No chill: Some Microsoft Surface Pro 4 users need to stick device in freezer to stop scree...

Posted:
in General Discussion edited February 2018
A growing number of Surface Pro 4 owners are experiencing display flicker, and to temporarily rectify the situation, they need to chill the device well below room temperature to get it to work properly for even a short time.




The alternative problem-solving step was discovered after one user noted, and posted a video, about getting a half-hour of flicker-free use after depositing the device in the freezer.

Microsoft has little to say about the matter, and claim that it affects "less than one percent" of all Surface Pro 4 users. A software fix is evidently not possible.





Microsoft also told The Verge in a statement that that they are "monitoring the situation" with the hardware, as well as a site dedicated to the problem.

Users seeking a permanent solution are being asked to dole out $800 for a out-of-warranty exchange, despite a screen repair list price being set at $450.





A class-action suit could be launched as a result of the problem, but it appears that the line may have wider problems beyond just the screen issue requiring freezing.

"We are still considering our options. We've received a number of inquiries over time with other issues beyond the battery issue, beyond flickering," Nicholas Migliaccio, a partner at Migliaccio & Rathod LLP told The Verge. "People have a variety of problems, but if we're looking at problems we're looking at the common ones."

Apple has not been without its own GPU-related problems. Apple is on the tail-end of a repair authorization extension for machines up to and including some 2013 MacBook Pros that could experience forced restarts, crashes, and graphic distortion.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 46
    Not to LOL at the misfortunes of an Apple competitor, but... LOL!
    macseekerdjkfisherjas99pscooter63baconstangmagman1979watto_cobramacxpressanton zuykovcornchip
  • Reply 2 of 46
    Those high Microsoft standards they apply to their software are similarly applied to their hardware. Left that buggy, inside-out backward OS years ago. Certainly not interested in their hardware.
    djkfisherwilliamlondonmagman1979watto_cobraracerhomie3DAalsethanton zuykovcornchipjony0
  • Reply 3 of 46
    Let's not forget about the need to bake a Mac Mini to fix display issues - https://discussions.apple.com/message/28729968#message28729968
    williamlondonphilboogieanton zuykov
  • Reply 4 of 46
    "Microsoft has little to say about the matter, and claim that it affects 'less than one percent' of all Surface 4 Pro users, thus affecting approximately 2-3 people."
    roakecharlesgresmetrixrandominternetpersonpscooter63baconstangRayz2016magman1979watto_cobraracerhomie3
  • Reply 5 of 46
    thanx_al said:
    Those high Microsoft standards they apply to their software are similarly applied to their hardware. Left that buggy, inside-out backward OS years ago. Certainly not interested in their hardware.

    As an Apple and Microsoft person, I can't say that I like Windows 10, mainly because its always doing stuff I tell it not to do and I will probably avoid the Surface Pro; however, my experience with Apple has been far from perfect. This one reminds me, most notably, of the mid-2012 Macbook Retina screen ghosting on LG panels. After a 2 hour conversation with an Apple specialist discussing the issue, I decided to purchase the computer, in September '12, 15 months after purchase, I ended up paying 368$ for a new panel. 

    It wasn't reassuring when I looked at 5 display Macbook pros, mid-2012 models, at various stores, and they all had ghosting, all of them. Out of my experience, that is 6/6 were affected. Granted my experience my vary from others but the only other time I have seen and recreated HW issues that easily on multiple, relatively new devices, are the OLED screens on the Samsung phones. 

    Just saying, Apple has its issues too, not to mention the iPhone 4 antenna and iPhone 6 series bending in pockets.


    philboogie
  • Reply 6 of 46
    I'll be watching this one closely.  I've got an SP4 and while I've had no problems I would expect Microsoft to take care of it if it were to happen.  They are usually good about handling issues.  I got an instant swap when my SP2 backlight went out and I know of others that got a refurbished SP3 in exchange for a bad SP2.  If this does turn out to be more than remote then I anticipate MS implementing an exchange program pretty quickly.
    philboogiewillcropoint
  • Reply 7 of 46
    Hilarious!
    watto_cobrajdb8167
  • Reply 8 of 46
    thedbathedba Posts: 762member
    Mmmmm?
    Freezer, condensation, not a good idea. 
    watto_cobraanton zuykov
  • Reply 9 of 46
    thedba said:
    Freezer, condensation, not a good idea. 
    It just works.
    watto_cobraGeorgeBMacanton zuykov
  • Reply 10 of 46
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,092member
    People here seem to have short attention spans.  Apple had its fair share of hardware issues on MacBooks from GPU frying, to flickering displays, and such. 

    I also clearly remember that many that exhibited problems with their MacBooks that were one day past warranty were screwed by Apple.  They are much better now, but still.

    I'm in the middle of this.  If you buy a laptop, it's not excessive to expect your very expensive MacBook to provide years of dependable service. If you buy one, and it craps out the day after your warranty, technically it's not Apple's problem, even though you paid a kings ransom for it.  However, if this problem is indicative of something larger that affects a large group of people, a manufacturer should fess up and admit that there was a problem and fix it, even if it's past its warranty - to a degree of course.  

    Apple is much better at this now partly because it's such a high-profile company that is viewed under a monstrous magnifying glass so it doesn't want bad PR.

    Let's see if Microsoft steps up as well.  It sucks to spend that kind of money only to have it fail right after the warranty after regular use.  That's unacceptable.

    Can you imagine if your new car essentially fails to work after immediately after the warranty, and then realize that many more people experience the same thing with that model?  There would be an uproar.
    baconstangphilboogiewillcropoint
  • Reply 11 of 46
    The Surface laptop (thing) isn’t popular so hopefully not that many people are affected.

