How to stop buying a faulty MacBook Pro i5 2010 15 inch?

[Djdoogle123]

Hi I don't know if I'm posting this on the right place or anybody can help, I'm about to buy a MacBook Pro 15 inch 2010 but have done some research and it turns out there's a fault with the gforce graphics card in the machine of this year and around, now I have a screen shot of the MacBook I'm about to buy and it says it running a built in intel HD graphics card would this mean it's not one of the affected machines. As it's not got the dodgy card inside?

Or have I got that completely wrong?

Is there anything I can look for to stop buying a otherwise faulty MacBook?

Regards,

Luke.

 

[pigoo3]

...it says it running a built in intel HD graphics card would this mean it's not one of the affected machines.

This MacBook Pro has dual graphics hardware (integrated & dedicated). What you're seeing is the integrated graphics. To properly test the computer before purchase you would want to see the dedicated graphics in operation.

If you have your doubts...don't buy it. It's a 7 year-old computer anyway...and getting a bit out-dated.

- Nick

 

[Raz0rEdge]

I wouldn't buy any Mac that is greater than 3 years really. That 2010 model is riding the line of when the next version of mac OS will cut it off and the apps will slowly require a version of macOS that won't run on it ..just not worth it..

 

[pigoo3]

And of course this could be a REALLY short discussion if it's over-priced! If it's over-priced...then you definitely don't get it. Easy enough!

- Nck

 

[Djdoogle123]

This MacBook Pro has dual graphics hardware (integrated & dedicated). What you're seeing is the integrated graphics. To properly test the computer before purchase you would want to see the dedicated graphics in operation.

If you have your doubts...don't buy it. It's a 7 year-old computer anyway...and getting a bit out-dated.

- Nick

Hi nick thanks for your comment and help, how would I go about testing the 'other' graphics card when I go and see it?

Luke

 

[Djdoogle123]

Hi pigloo he's asking £350 it's a 2010 15 inch i5 2.43 ghz 8gb 500hd in good condition

 

[Djdoogle123]

Ideally neather would unforchabtly it's all I can afford at the moment, and want to get back into my Logic Pro x

 

[pigoo3]

...how would I go about testing the 'other' graphics card when I go and see it?

Here's how you can make a MacBook Pro use the more powerful dedicated graphics:

- Apple Menu
- System Preferences
- Energy Saver
- Deselect "automatic graphics switching"

This makes the computer use the higher performance dedicated graphics hardware.

But also consider the other stuff mentioned in this thread:

- It's an older computer which may or may not meet your performance needs...and it may or may not be able to run the next OS version Apple releases. As Ashwin mentioned...it's probably on the chopping-block for the next OS release.
- And if it's over-priced...no point in purchasing it.

* Nick

 

[pigoo3]

Hi pigloo he's asking £350 it's a 2010 15 inch i5 2.43 ghz 8gb 500hd in good condition

I did a quick check on eBay UK...and I'm seeing a handful of these 2010 15" MBP's from £300 to £350. This includes slightly better 2010 15" MBP's.

Thus £350 seems to be in the right "ballpark" for this particular unit. If you can get it for £300...that would be better.

You also want to check on the number of battery cycles the computer has. If the battery cycles are high...then you may be faced with needing a replacement battery soon after purchase (which usually is not cheap for a good replacement battery). Unless of course if you don't have plans to use it on battery power much.

- Nick

 

[Djdoogle123]

Thanks for your help nick, I think I might just save up a few extra hundred and get a newer model but I will go and check this out and try what you told me.
I was already aware of the battery cycle problem as would of checked that also.

Thank you very much for your help.

Luke

 

[pigoo3]

Sounds good Luke. Check out eBay to see what you can get for more money. Try some 2011 & 2012 15" MacBook Pro models. This will give you an idea of how much more money you may need. If you can collect together more money than what the 2011 & 2012 models are selling for...then check out what the 2013+ models are selling for.

One of the oldest computer buying rules applies. "Buy as much computer as you can afford." The newer the computer you can purchase...the more you will be satisfied with it...and the longer it will last. One important tip. Don't purchase anything with less than 8gig of RAM!

Good luck,

- Nick

 

[Audit13]

The problem with the 15" 2010 MBP is not the graphics card but a single capacitor that was used on the motherboard. More specifically, it is capacitor c9560. The capacitor can/will eventually fail and cause sudden grey screens or kernel panics when the MBP switches from using Intel integrated graphics to the nVidia gpu. Google MBP 2010 capacitor c9560 for more information.

A good way to test the machine would be to run the Cinebench r15 benchmark test. If the capacitor is bad, the test will fail before it even starts and the machine will kennel panic and restart.

I also have a 2010 15.4" MBP and had the capacitor replaced with a more robust capacitor than the original and it has been working perfectly.