Microsoft Surface Pro 4 owners have discovered a novel fix for the screen flickering issues dogging the 2-in-1 touchscreen notebook — putting it on ice.
The so-called ‘Flickergate’ issue has been reported by at least 1,600 Surface Pro 4 owners on a website dedicated to the flaw.
Users, who say Microsoft support is ignoring the issue, are resorting to placing the Windows 10 device into the freezer to temporarily halt the screen flickering issue.
Related: Best laptop 2018
One Surface Pro 4 owner claims to get a half-an-hour of flicker-free use after ten minutes alongside the ice cream and vodka.
In a statement Microsoft told The Verge: “We are aware that some customers have experienced a screen flicker on Surface Pro 4 and are monitoring the situation closely.”
The issue is believed to affect less than 1% of Surface Pro 4 owners, but a thread on the Microsoft support forums has existed for over a year.
Microsoft says affected users should contact customer support. However, many users only began experiencing problems after their warranties have expired, meaning there’ll be no free replacements or repairs for the 1,600 affected users, unless Microsoft issues a recall.
On the Flickergate website, the group says: “Surface Pro’s are marketed and priced as premium devices.
“Microsoft should therefore respond accordingly by acknowledging the issue and offering a solution. If the issue is a hardware fault, then Microsoft should recall affected devices.”
Considering the Surface Pro range is notoriously hard to repair, it appears replacements, if anything, would be the way to go.
Are you a Surface Pro 4 owner suffering from the screen flickering issue? Drop us a line @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.