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
    2017-07-19T21:17:37+00:00

    This is happening to me, although it only stops when I stop interacting. It's possibly a hardrive / graphics driver issue. If my hard drive starts to spin up, my screen jitters, and shakes. I'm going to guess it has to do with a recent windows update because I hadn't updated in a while and this wasn't happening before.

    There is a definite area about 50 or so pixels tall at the top of my screen that is not affected for whatever reason.

    I'm switching my machine to Linux if this keeps up. And I won't buy another Windows machine again.

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  2. Anonymous
    2017-07-14T15:02:13+00:00

     haven't figured out if it is a hardware or a software problem. 

    I just had something that looked like this.  I had been using some screen casting, so at first it just looked as if that had been backed up but then it continued (as if the queue I thought was being emptied was really a loop.  Ctrl-Alt-Delete stopped it.  Also, I think my mouse batteries may have been a bit weak.

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  3. Anonymous
    2017-07-13T00:32:47+00:00

    I posted this on the product review this morning. 

    I have bought 5 units. Two of them have flickering display which is clearly hardware problem. Microsoft should announce a massive recall on this product if they are committed to providing quality products. The stylus pen is not robust. The black cover on the tip doesn't last a few weeks. Getting a new pen is costly. Please follow t this thread before buying the machine: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/forum/surfpro4-surfdrivers/surface-pro-4-screen-flickering-shacking/570165cb-50a0-4d71-bcb1-310ddd869d1d

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  4. Anonymous
    2017-07-12T23:31:44+00:00

    It is definitely a hardware problem. I have had Microsoft technicians to remotely check everything on Device Manager and everything works perfectly. If you still have a chance, I suggest you get a full refund and choose another type of laptop. But it is still up to you if you still want to experience this blurry screen. To be honest, Surface is an innovative device but not when this problem occurs.

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