Surface Pro 4, Screen Flickering, Shaking

Colleagues in Strife

Microsoft pushed an update for the video driver a few hours ago. I installed and put my SP4 in a mode where the problem shows up - using a power point presentation on the screen where the clock and animated cursor are hidden. It usually displays the symptoms after a few minutes but it has been running now for 4 hours straight with no problem. For some reason the I had to force the update when it arrived - it failed to install on its own. Crossing fingers that this holds out.

Thanks for the reply. My SP4 was back to normal after switching it off for it to cool down. I think it's a problem caused by overheating as I used it for many hours (a few days non-stop) without switching it off for the first time. Normally I used it for a few hours only.  I did not know this an issue with SP4 otherwise I will not consider buying it. I am not sure whether there is an Advance Exchange Program in Malaysia but Microsoft Malaysia did not reply after I emailed them on this. Based on the info from the internet, this problem is still not rectified and one clip on the youtube even show a guy putting SP4 into the fridge to cool down. Hence, I will not be buying any SP in the future.

I am also facing this dilemma.  MS have offered to replace my SP4 FOC.  The terminology they use in describing the unit I would receive is rather circumspect.  It sounds like a new unit but I believe that it is a refurbished unit.  Unless MS can categorically confirm that they have isolated the hardware problem I can only anticipate the same flickering problem some time in the future.

It is a lot of work to fully reload all my software onto another device, plus I will be without a PC for about one week.  I am tempted to forget about the replacement and move asap to another brand PC tablet (at considerable extra expense) then I know that I will only have to reload the software once and I will not lose a week without my SP.

Yes, the pain is having nothing to use/work when sending in your SP4.

Honestly, no one would know whether the screen issue will be coming back or not in future, at least for normal users like me, maybe those repair guys could tell after opened up and check the replacement unit.

My case was, totally out-of-warranty, told the support team that this is my only device for daily use, Surface Team offered me Advance Exchange Program, which they sent me a replacement unit, and I have to send back 1 unit to them within 2 weeks, if not, I will be charged for the price of whole new unit. After I received the replacement unit, I test and stress the replacement unit non-stop for 3 days, the machine was hot during the stress. And I saw no screen flickering issue, and decided to send back to them my problem unit after satisfied with this replacement unit in terms of cosmetic and software wise.

I would not know the Advance Exchange Program is available in your region or not as I am in Malaysia and done the swap by above program, I have no screen issue so far and touch wood with this replacement unit, I am going to install heavy software and games maybe in near future as I said before in the thread and see how it goes.

Please mention the Advance Exchange Program with the Surface Team.

Thanks for this advice.  Before responding to their replacement offer I have asked MS how they can be sure I would have no flickering on a replacement unit if they haven't conclusively identified the cause of the problem. They say the units have been fully tested but that didn't stop some of them flickering again so the testing may be inadequate.  I am awaiting their response.

I am also facing this dilemma.  MS have offered to replace my SP4 FOC.  The terminology they use in describing the unit I would receive is rather circumspect.  It sounds like a new unit but I believe that it is a refurbished unit.  Unless MS can categorically confirm that they have isolated the hardware problem I can only anticipate the same flickering problem some time in the future.

It is a lot of work to fully reload all my software onto another device, plus I will be without a PC for about one week.  I am tempted to forget about the replacement and move asap to another brand PC tablet (at considerable extra expense) then I know that I will only have to reload the software once and I will not lose a week without my SP.

Yes, the pain is having nothing to use/work when sending in your SP4.

Honestly, no one would know whether the screen issue will be coming back or not in future, at least for normal users like me, maybe those repair guys could tell after opened up and check the replacement unit.

My case was, totally out-of-warranty, told the support team that this is my only device for daily use, Surface Team offered me Advance Exchange Program, which they sent me a replacement unit, and I have to send back 1 unit to them within 2 weeks, if not, I will be charged for the price of whole new unit. After I received the replacement unit, I test and stress the replacement unit non-stop for 3 days, the machine was hot during the stress. And I saw no screen flickering issue, and decided to send back to them my problem unit after satisfied with this replacement unit in terms of cosmetic and software wise.

I would not know the Advance Exchange Program is available in your region or not as I am in Malaysia and done the swap by above program, I have no screen issue so far and touch wood with this replacement unit, I am going to install heavy software and games maybe in near future as I said before in the thread and see how it goes.

Please mention the Advance Exchange Program with the Surface Team.