Surface Pro 3 battery degradation

Anonymous
2016-05-11T07:37:37+00:00

I've been using Microsoft Surface Pro 3 for a year, and shortly after the warranty expired I noticed my Surface Pro 3 can only last about 1-2 hours after a full charge. At first I thought this was a problem with background process draining the battery so I disabled everything running in the background. It didn't helped. Then I found out about the powercfg utility and run powercfg /batteryreport on it, and this was the result:

A full charge capacity has degraded by over 80% in just few weeks and continue degrading. I tried to "recalibrate" the battery by doing full charge then full drain multiple times, and it didn't helped. Talk with Microsoft via chat support and they insist this was a software problem and reinstalled the driver and asked me to wait few days to see if things improve. Not only it didn't improved, but now my Surface can only last 30 minutes.

Few days after chat (today), I called Microsoft support and they were being extremely unhelpful. Insist that this was a software problem (which the chat support person already did) and it's "perfectly normal" for battery capacity to degrade. I insist that I've already done the software "fixes" and it didn't work and tell them this is definitely hardware problem, but the person on the phone tell me there's nothing I could do except to order the out of warranty exchange (which cost about $560 in my local currency). 

Is there anything else I should do? My country has no Microsoft Store which I could take the machine for them to take a look. Phone/online support were the only option, and none of them could understand the issue.

Surface | Surface Pro | Power and battery

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Anonymous
2016-07-26T21:31:16+00:00

Hello everyone,

Thanks for your continued patience here. We have now completed our testing of the update and it has passed our quality assurance process.

The update, “System Firmware Update - 8/29/2016”, is now available to install from Windows Update.

Before installing this update, ensure that your Surface Pro 3 is plugged directly in to AC power using the standard AC power adapter (do not use the Surface Docking Station), disconnect any USB devices or external monitors, and check that Windows shows a 40% charge or greater when you hover over the icon in the taskbar before you begin.

Once you install the update, please select Restart now (do not shutdown). After your Surface restarts, please manually restart it a second time to complete the process. For more information, please see our Surface Pro 3 Battery FAQ article.

If you’re having trouble charging your Surface, you get a low-battery error, or your Surface turns off when you unplug it, the steps in our Surface battery won’t charge article can help you pinpoint the problem. Should you need any further assistance, please contact us. 

Thanks again.

Greg

Updated 8/29/16.

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  1. Anonymous
    2016-08-09T15:44:28+00:00
    COMPUTER NAME x
    SYSTEM PRODUCT NAME Microsoft Corporation Surface Pro 3
    BIOS 3.11.1450 05/27/2016
    OS BUILD 9600.18378.amd64fre.winblue_ltsb.160611-0600
    PLATFORM ROLE Slate
    CONNECTED STANDBY Supported
    REPORT TIME 2016-08-0910:21:02

    Installed batteries

    Information about each currently installed battery

    NAME X898289
    MANUFACTURER SIMPLO
    SERIAL NUMBER x
    CHEMISTRY LION
    DESIGN CAPACITY 42,157 mWh
    FULL CHARGE CAPACITY 144 mWh
    CYCLE COUNT 200

