Battery Degradtion : Surface Pro (5 , 2017) (I5, 256 gb)

I have had the same battery issues reported here (and elsewhere) by Surface users. It is fairly clear to me that there is an issue with Surface batteries that Microsoft refuses to acknowledge. My battery lost more than 50% of its charge holding capacity in 2 years of relatively light use (less than 200 cycles so far). This is unacceptable from a device that is supposed to be “premium”. Had the same issue occurred on an Apple device the battery and / or device would have been already replaced whether in or out of warranty. Microsoft should fix this asap, working on the “issue” without ever acknowledging it doesn’t help.

Agreed. I will not buy Microsoft again. But they don't seem to care so it means nothing.

I don't expect adding to this will produce any results, but no harm either.

Surface Pro 5 (5th gen), i7, 8GB, 256GB storage. Run out of warranty in mid-September this year.

In early November, I have noticed that my battery runs on fumes, out of blue. Haven't noticed gradual degradation, maybe I haven't paid attention but it feels like one day it was working fine - the next day, my battery idles for 2 hours, and under moderate load - Skype (voice only) and one tab browsing, can hardly survive one hour.

Battery check says 111 cycles as of today, less that 100 when the problem was first noticed - I'd consider that almost new battery. Surface is my 3rd device, after desktop PC and work laptop; I use it a lot when traveling, but everyday scenario, it is my tabletop tablet.

On top of that, my Surface dies when battery hits 30%; complete power cut off. Obviously Surface thinks it still has 30% of juice in the battery while battery is on fumes already. I wonder if this is actually firmware problem - there might have been firmware update not long before issue started, thought it didn't cross my mind initially, and is hard to remember details now. Either firmware or defective batch of batteries - both issues should be handled by Microsoft and at their cost, warranty or not. Surelly they can survive recall for defects they have sold us at premium price, if need be.

As the situation is, my only option is to spend almost NZ$1000 for replacement with refurb. For a battery fix. In comparison, most replacement batteries for other brands here are around NZ$100 mark. As another comparison, Asus Zenbooks with decent config

• i5, 8GB, 256GB - can be found for under NZ$1300, even under 1200 when you hunt around. Yes, a full ultra portable lappy - with working battery.

I remember how amused I was when, back in the days, Apple was reluctant to admit some problems. Sadly, Microsoft seems to be much worse - I haven't noticed any acknowledgment from them re battery issues we are seeing more and more. They should at least be graceful enough to acknowledge problem and offer customers better repair deal for this specific issue. Factory defect or not, I'd be fine to pay reasonable cost for battery replacement - but not the cost of new decent laptop. We did spend premium $ for these devices, after all. Shouldn't be "grab money and run away" scheme, we do expect our vendor to accept responsibility, too - not just money.

Is there a way to email or at least txt chat with Surface support these days? The only option I can get to is "call back" but I'm finding it lacking - first, I'd like to be able to upload battery check html file, if need be, maybe some other troubleshooting logs. Also, I'd like to have some trace of the whole process, regardless of results. Just for the record. I work in IT procurement and one of my responsibilities is to advise our customers about hardware, things like this are eventually useful arguments if we believe Surface is not right product for them but they still insist on it.

Needless to say, Surface line is pretty much a no-go for us, as it is. HP Elite X2 tablet, even if not as slim and sleek as Surface, does have on-site repair-ability (screwed, rather than glued chassis) and default 3 years of on-site warranty/support. 

Thanks for listening to my venting, and happy New Year everyone - it is 31st of December here in NZ :)

Nick

Thanks so much for your informed, professional account of your experience. I have exactly the same Surface Pro. It's interesting that you began having the problem much earlier than I did, and it indeed seems that is this is quite varied. Leans toward the hypothesis of a firmware problem, right? Seems that Microsoft could do something about this! Thanks also for the suggestions of other good laptops. If I could, I'd be running out to buy one now! But, sadly, I don't have those kinds of funds, at... So here is what I'm looking at for my computing future. I was gifted this Surface Pro by a very satisfied and generous client in the computer sales business because he thought it was ridiculous and funny, that I was traveling around (I travel a lot for my work) with a huge, heavy clunky, blurry-screened and slow--low-priced--17" Acer laptop. Well guess what... This Acer is going to have to serve once again as my travel laptop, while my ultra small, thin, light, sleek, fast and clear screened SP (a dream, I thought!)--and very expensive--SP will take the place of my Acer as my home computer that remains on my desk, perpetually plugged in because the battery. doesn't last more than half an hour. After six years of use, the battery of my old and tired Acer is down to about three hours, which can be problematic, but is light years better than the SP. What's wrong with this picture...? Not to mention, ceaseless Internet connection problems I've also had with the SP for the past 1.5 years, while the clunky, inexpensive Acer never has any problems with that either. After spending hundreds of dollars already having my local computer repair guys repeatedly seek very short-term fixes, they understandably now refuse to continue working on my SP -- so now, I'm just completely stuck with an inoperable computer that is essential to my earning a living. By the way, those computer guys say they also have no confidence whatsoever in Microsoft computers. And let's just add the insulting behavior of Microsoft of never acknowledging these well known problems, much less offering solutions for them, and on top of that, making it virtually impossible to directly contact them! I haven't found a way yet. I have no hope that all these posts and responses will change anything, but appreciate knowing that others are in the same enraging situation as I.

All vendors are great when it comes to selling products and taking our money, but problems like this are what puts vendor/customer relationship to test... and Microsoft is utterly failing this test.

Microsoft was better back in the days. My company has started dealing with Surface during SP3 time. While they had their share of problems, they were on average more reliable. I am still seeing SP3 units around, and my old SP3 - now coffee table tablet for my wife - still works fine and can do 4 hours of lite use on single charge, maybe even more. It should be over 5 years old now.

Back in the days, also, we were able to txt/chat with Surface support, upload files etc. Exchanging details was much easier, and there was written trail if support case would require more than one session.

Sadly, it looks like MS has managed to reduce both quality of their products, and of their support.

Microsoft has never bothered opening shop in New Zealand, so we can't even take device to shop. I understand we are small market, and it is hard to justify physical shops for 4 million people spread over 2 islands... but this limitation of ways to contact support for one of the most premium product lines in Windows world is impossible to agree with.

Lesson for me here is, never get a device that cannot be properly opened and serviced. No screws, no purchase. 

Regards,

Nick