Why am I getting weird artifacts?

Question

MacBook Pro 13" Function Keys 2017

A1708/EMC 3164 — Released June 2017, this entry-level MacBook Pro retains its traditional function keys (as opposed to the OLED Touch Bar).

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Cperson @cperson

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crwdns2931729:0crwdne2931729:0: yesterdayMud 20, 2025

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Why am I getting weird artifacts?

As the picture shows, there are white dots on the external display, the internal display is broken. These dots are not still, they move around the screen and sometimes a large part of the screen sometimes is covered in artifacts of all colors. This stopped for a short period of time where it connected and worked flawlessly and began again going into recovery mode and now I cannot stop it. Now with these arficats, it does not connect well and disconnects from the HDMI often. Any help is appreciated, thank you.

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@danj Is this a sign that the Internal graphics are failing? As I have also noticed this happen on an older Macbook model that I had here recently......? The internal display not working can be the flexgate issue https://www.lappymaker.com/blog/flexgate...

crwdns2934271:0yesterdayMud 20, 2025crwdnd2934271:0 livfe crwdne2934271:0

@livfe - This is not a FlexGate issue (backlight failure) or some other version of it effecting the video. From 2016 onwards the logic board pumps out iDP or eDP signaling to the display to then convert to the raster image (T-CON). Pixel lice is either within the RAM or at the T-CON not in the transmission between.

crwdns2934271:0yesterdayMud 20, 2025crwdnd2934271:0 Dan crwdne2934271:0

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Dan @danj

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Self employed contract worker

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crwdns2931729:0crwdne2931729:0: yesterdayMud 20, 2025

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I call this effect pixel lice as the video buffer RAM is failing or there is noise within the T-CON board.

The different model series use different memory setups. In the Intel models we have either iGPU (Intel CPU graphics) or dedicated GPU's mostly AMD these days.

The Intel based systems carve out a bit of main RAM as the buffer space and within the AMD models dedicated RAM.

Now to make your head spin! The AMD chip isn't used during startup and only pressed into service when a given App calls for it. With nothing running other that the OS will be using the Intel graphics so if you are seeing pixel lice just within the desktop that's a bad T-CON board. If you see the pixel lice when running a heavy graphics game or task like video editing that's a dedicated RAM failure often it's a bad solder joint on the RAM chips.

Of course the T-CON is often where the failure is, as it's part of the display within the lid or just dangling as in this series there is not much you can fix. If you have some spare parts you might be able to replace if you can identify the failed component. It's both simpler and cheaper just replacing the display.

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@danj It is an Intel only laptop to my knowledge, and it happens on startup, as I do not have any spare parts apart from a 2012 macbook pro, would I be able to use the T-CON from that or would I be forced to replace the internal display. Thank you.

crwdns2934271:0tiawara ta 19 agoMud 20, 2025crwdnd2934271:0 Cperson crwdne2934271:0

@cperson - Sorry I forgot to clarify, yes indeed your system is an Intel Graphics only system.

In your series the T-CON is dangling from the display sitting within the main body. I would just replace the entire display as the really can't fix's that much within the T-CON it's self. MacBook Pro 13" Retina (Late 2016-2017) Display Assembly and here's the guide MacBook Pro 13" Touch Bar 2017 Screen Replacement

crwdns2934271:0tiawara ta 18 agoMud 20, 2025crwdnd2934271:0 Dan crwdne2934271:0

@danj Will that fix the issue entirely?

crwdns2934271:0tiawara ta 18 agoMud 20, 2025crwdnd2934271:0 Cperson crwdne2934271:0

@cperson - It should!

crwdns2934271:0tiawara ta 18 agoMud 20, 2025crwdnd2934271:0 Dan crwdne2934271:0

@danj Thanks, I will try this

crwdns2934271:0tiawara ta 18 agoMud 20, 2025crwdnd2934271:0 Cperson crwdne2934271:0

crwdns2934285:0crwdne2934285:0

@danj Is this a sign that the Internal graphics are failing? As I have also noticed this happen on an older Macbook model that I had here recently......? The internal display not working can be the flexgate issue https://www.lappymaker.com/blog/flexgate... — livfe
@livfe - This is not a FlexGate issue (backlight failure) or some other version of it effecting the video. From 2016 onwards the logic board pumps out iDP or eDP signaling to the display to then convert to the raster image (T-CON). Pixel lice is either within the RAM or at the T-CON not in the transmission between. — Dan
@danj It is an Intel only laptop to my knowledge, and it happens on startup, as I do not have any spare parts apart from a 2012 macbook pro, would I be able to use the T-CON from that or would I be forced to replace the internal display. Thank you. — Cperson
@cperson - Sorry I forgot to clarify, yes indeed your system is an Intel Graphics only system.

In your series the T-CON is dangling from the display sitting within the main body. I would just replace the entire display as the really can't fix's that much within the T-CON it's self. MacBook Pro 13" Retina (Late 2016-2017) Display Assembly and here's the guide MacBook Pro 13" Touch Bar 2017 Screen Replacement — Dan

MacBook Pro 13" Function Keys 2017

Why am I getting weird artifacts?

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