As the dust settles and Macbook Pro owners begin working with their new laptops, problems begin to crop up. The latest of these involves a graphics card inconsistency that could confuse and even mislead users.
Based on initial reports, the problem concerns how some MacBook Pro units purportedly show the wrong graphics card readout.
MacBook Pro Readout Glitch
The news was first reported by MacRumors, which cited users complaining that their 15-inch MacBook Pro variants show they are running Iris Pro 580 integrated graphics despite the fact that the model is identified with the Intel HD Graphics 530.
The problem varies from user to user. There are those who experience the discrepancy when their laptops are running on battery. The readout only displays the accurate specification once the unit is plugged into a power outlet.
Some users also note that their MacBook Pro does show the correct graphics card but incorrectly states the device ID string. For example, the device identifies the Iris Pro 580 but shows the "191b" string, which is tagged to the Intel HD Graphics 530.
Performance Mismatch
The problem was first spotted in MacBook Pro units at some Apple Stores. This has led observers to think that Apple must be using a higher-spec graphics card in its demo units. But as was the case in actual consumer units, the laptops showing the Iris Pro GPU did not display improved performance expected from the chip.
While the glitch seems minor, there are people who would probably find it jarring. There is the persistent knowledge that something is not working inside the system. For Apple users, that kind of error runs against the refinement they have come to expect from the brand.
MacOS Sierra Bug
The current consensus is that MacOS Sierra is to blame. It is not yet clear what exactly is causing the error. But Apple has so far refrained from commenting on the issue. This means, however, that the problem could be fixed with a dedicated patch or once the next update rolls out. MacBook Pro owners can only hope that no big problem occurs before such update is released.
Aside from the inaccurate GPU readout, there are experts who are also concerned about the MacBook Pro's System Integrity Protection feature. It has been disabled in units that sport the Touch Bar MacBook Pro models, possibly exposing them to malware attacks. Without the security mechanism, hackers can easily execute unauthorized root access. This problem, however, does not affect all MacBook Pro units.
