Microsoft Fixes Most Surface Book And Surface Pro 4 Bugs With Firmware Updates
When Microsoft released the Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book devices on October 20, there were a lot of complaints. While the Surface Pro 4 had some bugs, such as screen flickering problems caused by a faulty display driver, some considered the Surface Book practically unusable.
Just days after the release of the Surface Book, InfoWorld quoted one poster on a Microsoft forum that echoed the concern of other users.
“Just got my Surface Book, i7 512GB. Applied all the updates (including the recent firmware). My screen keeps flickering on/off, whether or not the screen is docked. I’ve tried resetting but the issue still persists. It also seems independent of running apps or focused windows. Adjusting the brightness doesn’t resolve the issue.”
“I am wondering if this is a faulty trackpad on my part or if I just need to wait for a driver update like everybody else. I have turned off taps in the settings. But about 10-20 percent of my clicks on the trackpad aren’t registering. The closer I click to the center, the better it works. Does anybody have a similar issue?” asks Phillymonsterful.
Fortunately, Microsoft has at least made the Surface Book usable now, and has made the Surface Pro 4 practically perfect. Tech Times recently reported on the release of a firmware update.
“Microsoft announces the release of a firmware update for the Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book devices to finally deliver a more permanent fix to several issues that include screen flickering.”
Tech Times indicated that the screen flickering problem was the one that has been the most reported on. However, at least with the Microsoft Surface Book, there were also several reports on extreme screen backlight bleeding, the tablet part not detaching from the keyboard, slow write speeds, etc. This led one poster on the Windows Central Forums to scream, “Hey, Microsoft!!! Fix your Surface Book before it dies!”
The poster became angry that Panos Panay, the head of the Microsoft Surface division, wasn’t addressing the issues — at all. The poster believed that excusing the bugs because the product just got released is wrong, especially since people spent more than $2000 on the Surface Book. He said that the patch to fix these issues should have been released the day of the Surface Book release. A lot of responders supported the post, but others indicated that people should be more patient.
“One thing that Microsoft nailed is the build quality. The magnesium shell has a great feeling to it, and it’s not exactly like aluminum either. The brushed finish feels great in the hand, and just like the rest of the Surface lineup you get a very solid device.”
The review goes on to note that even though the Surface Book isn’t light, it’s weight has been put to good use. They say that for a device so powerful, the battery life is great.
The Verge notes that Microsoft has finally created a surface with a true laptop feel. They especially like the keyboard and trackpad. Like AnandTech, they also commend the battery life on the unit. It looks like once all the bugs are fixed (and most of them are), Microsoft certainly has a winner with the Surface Book.
[Photo via Daryl Deino]
