Have you ever experienced issues with your MacBook Pro’s display? While several external forces may cause damage or failure, common display issues with certain MacBook Pro models are in fact attributed to your laptop's internal cables. Flexgate is the term dubbed by many to describe a display problem induced by a faulty, worn out or torn flex cable. This flex is what connects the display assembly to its connector on the logic board. While all of this might sound quite technical, this issue in fact is quite common. Here are the main indicators!

Stage Light Effect

This issue emerges across the bottom of the MacBook Pro’s screen, displaying alternatively bright and dim areas of light. This creates a visible “stage light” effect, which can lead to more serious problems if ignored.

Backlight turns off when opening the MacBook at a certain angle 

This is characterised by the MacBook screen completely shutting off when opened at a certain angle, normally either being 3/4 way or all the way up. The output is restored when the screen is tilted at a varied angle. This, as unusual as it may sound, is a clear indicator of Flexgate on a MacBook.

Complete Backlight Failure

This issue is the result of a microscopically torn flex cable, causing the MacBook Pro’s backlight to completely shut off. In this case, the display is blank. It is very easy to confuse this symptom with other unrelated errors however a damaged flex cable may be identified by shining a light on the screen and observing a dim display. One can see the pictures and text on the screen however it is just too dim to be visible - meaning the backlight is not functional.

Graphic Glitches

This emerges when the display stays bright but shows evident graphic glitches, such as negative colours, a tint, or streaks of particular colours throughout the entire screen (with a vertical patch of brightness and colour).

At Atom I.T. Repairs, we are constantly keeping up with Apple’s changes to the MacBook Pro, specifically with regards to these types of ever changing failures. Consequently, this greatly influences how we approach our repairs. Even though different models entail varied approaches, we promise a comprehensive, Apple repair service. With this information in mind, always remember to act fast when coming across any of the above symptoms!