Surface Pro 7 flickers with every external monitor

I've got similar problems, and I am now on my 2nd Pro 7 i7 in 6 months.

With the first one the problems got so bad I went to a Microsoft store, explained the issue(s) and showed lots of video and got a new one after they determined that it's a HW problem.

The new one was (kind of) doing fine in the beginning, but the problem is back and appears both with USB-C and the dock which I prefer to use. I was hoping to have 2 external monitors but that even intensified the problem.

I only use DisplayPort connections, the cables are brand new and came with the Monitors. The 4k monitor (my preferred one) is LG Ultra HD.

As this problem starts to impact my productivity more and more, I wonder if I should return the Pro 7 and use a different brand. It's too bad as I used a Pro4 for 3 years before and that was the best computer I ever had.

Please help

Theo Gees

Hi Theo.  So...my recent experience is that I have tried about all the things I can think of.  The only thing left is to update or replace the video driver.  I am going to get my techo guys do that once I am out of lockdown.

Having said that...this is what I find.  If the 2nd screen starts flickering, going fuzzy or similar, I turn it off wait about 20 seconds and turn it back on.  I have to do this maybe 3 or 4 times.  Sometimes I have to leave it off for a while (say and hour).  Sometimes to reboot the laptop.  I have not found a pattern but then, just as 'randomly', the 2nd screen starts working and will stay working for a couple of days.  When this happens I dont turn anything off, I just let the screen saver do its thing and allow the 2nd monitor to sleep.

I am using the docketing station.  I have tried the USBC connector but without any improvement.  

Like you, I really like the surface but Microsoft really have dropped the ball on this issue.

David

Mine is not an external monitor. It is the actual Surface Pro 7 screen.

I think there is an issue with the hardware in this one.

My issue is solved!

When all else had failed, MS Support asked if I was able to test my issue in a store that sells Surface devices, and fortunately I was. The store was kind enough to let me test all my setups and I tested these three scenario's:

1. attach a new Surface Pro 7 via Docking station, using mini-DP connection to my BenQ 2420 monitor. This immediately caused the flickering issue
2. attach my current Surface Pro 7 via Docking station, using mini-DP connection to a new in-store HP Pavilion QHD monitor. No flickering! So this meant conclusively that it was my configuration that was at fault.
3. now I tried to hook up my Surface via Docking station, using an "active" ** HDMI -> mini-DP adapter to connect to my monitor with an HDMI cable. No flickering + high (2560 x 1440) resolution!

Hopefully this will help some of you achieve a working configuration.

Thank you, Microsoft Support for sticking with me on this issue!

** I had tried to use a normal ("passive") HDMI -> mini-DP connector before, and this gave me a non-flickering display, but the resolution maxed out at 1920 x 1080, so this did not give me my preferred situation.

Congrats, mate! But I think your (former) problem is different than mine. I can solve the flickering issue myself with restarting the Surface Pro 7 while the monitor is connected. So I'm assuming it is not a hardware problem in my case.

Regarding the flickering itself: In my case it is mostly a distortion in a small area on the monitor (eyery time a different area) followed by a complete screen blackout for 2-3 sec at irregular intervals.

My issue is solved!

When all else had failed, MS Support asked if I was able to test my issue in a store that sells Surface devices, and fortunately I was. The store was kind enough to let me test all my setups and I tested these three scenario's:

1. attach a new Surface Pro 7 via Docking station, using mini-DP connection to my BenQ 2420 monitor. This immediately caused the flickering issue
2. attach my current Surface Pro 7 via Docking station, using mini-DP connection to a new in-store HP Pavilion QHD monitor. No flickering! So this meant conclusively that it was my configuration that was at fault.
3. now I tried to hook up my Surface via Docking station, using an "active" ** HDMI -> mini-DP adapter to connect to my monitor with an HDMI cable. No flickering + high (2560 x 1440) resolution!

Hopefully this will help some of you achieve a working configuration.

Thank you, Microsoft Support for sticking with me on this issue!

** I had tried to use a normal ("passive") HDMI -> mini-DP connector before, and this gave me a non-flickering display, but the resolution maxed out at 1920 x 1080, so this did not give me my preferred situation.

When I connect an external display while the Surface is already turned on, the external display is flickering. When I restart the Surface with the external monitor already attached everything works fine. Disconnecting the Surface then and reconnecting - same problem. The flickering appears with different monitors, different cables and with different connectors (Surface Dock or USB-C). I have the 16 GB, i7 Version of the Surface 7 with an up to date OS.

I have the exact problem with my brand new surface pro 7, i7, 16gb. Hooking up two external monitors via mini dp to dp cables through the surface dock. OS is updated, surface dock is updated. Registry cleared/updated.

The really weird thing is that i use the exact set up with my older surface book 1 without any problems. So definitely not the set up. 

I love the SP7, but will likely have to return it because of this.