What GPU artifacts look like
Vertical or horizontal coloured lines. Pink/green/yellow blocks across the screen. Distorted images that update incorrectly. Screen tearing during scrolling. Random pixels.
Often progressive — starts intermittent, becomes constant over weeks/months.
Cause 1: Display cable wear (flexgate)
MacBook Pro 13"/15" 2016–2019 specifically. Display cable wears through repeated lid open/close. Symptoms: backlight uneven, lines at bottom, intermittent issues that change with lid angle.
Test: tilt lid to various angles. If artifacts come and go with hinge position = cable issue.
Fix: display cable replacement PKR 18k–28k.
Cause 2: GPU chip solder-joint failure (Radeon Macs)
MacBook Pro 15"/16" 2017–2019 with Radeon Pro GPU. Solder joints crack with thermal cycling over years. Symptoms: random reboots during heavy graphics, GPU artifacts that grow worse over weeks.
Test: artifacts appear during graphics-heavy tasks (video playback, Photoshop, gaming). Disappear under light load.
Fix: GPU reflow PKR 22k–35k (temporary, 6–18 months). GPU replacement PKR 45k–80k (more permanent).
Cause 3: VRAM (graphics memory) failure
Dedicated VRAM chips fail individually. Symptoms: specific blocks of artifacts in specific colours.
Fix: VRAM chip replacement PKR 35k–55k.
Cause 4: Software glitches (rare but possible)
macOS GPU driver bugs. Fixed in subsequent updates.
Test: same Mac under Linux (via Asahi or Boot Camp) shows different/no artifacts. Then software-cause.
Fix: macOS update, kernel extension review.
Cause 5: Display panel itself failed (rare)
Direct impact or pressure damage on the LCD. Artifacts in specific physical locations regardless of GPU load.
Fix: full display assembly replacement PKR 50k–110k depending on model.
AppleForce diagnostic process
Free 15-minute diagnosis. We connect Mac to external monitor first — if external monitor shows artifacts too = GPU/board issue. If external monitor clean = display assembly issue.
We test under load (Heaven Benchmark) to verify thermal-related GPU failures. Quote includes part + labour + warranty.