    Battery capacity history

    Charge capacity history of the system's batteries

    2014-12-28 - 2015-01-04 42,455 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-01-04 - 2015-01-11 42,321 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-01-11 - 2015-01-18 42,312 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-01-18 - 2015-01-25 42,332 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-01-25 - 2015-02-01 42,110 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-02-01 - 2015-02-08 41,940 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-02-08 - 2015-02-15 41,915 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-02-15 - 2015-02-22 42,052 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-02-22 - 2015-03-01 41,838 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-03-01 - 2015-03-08 41,493 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-03-08 - 2015-03-15 41,678 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-03-15 - 2015-03-22 41,330 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-03-22 - 2015-03-29 41,723 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-03-29 - 2015-04-05 41,713 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-04-05 - 2015-04-12 41,879 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-04-12 - 2015-04-19 41,801 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-04-19 - 2015-04-27 41,750 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-04-27 - 2015-05-04 41,583 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-05-04 - 2015-05-10 41,762 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-05-10 - 2015-05-17 41,720 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-05-17 - 2015-05-24 42,000 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-05-24 - 2015-05-31 42,131 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-05-31 - 2015-06-07 42,303 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-06-07 - 2015-06-14 42,248 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-06-14 - 2015-06-21 42,096 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-06-21 - 2015-06-28 41,653 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-06-28 - 2015-07-05 41,800 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-07-05 - 2015-07-16 41,845 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-07-16 - 2015-07-19 41,646 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-07-19 - 2015-07-26 41,639 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-07-26 - 2015-08-02 41,491 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-08-02 - 2015-08-09 41,264 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-08-09 - 2015-08-16 41,**** mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-08-16 - 2015-08-23 41,372 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-08-23 - 2015-08-30 40,814 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-08-30 - 2015-09-06 40,835 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-09-06 - 2015-09-13 40,641 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-09-13 - 2015-09-21 40,694 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-09-21 - 2015-09-27 40,936 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-09-27 - 2015-10-04 41,193 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-10-04 - 2015-10-12 41,585 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-10-12 - 2015-10-18 41,434 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-10-18 - 2015-10-25 41,317 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-10-25 - 2015-11-01 41,786 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-11-01 - 2015-11-08 41,662 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-11-08 - 2015-11-17 41,642 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-11-17 - 2015-11-22 41,540 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-11-22 - 2015-11-29 41,804 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-11-29 - 2015-12-06 41,743 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-12-06 - 2015-12-13 41,542 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-12-13 - 2015-12-21 41,876 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-12-21 - 2015-12-27 41,582 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2015-12-27 - 2016-01-03 41,739 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-01-03 - 2016-01-10 41,376 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-01-10 - 2016-01-17 41,917 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-01-17 - 2016-01-24 42,575 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-01-24 - 2016-01-31 42,583 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-01-31 - 2016-02-07 40,324 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-02-07 - 2016-02-14 36,360 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-02-14 - 2016-02-21 32,530 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-02-21 - 2016-02-29 29,409 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-02-29 - 2016-03-06 25,958 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-03-06 - 2016-03-13 23,561 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-03-13 - 2016-03-20 25,337 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-03-20 - 2016-03-27 33,115 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-03-27 - 2016-04-03 39,243 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-04-03 - 2016-04-11 38,006 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-04-11 - 2016-04-18 32,685 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-04-18 - 2016-04-24 28,311 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-04-24 - 2016-05-02 25,084 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-05-02 - 2016-05-08 22,030 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-05-08 - 2016-05-15 19,262 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-05-15 - 2016-05-23 17,486 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-05-23 - 2016-05-29 13,220 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-05-29 - 2016-06-05 9,444 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-06-05 - 2016-06-12 5,049 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-06-12 - 2016-06-19 3,559 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-06-19 - 2016-06-26 1,803 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-06-26 - 2016-07-03 1,244 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-07-03 - 2016-07-10 939 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-07-10 - 2016-07-17 696 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-07-17 - 2016-07-24 467 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-07-24 - 2016-07-31 352 mWh 41,889 mWh
    2016-08-01 253 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-08-02 206 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-08-03 181 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-08-04 68 mWh 18,174 mWh
    2016-08-05 - -
    2016-08-06 - -
    2016-08-07 - -
    2016-08-08 - -

    The dash entries are over the previous week. I disabled the battery driver altogether in a hope that it would help. It has not done anything worthwhile I see. I'm afraid I'm at a point where this is no longer a fully functional PC, but a glorified minimal duty web browsing unit. Attempting to run any applications that use considerable processing power drops it immediately to power off. Might be time to contact that class action group...

    I'm assuming it was the update:

    1/19 update:

    Microsoft Surface ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery driver update (v1.2.0.2) ensures correct surface driver is installed.

    I tend to sit on hardware/firmware updates for a week or two before I apply them.

