2018 Macbook pro Image persistence/ blue tint/ yellow tint/ shimmering screen

[Las Zach]

HELP! I have a 2018 Mackbook pro it has Image persistence after using for a bit. Also after 10 or 15 minutes of use the screen gets a blue tint or yellow tint. When using pages with white backgrounds such as google or PowerPoint the color shimmers between white and blue tint. These problems do not appear on external display only on internal display. Problem started 1 day after updating to Big Sur Version 11.1. The shimmering and blue and yellow tint stop if I move the screen to 45°, the problem instantly reoccurs when the screen is between 45° and 90°, however the image persistence only stops when computer is shut down for a while. The shimmering problem also escalates dramatically if I turn off the true tone display setting. With true tone on the shimmering is more subtle. The problem also periodically subsides when external lighting is very bright.

Steps I have already taken
#1 Disconnected external display
#2 Calibrated display
#3 Turned on and off true tone
#4 Restated computer
#5 Did repair with disk utility
#6 Ran diagnostics (which reported no problems with the computer).
#7 Booted in safe
#8 Reset NVRAM
#9 Reset SMC
#10 Reinstalled Big Sur 11.1

Still the problem is persisting. I have always take very good care of it and it is only a year and a half old. What is the problem?

 

[pigoo3]

Problem started 1 day after updating to Big Sur Version 11.1. The shimmering and blue and yellow tint stop if I move the screen to 45°, the problem instantly reoccurs when the screen is between 45° and 90°...

Looks like you did quite a bit of troubleshooting so far...which definitely limits the remaining possibilities.

If you firmly believe the upgrade to Big Sur is causing the issues...you could downgrade to Catalina (downgrading is not always easy). You could try installing Catalina on an external drive...then booting from it.

* If the issue disappears...then the issue very well could be due to Big Sur.
* If the issue does not go away...then the issue is not macOS related (Big Sur).

Here's an article that lists a bunch of things to try (many you've already done). The article was written for Catalina...but maybe the basic troubleshooting steps can also apply to Big Sur:

8 Ways to Fix Screen Flickering after Updating to macOS 10.15

Why does my screen flickering after upgrading to macOS 10.15? This article gives a step-by-step guide to solve this issue.

pdf.wondershare.com

A second thought (since the angle of the MacBook Pro's display was mentioned)...and the issue only seems to be on the internal display and not external display. Some MacBook Pro models suffer from video cable failure issues (cable that goes from the logic board to the builtin display). This can include 2016, 2017 MacBook Pro's...maybe more. This is known as "flexgate".

Here's a good article that explains it:

Apple quietly addressed ‘Flexgate’ issue with MacBook Pro redesign

A $6 part causing a $700 repair

www.theverge.com

As you can see from the article...this can be an expensive repair. Or maybe...if Apple is contacted...maybe
they will repair it.

Here's also an article that says Apple will repair this issue on 2016 13" MacBook Pro's (who knows...maybe it will eventually be extended to more models):

Apple will repair 2016 MacBook Pros with ‘flexgate’ display issues for free

Repairs will be covered for four years after a laptop was first purchased.

www.theverge.com

Please let us know how things go if you decide to do additional troubleshooting. If you find a fix...this could definitely help others with a similar issue.

Thanks,

- Nick

 

[Las Zach]

Looks like you did quite a bit of troubleshooting so far...which definitely limits the remaining possibilities.

If you firmly believe the upgrade to Big Sur is causing the issues...you could downgrade to Catalina (downgrading is not always easy). You could try installing Catalina on an external drive...then booting from it.

* If the issue disappears...then the issue very well could be due to Big Sur.
* If the issue does not go away...then the issue is not macOS related (Big Sur).

Here's an article that lists a bunch of things to try (many you've already done). The article was written for Catalina...but maybe the basic troubleshooting steps can also apply to Big Sur:

8 Ways to Fix Screen Flickering after Updating to macOS 10.15

Why does my screen flickering after upgrading to macOS 10.15? This article gives a step-by-step guide to solve this issue.

pdf.wondershare.com

A second thought (since the angle of the MacBook Pro's display was mentioned)...and the issue only seems to be on the internal display and not external display. Some MacBook Pro models suffer from video cable failure issues (cable that goes from the logic board to the builtin display). This can include 2016, 2017 MacBook Pro's...maybe more. This is known as "flexgate".

Here's a good article that explains it:

Apple quietly addressed ‘Flexgate’ issue with MacBook Pro redesign

A $6 part causing a $700 repair

www.theverge.com

As you can see from the article...this can be an expensive repair. Or maybe...if Apple is contacted...maybe
they will repair it.

Here's also an article that says Apple will repair this issue on 2016 13" MacBook Pro's (who knows...maybe it will eventually be extended to more models):

Apple will repair 2016 MacBook Pros with ‘flexgate’ display issues for free

Repairs will be covered for four years after a laptop was first purchased.

www.theverge.com

Please let us know how things go if you decide to do additional troubleshooting. If you find a fix...this could definitely help others with a similar issue.

Thanks,

- Nick

I think your 100% correct that the problem is the display ribbon. I have a follow-up question. The background to this question: I do not have Apple care (My last laptop went through 30+ countires with me and lasted 8 years with only one minor problem that apple fixed for free because of a hardware recall, so paying 400$ for apple care seemed unnecessary). I have taken very good care of the computer, always super careful with it. do you think it is worth paying the 750$ to fix the computer? Considering I babied it, and the display died so quickly. I am worried that something else will go wrong with it in short order and as i recently discovered apparently this is a particularly expensive computer to fix. I bought it brand new in April of 2018 for 3000$+. Do you think I should take the loss and just buy another computer or do you think that I should fix it? I imagine the trade in value is quite poor given the need for a new display.

(The computer has 16 gigs of ram, 2.6 GHz 6-Core Intel Core i7, 500 gigs of storage.)

 

[pigoo3]

Do you think I should take the loss and just buy another computer or do you think that I should fix it?

Contact Apple & nicely explain things. If the issue is the display ribbon/cable...they will know about it...and may possibly repair it free of charge (even if your Apple Care Warranty is expired). Apple has done this sort of thing in the past.

Please let us know how things progress. Thanks

- Nick

 

[Las Zach]

They replaced the screen cost 750$.