Question Surface Pro 4 screen flickers 20-30 minutes after startup

[KenY7]

I have a MS SurfacePro4 running Win11. For several months the following symptoms have appeared.

1. After the tablet/PC has been on for 20-30 minutes, the screen starts flickering. At first, everything gets a little fuzzy, but after another few minutes the flicker gets more severe and there are several duplicate images on the screen.

2. The machine seems to get very hot in around the time span.

Here's what I've tried:

1. Blew some compressed air from a can into all the holes around the rim. Hoped to open ventilation that might be blocked with dust. (We don't have any pets nor does anyone smoke.)

2. Tried to update the video driver, but the current driver is up-to-date.

Does anyone have any other ideas, or has this little guy just gotten old and feeble?

Thanks,
Ken

 

[COLGeek]

Sounds like a case of old and feeble. Sounds like a heat issue. Unlike a "regular" PC/laptop, you really can't open these things up and change thermal compound, etc.

Assuming you can attach to a docking station, does this happen with an external display?

 

[KenY7]

Thank for your suggestion, COLGeek.

I have an external monitor that I can try. That might actually be a long-term "make-do" that would extend the useful life of the SurfacePro.

 

[COLGeek]

Thank for your suggestion, COLGeek.

I have an external monitor that I can try. That might actually be a long-term "make-do" that would extend the useful life of the SurfacePro.

This could help isolate the issue as well. Could be a display issue (if so, shouldn't be present on external display) or a heat/iGPU issue (where it would likely show up on the external display).

Fingers crossed for you.

 

[KenY7]

I attached an external monitor and it ran for at least 1 1/2 hours without flickering. I then set display to show the same image on BOTH screens, and after 30 minutes, there was no flickering on EITHER screen. I noticed that the SurfacePro was noticeably hot but didn't see any flickering.

Will leave it running to ssee if any flicker after more time.

 

[COLGeek]

Run something, like a benchmark or burn-in application, to put the system under load to see if that does anything.

 

[KenY7]

I left the PC running with both displays on. After about 30 minutes, the internal display started flickering, but the external monitor did not flicker.

So, it seems that the internal display is funky, but the graphics adapter is not affected on the external display.

I don't think it would be cost-effective to explore fixing the internal dispplay.

 

[COLGeek]

I left the PC running with both displays on. After about 30 minutes, the internal display started flickering, but the external monitor did not flicker.

So, it seems that the internal display is funky, but the graphics adapter is not affected on the external display.

I don't think it would be cost-effective to explore fixing the internal dispplay.

Agreed. I suppose you could just use the external for now.