Surface Pro 4, Screen Flickering, Shaking

Anonymous
2017-01-19T07:47:47+00:00

Hi All,

Update: Flickergate is now having a forum to bring all affected users at a single platform to plan for resolvement of issue. Please join at

 https://forum.flickergate.com

UPDATE: Check FlickerGate.com for videos of the problem and to submit your own. 

I purchased SP4 device a few months ago and it was working fine for a month. Then I noticed that when the CPU is at its max, the screen flickers a bit. Investigating further revealed that it flickers even if it is setting idle. It does not flicker if at least one of the following thing is done:

  1. A video being played in browser 
  2. If I keep the touch screen busy by either taping it or keeping a finger on it
  3. If I use the touchpad
  4. If keyboard is used for typing

This resulted in making the device completely unusable while reading articles or ebooks. I am a developer, most of the time I have to read the code and to do that, I have to constantly keep a finger on the touch pad or the screen. I contacted surface support in October and November and was told that the developers are working on the patch. Looking at the updates the developers are pushing since then, I don't think anyone is even aware of the problem there. 

My previous support ticket numbers are:

 ***deleted personally identifiable information***

***deleted personally identifiable information***

Just wondering if anyone else had the same problem (and the fix) and if not, what's the procedure for the refund? I will rather go for a mac then sacrificing $2000+ for a dancing screen.  

Kind Regards,

Abbas

***Personal information deleted by the moderator. Please see the Microsoft Community Frequently Asked Questions for more information on how you can protect your privacy.***

Surface | Surface Pro | Display and screen

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Anonymous
2018-05-11T17:59:00+00:00

Hey Everyone,

Creating the best products and experiences for our customers is our top priority.

We have heard your feedback and after careful examination, have determined that a small percentage of Surface Pro 4 devices are exhibiting a screen flicker that cannot be addressed with a firmware or driver update.

To support customers affected by this issue, we will replace eligible Surface Pro 4 devices for up to three years from the date of purchase, free of charge. If you believe your device is experiencing this issue, please visit our Surface Pro 4 screen flicker article for more details.

Bryan [MSFT]

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  1. Anonymous
    2018-03-13T02:55:29+00:00

    whatsapp me 01158066875

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  2. Anonymous
    2018-03-13T02:50:53+00:00

    hello sckh_sp4,

    i am not sure how many of the Malaysian users are effected with this issues. hopefully not many. there are a few friends at my office do bought the same SP4 using the 'commercial' term a=but they hardly use their SP4 but my friend and i used it daily and our SP4 started flickered after the warranty was out.

    Called the Microsoft support and they offered the exchange. hopefully if i got the replacement unit it will a good one as i read before the Microsoft team will open up the surface and exchange any faulty components, install windows, making sure it works properly and lastly cosmetics if there are any scratches or whatsoever on the SP4 body.

    the good thing about buying the surface using the 'commercial' term is the Microsoft havent given any particular dates of when the warranty ends. they said that if my second SP4 get any problem, again, i still can do the exchange on 1 to 1 basis and the cycle continues until Microsoft set a new warranty on the 'commercial' term.

    what say you?

    Please go ahead and exchange it. Refurbished unit not necessary means cheap or so, at least it is refurbished by Microsoft, and not done by you or me... 

    My replacement unit was great in terms of speed and cosmetic wise, no dents and no scratches, think should not worry much about it. After I sent my unit and kept the replacement unit, there were 90 days of warranty period stated in Microsoft Account there.

    Go and get it replaced while your unit is still within warranty period. My warranty-out unit was just lucky and got it replaced FOC.  

    Totally avoiding and not recommending Microsoft Hardware product now.

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  3. Anonymous
    2018-03-13T00:44:29+00:00

    hello sckh_sp4,

    i am not sure how many of the Malaysian users are effected with this issues. hopefully not many. there are a few friends at my office do bought the same SP4 using the 'commercial' term a=but they hardly use their SP4 but my friend and i used it daily and our SP4 started flickered after the warranty was out.

    Called the Microsoft support and they offered the exchange. hopefully if i got the replacement unit it will a good one as i read before the Microsoft team will open up the surface and exchange any faulty components, install windows, making sure it works properly and lastly cosmetics if there are any scratches or whatsoever on the SP4 body.

    the good thing about buying the surface using the 'commercial' term is the Microsoft havent given any particular dates of when the warranty ends. they said that if my second SP4 get any problem, again, i still can do the exchange on 1 to 1 basis and the cycle continues until Microsoft set a new warranty on the 'commercial' term.

    what say you?

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  4. Anonymous
    2018-03-12T20:58:40+00:00

    Sadly, my surface is also flickering or ghosting the windows now....and the warrantly has just run out.

    What makes me very suspicious that this is a design flaw of the device is this test......

    When flickering / ghosting begins:

    1. Connect display port to an external monitor with screen duplication set
    2. Connect display port to an external monitor with screen extend set

    You will see with duplication the flickering is also on the external monitor. With extend set you get a perfectly good second desktop with no flicker while the surface screen is still flickering away :|

    So this proves that the graphics hardware works no problems on an external monitor and has no fault there.... come on Microsoft pull the finger out!

    Generally, this has not been my experience.  Even when the SP4 is flickering wildly (see image 1) the external monitor on Duplication is stable (see Image 2).  I will test it on Extension when flickering occurs again (usually after a few hours of use).  The only time I had a problem with Duplication was once when playing a video on the SP and some slight flickering appeared in the video on the external monitor but not on the rest of the monitor screen.

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