Users place Surface Pro in the freezer to fix screen flicker issue

While this that is some horrid screen flicker, following some random youtubers advise and placing it in the freezer as a " fix " seems really dumb.

" Uh, Hi ! Is this Microsoft tech support? Yeah, uhrm, I threw my laptop in the freezer and the condensation ruined it.... What do you mean this voids the warranty?! "

 

Yeah, and I do hope the users can receive help without extending their warranty. And on the surface, this does sound like planned obsolescence from Microsoft, and on the other... You placed it in the freezer.

Guess I can't blame them too much, with the flickering demonstrated the laptop was unusable and if people are desperate enough.

Back to the planned obsolescence thing, it just seems that way since the issue occurs after a year of usage and the warranty is out. Plus, the Surface laptop is clearly not meant for DIY:

Spoiler: Repairability Score: 0

"Verdict: The Surface Laptop is not a laptop. It’s a glue-filled monstrosity. There is nothing about it that is upgradable or long-lasting, and it literally can’t be opened without destroying it."

https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Microsoft+Surface+Laptop+Teardown/92915

 

Wait, wait, wait... People are opening their wallets for $1500 and get only 1 year warranty for Surface Pro!?

No way I'm going to drop that kind of money ON ANYTHING (especially if it's a brand new thing) and get only 1 year warranty, no one should make purchases like that.

 

Microshaft

 

If you shake your head from side to side in disgust at Microsoft, your head will be in sync with the screen flicker and is useable then.

Just wondering if it is an overheating issue then if it stops when placed in the freezer?

 

Reminds me of the old put the Hard drive into the freezer trick to help save a dying hard drive to get the data off of it. Sometimes it works and some times it doesn't. Makes me wonder if MS rushed out the new Surface pros in the same manner as the Xbox-360s where something they used was shotty.

 

I'm unfortunately one of the people that has this issue on their Surface Pro 4.

I don't go as far as to put my device in the fridge, yet if I extend my device over my apartment's window for some 2 minutes (it's between 0 to 4 degrees C outside), the device temperature will go down to something like 25-30 C and the flickering does indeed stop.

 

I don't know what happens beyond warranty period but when my surface pro 1 fan did some noise when at full speed, i eventually ended up getting a replacement a surface pro 3 with new type cover charger and pen (since those from surface pro 1 do not work with the 3) which works perfectly to this day.

 

No way, I think most countries have a 2 year mandatory warranty. In Romania at least every electronic device has it... ridiculous if this isn't the case though.

 

customers purchasing with most credit cards will find their cards have extendeded warranty policies. allowing them to get 100% of the money spent for the device. especially with information on how they aren’t repairable.

recently had a 780ti die on me right after 3 years, but credit card still was giving it an extra year warranty. American Express gave me $869 dollars credit on my account 3.5 years later and I bought a 1080ti with extra money to spare. People should really look into these benefits a lot of us don’t realize we have.

as far as my thoughts on the device, I agree something of that cost shouldn’t malfunction so early. customers may possibly see a repair extension program not unlike what Apple lists for their faults on support.apple.com. the symptoms indeed look like a video chipset overhearing. i overclock and overvolt my cards often (hence the 780ti burning out) and if don’t improperly i will immediately see these artifacts that were shown in the video. further proven when temperatures are lowered the device stabilized. more than likely poor thermal dissipation or lack of airflow for the new gpu being used.

 

I remember reading that and was like WTF Microsoft. Pretty sad when you buy a pricey electronic that cannot be repaired.

 

What happens to billions of dollars QA control? Did they test stress device 24/7? For that 1500 should buy the real laptop that allows you repairs, upgradeable.

 

I very much doubt this is caused by heat, since this happens on cold boot of the device. It's more likely to be a bad or dry solder connection. The freezer causes all the joints to tighten up by way of contraction. I used this before to get my friends PS3 working. Since the PS3 would often bend and twist the CPU socket and need re balling but a 20 minute placement in the freezer would work every time.

 

Yeah, I also think this is probably soldering. All the non-plumbium solder is often quite bad, especially under consistent thermal load. Either way, this is simply a result of cheap manufacturing and giving zero f**s about the lifespan of the device.

 

To me this sounds like what they did with the early Xbox360s and users with out of warranty Xboxes they had to stoot to doing things to repair them. Seems like MS didn't learn from their previous mistakes after all.

 

Still dont get why ppl would buy hardware from a software company, thats not even top notch doing that job..

 

funny greek solution! hahahaha! we greeks find always the way

 

It's the same here buddy: 2y warranty minimum for any kind of tech stuff, unless someone is buying some crap in local chinese shops where warranty expires same moment you left the door.

I've just checked on Amazon and it's a 1y warranty indeed, just ridiculous looking from buyers perspective.