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-08-09T15:21:43+00:00

    Installed batteries

    Information about each currently installed battery

    NAME X898289
    MANUFACTURER SIMPLO
    SERIAL NUMBER xxxxx
    CHEMISTRY LION
    DESIGN CAPACITY 42,157 mWh
    FULL CHARGE CAPACITY 281 mWh
    CYCLE COUNT 162
    2016-04-03 - 2016-04-10 42,583 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-04-10 - 2016-04-18 42,583 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-04-18 - 2016-04-25 42,109 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-04-25 - 2016-05-02 40,638 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-05-02 - 2016-05-09 33,066 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-05-09 - 2016-05-15 29,114 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-05-15 - 2016-05-23 26,721 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-05-23 - 2016-05-31 24,497 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-05-31 - 2016-06-05 21,877 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-06-05 - 2016-06-12 17,886 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-06-12 - 2016-06-19 15,855 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-06-19 - 2016-06-26 12,827 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-06-26 - 2016-07-03 9,700 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-07-03 - 2016-07-10 6,898 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-07-10 - 2016-07-17 5,490 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-07-17 - 2016-07-24 5,464 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-07-24 - 2016-07-31 1,754 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-08-01 502 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-08-02 514 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-08-03 524 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-08-04 386 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-08-05 304 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-08-06 304 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-08-07 304 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-08-08 293 mWh 42,157 mWh

    My degradation started the week of 25th April.  I'm to the point now if I take it off power, it shuts down immediately.  Mine is generally docked all day, and pulled at night or when I'm traveling.  Now, I'm leaving it docked full time, except in the morning when I pull it from the dock and put it on the charger to generate enough capacity to start up on the dock.  If I try to start from the dock, even after leaving it all night, it starts, then dies before I even have time to log in.  This is beyond frustrating.

    Interesting e-mail from Surface Support on Saturday (I called middle of last week and was advised I can send it in for an out-of-warranty replacement for $450.  That would take at least a week, though):

    Hi Benjanmin,

    This is John from Microsoft Surface Support, just wanted to asked if you have already visited the store to have the device be replaced? Kindly email me back if you have further questions? Kindly email me back so that we could work it out..

    Warmest Regards,

    • John I.

    This is beyond ridiculous. . .

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-08-09T14:26:27+00:00

    Digging a little into the SP3 firmware history, the only updates that have anything to do with power states or battery in 2016 are:

    1/19 update:

    Microsoft Surface ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery driver update (v1.2.0.2) ensures correct surface driver is installed.

    7/21 update:

    Surface Pro System Aggregator Firmware

    v3.9.850.0 increases battery life during sleep mode and improves keyboard stability.

    Surface Pro UEFI

    v3.11.1450.0 improves system sleep and hibernation behavior when battery level is low.

    8/1 update:

    Surface Pro UEFI

    v3.11.1550.0 improves stability and performance when changing between power states

    For those of us who have powercfg output going to back to late 2015/early 2016, can you crosscheck your battery capacity history with these dates? I unfortunately go back to only 6/30 which is when I rebuilt my SP3 with a Windows 10 image. I didn't notice any wonky trends on 7/21 and 8/1, though my reported capacity was already down to less than 5%.

    Battery capacity history

    Charge capacity history of the system's batteries

    Installed batteries

    Information about each currently installed battery

    NAME X898289
    MANUFACTURER SIMPLO
    SERIAL NUMBER XXXX
    CHEMISTRY LION
    DESIGN CAPACITY 42,157 mWh
    FULL CHARGE CAPACITY 669 mWh
    CYCLE COUNT 145
    2016-06-10 - 2016-06-17 21,896 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-06-17 - 2016-06-24 18,559 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-06-24 - 2016-07-01 14,273 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-07-01 - 2016-07-08 10,552 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-07-08 - 2016-07-15 7,459 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-07-15 - 2016-07-22 4,824 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-07-22 - 2016-07-29 2,143 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-07-30 1,246 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-07-31 1,238 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-08-01 1,178 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-08-02 1,099 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-08-03 1,009 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-08-04 841 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-08-05 707 mWh 42,157 mWh
    2016-08-06 669 mWh 42,157 mWh

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  4. Anonymous
    2016-08-09T14:07:47+00:00

    there was an update for the NON Pro Surface 3.

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