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
    2018-04-26T00:29:27+00:00

    I think you will find that any of these tricks (mouse movement, spinning cursor, clock on screen, etc.) will only work for a short period...maybe a couple weeks.

    To have your voice counted, consider logging your problem on both of these sites:

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  2. Anonymous
    2018-04-26T00:29:13+00:00

    Yeah those fixes only hide the early stages of rhe problem. When the part isn’t “fully damaged”. Eventually it will flicker harder after continued use, to the point where it no longer be necessary for the device to heat up and remain idle, it will flicker ALL THE TIME.

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  3. Anonymous
    2018-04-26T00:25:26+00:00

    Unfortunately this is not a fix, the shaking will return regardless of these temporary 'fixes' including adding seconds to the clock...

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  4. Anonymous
    2018-04-26T00:01:56+00:00

    I certainly agree that it doesn't really fix the problem. But since playing a video prevents the shaking, it seems that some sort of software patch could also prevent the shaking (even though the physical part is still defective).

    I found this post that suggested turning on seconds on the clock, by following these instructions. So far, I no longer see shaking, or at least very little. The text might be a little fuzzy, but I'm not sure. I suppose the shaking is stopped every 1 second, so while it may still be there, it is hard for the human eye to perceive.

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