Dust getting under the screen and damaging the device is something we've experienced in the past with the best folding phones. But we could never have imagined that it would affect our laptops, let alone our best MacBooks.

As reported by Forbes, a new display failure dubbed "Dustgate" is now causing problems with several models of the MacBook Pro, according to repair experts who have addressed the issue themselves.

Basically, the problem appears to stem from the screen-flex cable used to connect the display of some MacBook Pro models to the lower half of the laptop. This is because there is a gap between the affected laptop's screen and keyboard that collects dust and dirt.

If dust gets caught in this gap while opening and closing the lid of a vulnerable MacBook Pro, the screen flex cable is damaged. You can tell if your laptop is a victim of "Dustgate" when purple vertical lines begin to appear on the screen when opened at a certain angle.

Although we have not yet heard of it, "Dustgate" is already a common problem among MacBooks released between 2018 and 2020. However, MacBook Pro models sold between 2016 and 2020 have a similar design and may be equally susceptible. In fact, Stephan Steins, founder and CEO of Mac repair company NoteBookNerds, told Forbes that several MacBooks are affected by "dustgate" every week.

"Dustgate" affects older MacBook Pro models that are likely to be out of warranty, making it more expensive to have the laptop repaired.

Speaking to Forbes, Ricky Panesar, founder of iCorrect, explained that the repair itself is very difficult because the damaged kerf is "connected behind the screen itself." This means that the device's screen must be removed from the outer shell without breaking it before a new flex cable can be replaced and soldered in place. For this reason, it is easier to replace the entire display. However, doing this without AppleCare could cost more than $625.

If you are about to purchase a new Apple laptop, such as the recently released MacBook Pro M3 or the previous generation MacBook Pro M2, you need not worry about "dust gates" as Apple has solved this problem. For those who are not ready to upgrade yet, Panesar recommends cleaning the laptop rigorously on a regular basis to prevent dust from accumulating where the screen meets the keyboard.

I have yet to hear anything official from Apple regarding "dustgate," but now that the news is out there, the company will probably address this issue officially. But even if they don't, I for one am glad that this problem has been fixed.