Surface Pro 4, Screen Flickering, Shaking

This is not my first post, I have posted about the problems several times before. This problem has hit me repeatedly, despite several replacements. I already had 2 SP4 pro (i5) replaced and the terrible problem of screen flickering consistently returned after just a few months of normal usage. I finally got a SP5 (i5) around Dec last year, since the cooling system on SP5 is fanless and different from SP4, I naively thought that the saga of screen flickering would be finally over. Guess what, even with SP5 and just normal usage with MS Office most of  the time, and always operated in environment that is air-conditioned or with fan under 30 C, the screen flickering simply hit without warning suddenly after barely 9 months of usage. 

It really came out of the blue, it has been working well for 9 months. Last night it got very hot for no obvious reason, but I suspect the background download of Windows update was the culprit as an update became available which required me to restart the SP5. Before restarting, the screen already turned really dark appeared to be close to 0% brightness with images burnt into the screen, even though the setting still remained at my usual level of 35% brightness. Soon after restarting, the screen flickered persistently all the time. So the symptom is even worse than my past SP4 (usually started flickering after about 30 mins of usage).

I am totally disappointed with MS, this is a very dishonest company that only specialises in making expensive paper weight. It remains silent despite the problem became viral and widely reported everywhere, and withdrawal of recommendation by Consumer Report. It only finally admitted the screen flickering is a real issue and offered half-hearted replacement with another (refurbish?) SP4, however, never honestly disclosed what the causes really are. Without the root cause identified and disclosed, how does MS expect unfortunate customers to be confident with the replacement? Many of the unfortunate customers here had their SPs replaced several times and only to be hit by the problem again and again after several months. 

Now it is confirmed for sure that SP5 is also hit by the problem (perhaps it has been reported in previous threads). What is causing the problem? Flawed design? Cheap and unreliable components? Or perhaps both? Then what is the tangible fix to address the problem? There will be no more MS product for me, it seems to be only good at making bad and unrealiable product and then slaps customers with horrible after sales service that never address the issue causing customers to spend even more time, effort and money until giving up. Frustrating. 

I am now desperately looking for a non-MS replacement of similar form factor (eg. Lenovo Carbon X1-Tablet / Lenovo Mii 720 / Acer Switch 7). Any advice and recommendation on these or similar products will be greatly appreciated, thanks.

This is OUTRAGEOUS!!!!!

Same happen to me after 3 replacements of SFP3 and now I've the same widspread malfunction in my SP4. The same exact cronology of events that you described here occurring in my sf4 within the warranry period.

Our ONLY "defense" will be wirdpread this MS fraud in social media.

Hi All,

I have just returned my surface with flickering problems and waiting them to send back a refurbished surface.

I am located in Hong Kong and so far the experience of the return process is ok.

I got followed up from their staff during the process.

Their carrier came to pick up the machine in 3 days after the initial call.

The new refurbished machine will have a warranty of three months.

I will post an update when I will receive the refurbished surface.

Regards,

Wilkins

Hey, this SP5 was a replacement given by my company after my previous SP4 saga! I wouldn't spend my own dime on another MS product myself, and now not even another one provided for free to save all the trouble and the time!

This is not my first post, I have posted about the problems several times before. This problem has hit me repeatedly, despite several replacements. I already had 2 SP4 pro (i5) replaced and the terrible problem of screen flickering consistently returned after just a few months of normal usage. I finally got a SP5 (i5) around Dec last year, since the cooling system on SP5 is fanless and different from SP4, I naively thought that the saga of screen flickering would be finally over. Guess what, even with SP5 and just normal usage with MS Office most of  the time, and always operated in environment that is air-conditioned or with fan under 30 C, the screen flickering simply hit without warning suddenly after barely 9 months of usage. 

It really came out of the blue, it has been working well for 9 months. Last night it got very hot for no obvious reason, but I suspect the background download of Windows update was the culprit as an update became available which required me to restart the SP5. Before restarting, the screen already turned really dark appeared to be close to 0% brightness with images burnt into the screen, even though the setting still remained at my usual level of 35% brightness. Soon after restarting, the screen flickered persistently all the time. So the symptom is even worse than my past SP4 (usually started flickering after about 30 mins of usage).

I am totally disappointed with MS, this is a very dishonest company that only specialises in making expensive paper weight. It remains silent despite the problem became viral and widely reported everywhere, and withdrawal of recommendation by Consumer Report. It only finally admitted the screen flickering is a real issue and offered half-hearted replacement with another (refurbish?) SP4, however, never honestly disclosed what the causes really are. Without the root cause identified and disclosed, how does MS expect unfortunate customers to be confident with the replacement? Many of the unfortunate customers here had their SPs replaced several times and only to be hit by the problem again and again after several months. 

Now it is confirmed for sure that SP5 is also hit by the problem (perhaps it has been reported in previous threads). What is causing the problem? Flawed design? Cheap and unreliable components? Or perhaps both? Then what is the tangible fix to address the problem? There will be no more MS product for me, it seems to be only good at making bad and unrealiable product and then slaps customers with horrible after sales service that never address the issue causing customers to spend even more time, effort and money until giving up. Frustrating. 

I am now desperately looking for a non-MS replacement of similar form factor (eg. Lenovo Carbon X1-Tablet / Lenovo Mii 720 / Acer Switch 7). Any advice and recommendation on these or similar products will be greatly appreciated, thanks.

After going through the headache of the SP4 screen problem, and the shameful way they treated you and the rest of us SP4 buyers you actually bought another microsoft product????? You deserve what you get.