Graphics cards, spots on the screens: the little cares of the iMac

Defective graphics cards, spots on the screen, the latest iMac were not without their problems more or less important and more or less accepted by Apple. Problems all the more annoying than the iMac is a machine all-in-a dedicated closed to the public and therefore difficult to repair. While a new generation iMac must be submitted by the summer, we should review these concerns conception.
 
 The chill of Nvidia 8800 GS

Several series of graphics cards with Nvidia equipped Macs between 2007 and 2008 have created real problems for users. The best known case is that of the GeForce 8600M GT MacBook Pro: very common and widely publicized, it has forced Apple to extend the warranty of affected machines in four years, justice forcing Nvidia to replace the motherboard of all who so requested. But this is not the only problem that had Apple and Nvidia.

The GeForce 8800 GS, an option on the iMac 24 "early-2008, is also experiencing serious problems with reliability. This problem is much less known, because it was much less publicized: it affects only an option to a top model of a single set of machines, and is rather random. It is nevertheless recently returned on forums and sites: these machines are now four years and are subject to more frequent breakdowns.

If you have this graphics card, the symptoms are easy to spot: the display is experiencing slowdowns or gels, which require a reboot and return at regular intervals, or even more frequent. Contrary to what one might think, the problem is not overheating the 8800 GS, on the contrary it cools too fast: some series, using an inappropriate material, are more fragile than others and end up suffering the draconian treatment meted out by the system hardware. For the iMac keeps his cool, ventilated Apple, but these cards that prefer cool to very hot pace. the their support for this problem is diverse: it is better that the card makes the soul and hope that The Apple Store or the RPA from the corner, the eligibility test returns the code that will give you an extended warranty and free replacement of the motherboard. The price of the repair if the cost will approach half an iMac.

The screens speckled

The other major problem is much more recent: it is the famous gray patches of iMac screens 11.2 and 12.1, released between July 2010 and today, more occasionally on older models. We tend to forget, but the screen, which summarizes the iMac by itself, has often been the weak point of this machine all in one. Some had jaundice, others twinkled, and several suffered from a somewhat homogeneous backlight. The problem spots, however, stands by its random nature, which explains a difficult management, lack of clear recognition by Apple.

The symptoms can not be missed: gray spots, turning occasionally to brown, appear on the screen behind the glass plate. They vary from simple stitch streaks more or less extensive, especially in the corners and the upper part, very rarely in the form of vertical lines. From what we know, this problem is the design of the iMac: the flow of ventilation, the bottom back to the extractor from the top of the screen, promotes the deposition of dust on the slab. The heat helps to fix the form of an amalgam greasy gray. It is possible to remove the glass plate and screen for cleaning, but it is very difficult to do without introducing dust into the system. And traces return. this problem is common, but remains limited compared to the mass of outstanding iMac, and highly dependent on conditions of use: iMac stuck to a wall in the present environment smoker certainly an iMac on a large desk used for the office will not suffer maybe ever. The characteristics of this phenomenon thus complicate the management, but unlike what has been read, Apple has never ignored. The absence of official guidelines unfortunately some customers faced with refusal of treatment, especially in distressed and APR subject to quotas Apple Genius and tired behind their "bar" congested. Those who managed to get a new machine, however, have found that since the conditions of use and design of the iMac had not changed, the problem could return. Fortunately, Apple now recommends the systematic cleaning of the machine, which should relieve the affected customers.

Get out of these problems

Prevent these problems is difficult, but we can at least respond. Under Article L211-156 of the Consumer Code, Apple provides a contractual guarantee of one year. Under sections 1641 to 1649 of the Civil Code, Apple must also provide a legal guarantee against hidden defects: Ordinance No. 2005-36 transposing Directive 1999/44 on the guarantee of consumer goods to the fixed two years. These legal bases offer a first line of defense, if Apple strengthens glaring problem with extended warranties.

  

However, if the person you're speaking resists, do not hesitate to not only be knowledgeable about the problem and use your potential, but also to get tough (without raising his voice), especially if you are in a Apple Store. The combination has a fairly radical from that company who do not particularly make waves. The AppleCare facilitates a possible replacement in a case like this tendentious speckled screens: it is not (yet) covered by statutory warranty, but is the warranty contract. And the AppleCare is just a contractual warranty extended to three years. When you can put almost € 2 000 in a machine, the price of AppleCare, € 179, may seem reasonable in price of peace.

However, these problems show the limits of the concept of the iMac: all-in-one must remain silent and not to overheat while being (very) powerful sometimes poorly adapts to demanding components. For Nvidia GeForce 8800 GS is direct evidence that screens spotted an indirect confirmation. While speaking of changes substantial enough to revision 2012, one can only hope that Apple has learned the lesson of which is far from a debacle, but looks more and more like a sad agony.