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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Answer accepted by question author
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
    2018-04-12T07:24:20+00:00

    checked my system for Duet Display in  Apps & Features . I noticed there is no app duet display , still flickering problem continues !! 

    Looks we are all deep trouble after spending so much > God bless .

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  2. Anonymous
    2018-04-12T04:53:06+00:00

    I just had my flickering SP4 replaced by Microsoft.

    This is the second time it has been replaced.  The first time was in Jan 2016, 2-3 months after I purchased it in Nov 2015.  The issue at the time was overheating causing the fan to run constantly at full speed.  

    This replaced SP4 then began flickering in Feb 2018 just outside the 2-year warranty period. I spoke with MS Surface support a number of times during which they tested my Surface and agreed that there was a problem warranting replacement.  However, when I followed up with MS they advised that I was not entitled to a replacement.  I had to push hard to get them to honour the replacement.  It may have helped that I have a business Office365 account (Exchange, SharePoint, etc) plus I was posting the Flickergate URL on every blog and MS advert that I could find.

    In the course of my conversations with Surface Support it became clear that they were well aware of the flicker problem since they are receiving reports every day but they are being 'vague' about the cause and solution. 

    I am not confident that this second replacement will last since I note that the Serial Number is much lower than my previous SP4 so it may still have the flicker problem.  I have yet to stress load it.  At least if it fails again it will have given me more time to operate until the Lenovo X1 (2G) tablet is released.

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  3. Anonymous
    2018-04-12T04:28:50+00:00

    Go to forum.flickergate.com

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  4. Anonymous
    2018-04-12T04:28:03+00:00

    Go to forum.flickergate.com

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