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I have the same problem as many other Microsoft users (summarized below)
What is Microsoft's solution to resolve the Surface Pro 4 flickering screen?
ISSUE
Due to the pandemic, I now need to work remotely and use this Surface for 8 or more hours each day. The first full day was a surprise when my screen started flickering. I see that Microsoft knew about this issue and arranged to extend the warranty to 3 years. Unfortunately, my Surface Pro 4 is just past the 3 years. I feel that since my Surface was registered when I bought it that Microsoft should have notified me that my Surface was in the batch of known hardware defects. Had I known about this issue, I would have taken care of this issue immediately. Instead, I was left to discover this on my own over time. Now, Microsoft support has offered to replace my Surface with a used certified Surface for an additional $599.99 with only a 90 day warranty. I don't really want to spend an additional $599.99 but I will if I have to so I can continue to get some work done. I have 2 issues with this, one is that Microsoft had my contact information from my registered device and never contacted me to say I had this known hardware issue and second is that after I spend $599.99 I will get a used device with only a 90 warranty.
1) What is Microsoft's resolution to this?
2) How do we implement the solution during the COVID-19 crisis?
Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.
I have the same issue with my Surface 4, only difference being that I had replaced my surface (for another issue) a couple years ago while it was still under the 3 year warranty period, the replacement device they've sent me is the one having the flicker issue and I've run out of the warranty period.
well I can testify that re-imaging does not help, as I did one re-imaging and it is not that the device load updated drivers that causes the problem, the only left is the temperature affecting the screen.
I can not understand why MS are telling people to re-image when they know it is a hardware defect and the net is full of people that have purchased a new type of screen and swapped it themselves *(same screen used in SURFACE PRO 5).
I still have the heatgun and tools after I had to repair SURFACE PRO 3 after the battery did not charge after an software update. Each time I buy MS hardware I feel like finishing off that work their engineers started ... now for the second time. As for PRO 3, they fixed the driver issue , but when they fixed it they did not even tell the audience. How can I take this company serious ?
I have the same problem here. The flickering/ scrambling appears at a 'cold' start. When the surface is awake for like 5 minutes the scrambling disapears and become workable... rebooting the surface i does not cause flickering, but restarting after like 20minutes of downtime, the machine is cooled off, and the flickering starts again. Also when I start with Ubuntu OS on USB stick...
I did re-imaging , the flicker disapeared, ...... but it re-appeared after a while why, even the surface was "cold" in temp ?
You see, behind my back win10 had upgraded the drivers to a new set of **** drivers that is not fitted for this machine at all. I need to find a way of disabling updates or just work without being connected to the net.
Hello there
I also have the same issue with Microsoft Surface Pro 4 device, yes it is a few years old however it has been well looked after ( it was a secondary device which I mainly used for OneNote) and I then replaced it with a Surface Laptop 3, so it was spare and an ideal option for my 8-year-old son when COVID and home schooling struck! I promptly reset the device for his school use. After only a couple of weeks of a school day and Minecraft workload, the screen started flickering/degrading. I have read some of the reviews and I am not prepared to try freezing the device! But once cooled the device and its screen do work again for a short period of time. This appears to be a fundamental (and well known) failing of Microsoft hardware. Now my son uses the Surface Laptop 3 and I have reverted back to the MacBook (which has always been reliable)
I very much doubt that Microsoft will do anything for older devices, I hope that they learn and improve their products as this is very damaging for the brand. What will I choose next time, Microsoft or Apple hardware... even my son (now 9-years-old) has an opinion on this!
