returned to you by mail.
You can visit Apple’s support website for more information.
Source: Apple