    The price is crazy for what you get.  Most people are smart enough to buy a true business machine like the HP Elitebook x360 g2.

    If you’re buying a $2000+ you better be getting an extended warranty.

  • Reply 12 of 46
    dewmedewme Posts: 5,335member
    This is kind of cool ... Microsoft Surface Pro 4, code name: "Fish Sticks."

    As others have mentioned, these homemade recipes are not unique to Microsoft. Once I have a few spare hours to yank the screen and twist a few dozen screws I'm planning to remove the discrete graphics card from my 2008 iMac 24" 3.06 GHz and bake it in a last ditch attempt to bring it back to life. 

    2008 iMac, code name "Frozen Pizza."
    king editor the gratewatto_cobra
  • Reply 13 of 46
    Am I imagining things or was the idea of a Class Action Lawsuit that isn’t against Apple just brought up???
    watto_cobraMacPro
  • Reply 14 of 46
    metrixmetrix Posts: 256member
    sflocal said:
    People here seem to have short attention spans.  Apple had its fair share of hardware issues on MacBooks from GPU frying, to flickering displays, and such. 

    I also clearly remember that many that exhibited problems with their MacBooks that were one day past warranty were screwed by Apple.  They are much better now, but still.

    I'm in the middle of this.  If you buy a laptop, it's not excessive to expect your very expensive MacBook to provide years of dependable service. If you buy one, and it craps out the day after your warranty, technically it's not Apple's problem, even though you paid a kings ransom for it.  However, if this problem is indicative of something larger that affects a large group of people, a manufacturer should fess up and admit that there was a problem and fix it, even if it's past its warranty - to a degree of course.  

    Apple is much better at this now partly because it's such a high-profile company that is viewed under a monstrous magnifying glass so it doesn't want bad PR.

    Let's see if Microsoft steps up as well.  It sucks to spend that kind of money only to have it fail right after the warranty after regular use.  That's unacceptable.

    Can you imagine if your new car essentially fails to work after immediately after the warranty, and then realize that many more people experience the same thing with that model?  There would be an uproar.
    Unfortunately, that is the case somebody correct me if I am wrong but there are probably millions of cars on the road with faulty air bags from Takata? that when deployed have killed or seriously injured people and haven't been replaced by dealerships because they just don't have the replacements yet.
    watto_cobraMacPro
  • Reply 15 of 46
    We (the consumer) have all become the beta testers. The bar has been lowered to the point where we patience await patches rather than demand high quality out of the box. I think Apple has done a better job than other manufacturers but even Apple drops the ball too often. 
    magman1979philboogie
  • Reply 16 of 46
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,092member
    metrix said:
    Unfortunately, that is the case somebody correct me if I am wrong but there are probably millions of cars on the road with faulty air bags from Takata? that when deployed have killed or seriously injured people and haven't been replaced by dealerships because they just don't have the replacements yet.
    Yes, but while the airbag issue is certainly a dangerous, life-threatening one, it's not something that directly affects the consumer in normal use. My analogy was more to like the motor seizing-up and no longer functioning, requiring a new engine.  That would turn one's car into a doorstop in essence.  The way a flickering display is of no use to anyone as well.
  • Reply 17 of 46
    “Chill out.”


    edited February 2018 king editor the gratesuddenly newton
  • Reply 18 of 46
    netroxnetrox Posts: 1,415member
    Ok, who thinks of freezing their PC as a solution to crashes?!?!
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 19 of 46
    zoetmbzoetmb Posts: 2,654member
    sflocal said:

    Apple is much better at this now partly because it's such a high-profile company that is viewed under a monstrous magnifying glass so it doesn't want bad PR.

    And I think it's just the opposite.   When Apple was smaller, it seems like they gave the local stores more discretion.   Now that they're so large, the stores have to 'follow the rules and policies'.  

    Back in the day, my son-in-law had a G4 tower in which the power supply kept crapping out.  Apple would fix it under warranty each time, but it still had problems.  After the fourth time, my son-in-law told them that if it happened again, he wanted a new machine.  It did happen again, but by the time it happened, the G5 had come out and they gave him a brand new G5.

    Around 2004, my daughter had her baby on her lap and the kid grabbed her laptop and pushed the screen back, breaking the hinge.   It still worked, but they had to put something (like a large book) behind the screen to keep the screen up.   She brought it to Apple and they said it wasn't worth fixing - the repair would cost about $1500.   But then the video crapped out.   She brought it in just to have the video fixed and not the hinge.   She got it back and it was completely fixed and she called me up in tears because she thought Apple was going to charge her $1500+, but they charged her zero.   

    And I forget the details, but we had an issue with an iPod that was out of warranty, but Apple fixed anyway.

    I don't think Apple would do any of those things today.   The video on my late-2016 MBP had an issue and Apple fixed it for free, but it was still under warranty.  I forgot to buy Apple Care on time and if it happens again, I'm totally screwed because it's a $700 repair. 

    I know Apple makes a lot of money on Apple Care, but I sincerely believe that when someone buys a machine like the current MBP's, that can easily cost $3000+, they should come with at least a two-year warranty if not three years.    If Apple commands high prices because their products are higher quality, Apple should stand behind them.  I once owned an Acura and the car was so good and Acura had so few repairs to fix under warranty that they upped the warranty from five years to six for free.   I did have a problem and got stuck because of a recalled ignitor (I hadn't gotten the notice yet).   It was late at night and I had my car towed from New Jersey to my home in New York and then from my home in New York to Acura the next day.   Under the warranty, Acura didn't have to pay for all that towing, but they did, no questions asked.   Now that was customer service.  
    williamlondonbaconstangphilboogiewatto_cobra
  • Reply 20 of 46
    leighrleighr Posts: 253member
    Flicker-gate.
    watto_cobra
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