If the issue is a hardware fault, then Microsoft should recall affected devices.” Microsoft Surface Pro 4. “Microsoft should therefore respond accordingly by acknowledging the issue and offering a solution. “Surface Pro’s are marketed and priced as premium devices,” says the Flickergate group.
Some affected users have reported paying $800 for an out-of-warranty exchange with Microsoft to fix the hardware issue, although Microsoft’s support site lists the cost for a screen replacement at $450. While Microsoft recommends that owners contact their support lines, devices are generally out of warranty when the problems start occurring. It’s currently affecting less than 1 percent of all Surface Pro 4 devices. The Verge understands that the screen flickering problem is a hardware issue that Microsoft won’t be able to fix with a software update. Another user posted a video showing how the flickering stops as soon as the Surface Pro 4 is placed in a freezer. “I get about half an hour’s use out of it after ten minutes in the freezer,” says one owner. Some owners have even started freezing their tablets to stop the screen flickering temporarily.
