MacBook Pro Models Suffering From ‘Dustgate,’ Causing Screen Issues
High-end repair specialists NotebookNerds and iCorrect have reported that certain MacBook Pro models are experiencing problems with their screens due to dust and debris. This issue, dubbed ‘dustgate,’ results in the appearance of vertical purple lines on the screen when the laptop lid is open.
The problem seems to stem from dust and debris accumulating in the hinge between the screen and laptop body. As the lid is opened and closed, the debris damages the screen flex cable, leading to corruption of the image displayed on the screen.
Stephan Steins of NotebookNerds stated that they receive several cases of this issue every week, while Ricky Panesar, founder of iCorrect, repairs about four faulty screens each week.
The models affected by ‘dustgate’ are A1989, A2251, A2289, A2338, and A2141 MacBook Pro units from 2018 to 2020, with A2141 seeing the largest number of incidents. However, earlier models dating back to 2016 with a similar design may also be susceptible to this issue. Newer models from 2021 onwards have been designed to better protect the flex cable from dust.
Fixing the issue is complex and potentially costly, as the damaged cables are located on the back of the screen. Repairing them involves removing the screen from the outer shell and soldering in new flex cables. In some cases, the entire screen may need to be replaced, which is a pricey repair.
Affected users are advised to contact Apple or a third-party repair specialist, but the lack of AppleCare coverage for older models may result in a costly repair. It’s important to note that ‘dustgate’ is different from ‘flexgate,’ although both issues involve problems with the flex cable.
Apple has not yet addressed the ‘dustgate’ reports, but the growing number of incidents may prompt further investigation from the company.
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