Surface Pro 7 flickers with every external monitor

Anonymous
2019-12-19T15:19:53+00:00

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.
Surface | Surface Pro | Display and screen

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  1. Anonymous
    2020-03-27T08:55:35+00:00

    I contacted MS support and they found nothing wrong with my Surface and suggested that it was probably an incompatible monitor, I countered that the Pro 7 must be very picky about which monitors are suitable.

    They even removed all the apps (which I had added in 2 days) and saw that the monitor still flickered badly.

    This morning the monitor was still behaving badly. I installed the latest updates (KB 4551762). I have version 1909 installed and the update said that fixes from version 1903 were included, I am not sure what those were.

    BUT THE MONITOR IS WORKING NOW (so far, for the last hour).

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  2. Anonymous
    2020-03-26T11:19:09+00:00

    Same for me, I now have to use the lower resolution on my HP pavilion 27" monitor. I feel like trying to get a replacement MS Surface 6.

    I bought a high-speed gaming HDMI 2.0 0.5m cable and it made no difference. I bought a Belkin USBC-C to HDMI adapter spec'd to 4K 60 Hz and IT DID NOT WORK.

    ONLY the MOSHI 4K 60 Hz adapter works.

    NOW, even on the lower resolution there is faint flickering and it goes black for a few seconds a few times a minute.

    Very disappointing for a 2K Euro surface device. I am considering returning the Surface Pro 7, since I need a second screen.

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  3. Anonymous
    2020-03-25T22:43:44+00:00

    Hi.  So...  reduced the resolution of the attached monitor (using windows display settings) and have had trouble free viewing for the last 4 hours.  I am using the Surface docking station to connect to the monitor. The down side is that I don't get the full screen width experience. 

    I haven't tried with two external monitors.

    However, until MS figure this out, its workable.

    I also installed the cumulative windows 10 patch last night (not sure which version sorry) but I don't believe that made any difference.

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  4. Anonymous
    2020-03-25T22:42:16+00:00

    Hi.  So... I had the same flickering drama using a USB-C to HDMI adaptor (hooked to the TV).  But after reading your message I reduced the resolution of the 2 monitor (using windows display settings) and have had trouble free viewing for the last 4 hours.  I am using the Surface docketing station to connect to the monitor. The down side is that I don't get the full screen width experience. 

    I haven't tried with two external monitors.

    However, until MS figure this out, its workable.

    I also installed the cumulative windows 10 patch last night (not sure which version sorry) but I don't believe that made any difference.

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  5. Anonymous
    2020-03-25T15:44:41+00:00

    so far only the Moshi USB-C to HDMI cable works.

    But there is some flickering when the second screen set to 2560 X 1440 60Hz

    There is no flickering if I choose 1920 X1180 60Hz for the second screen.

    Our HP Spectre laptop has a USC-C port and it has no problems with any of the USB-C to HDMI adapters including the Microsoft one.

    So this really is a Surface Po 7 problem - please Microsoft take a look or recommend a work around.

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