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

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.

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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
    2017-03-20T17:56:25+00:00

    Got the same problem since a couple of days now. The issue also appears in the UEFI menu and during start-up. Updating the graphics driver etc. didn't work and the issue persists. I have observed that the flickering usually first starts after some time of use. The only work around so far was to use the task manager or - as of lately - the taskbar clock using seconds.

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  2. Anonymous
    2017-03-19T03:10:50+00:00

    My project end of March too and the difficulty is I must backup kinds of data, it's terrible when I not in USA

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  3. Anonymous
    2017-03-18T22:10:56+00:00

    That's the best solution, I have to launch a project by end of March and I can't use the laptop for a single tasks. There is now a shadow screen on top of the main display which flickers up and down all day

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  4. Anonymous
    2017-03-18T22:06:19+00:00

    I have had the same issue. Have been in contact with MS and conducted all mentioned software tests. They have concluded it is a hardware issue and have organised a replacement. Due to my need for my device daily (i can still manage to work through my second screen) they have performed an advance replacement where they send the device first and when received i use that packaging to return the defective unit. Might be an option for you guys who cant wait a month for the turnaround of your defective units.

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