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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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
    2019-02-14T13:51:46+00:00

    I bought my surface pro 4 in January 2017. It is now out of warranty but I see from the post above that this solution should be applicable for up to 3 years after the product has been bought. I have had the flickering issue probably for the last year but it is has only recently started to become very frequent and very problematic.

    Having followed the steps outlined above, I reach a dead end (both if I call the number or use the online assistant) because before I am able to speak to a person I get told that the warranty has expired.

    It seems like this is a general problem and not relating to my use of the computer - it really only gets used at home, at a desk. I have only had the computer 2 years and spent nearly £800 on it, so I am surprised that it is already breaking down like this. Is there really no way to resolve this?

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  2. Anonymous
    2019-02-10T22:15:21+00:00

    My screen just started having this issue! I was losing my mind a bit truth be told, tried cleaning contacts in the docking station, but then it does the same thing while it is out of the docking station. How do we go about getting our unit replaced?

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  3. Anonymous
    2019-02-02T02:18:53+00:00

    Hii BarisSahbaz ,

    I had the same difficulty and i've just resolved it. i live in Côte D'ivoire and have bought my SP4 here. but the dealer refused to help me and i was not able to reach the customer support of my country. So i called The Support of France. They checked the serial number and confirmed that the device could be replaced only from France. so i sent it by one friend and today i just received my new replacement device. So maybe you call the support of US or other and they will tell you where you can manage the replacement.

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  4. Anonymous
    2019-02-02T02:08:34+00:00

    Thanks Microsoft!

    After a long year trying to find a replacement via the dealer (Fnac Abidjan), I finally got my new SP4 by managing directly by myself with Microsoft France.

    Seydou GUINDO (Côte d'Ivoire).

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