Are there any SP5 models WITHOUT lightbleed?

[FlatSurface]

I've wanted a SP5 for over a year now. I went through 9 models in 2017 and, exasperated, bought a Macbook Pro in the end. The reason? ALL the SP5 models had that hideous line of lightbleed at the bottom.

I ended up selling the Macbook as, I didn't like that, either - I prefer Windows 10 over MacOS (and that's coming from someone who worked on MacOS from 2012 - early 2017) and the MBP wasn't silent or that easyto handle at all.

I tried again last week in a different store with the SP5 - the staff opened up 3 boxes for me, ALL with lightbleed.

Is this just something that I'll have to come to terms with if I want a SP5? Is there anyone that has a model that's perfect?

I'm in the Netherlands myself, all the models were from batch 1796.

 

[GreyFox7]

Is this just something that I'll have to come to terms with if I want a SP5?

Afraid so. Never heard of one with zero especially if you tend to be bothered by it.

I remember when I was learning to drive at night, the lights of oncoming cars bothered me and my mom told me not to look at them, after that I was fine.

 

[hughlle]

nless the light bleed is incredibly bad, then in normal use you really won't notice it. Mine (SP4) has a small amount, and I notice it when it is booting up, because it's a big old black screen. The moment that it's logged in though, I wouldn't know it was there.

 

[sharpuser]

I own a SB2 15 inch, and a SB2. No bleed.

Both models were received on the first day available. If my machines are the exception, could it be these had more quality control?

 

[Plantje]

I live in the Netherlands as well. And I'm in the market for a 2017 SP as well. Do you think it's that bad? I've seen quite some Surface Pros and in most cases light bleed is barely noticeable during normal use.
My Surface 3 also has some light bleed but it doesn't bother me that much.

What I think is worse is how you see wrinkles as soon as you put a little pressure on the screen

 

[FlatSurface]

I live in the Netherlands as well. And I'm in the market for a 2017 SP as well. Do you think it's that bad? I've seen quite some Surface Pros and in most cases light bleed is barely noticeable during normal use.
My Surface 3 also has some light bleed but it doesn't bother me that much.

What I think is worse is how you see wrinkles as soon as you put a little pressure on the screen

The models I've seen, all 13 of them, had a really fat bar of light coming from the bottom. I had people in the Media Markt and Coolblue agreeing with me it was unacceptable. Literally one of these units was a little better, but still pretty bad.

So yeah, I think it's that bad. I'm now heavily debating getting a Surface Laptop instead, since battery life is also important to me as well.

But it feels like settling. I really loved the SPs I've handled: form factor, build, sitting on the couch watching video or using it as a tablet, snapping on the cover and doing work... Just awesome.

 

[FlatSurface]

nless the light bleed is incredibly bad, then in normal use you really won't notice it. Mine (SP4) has a small amount, and I notice it when it is booting up, because it's a big old black screen. The moment that it's logged in though, I wouldn't know it was there.

On the nSP it's not the black, but the whites that are the problem. You notice it especially at the blue startup screen, or when you cltr alt del.

I own a SB2 15 inch, and a SB2. No bleed.

Both models were received on the first day available. If my machines are the exception, could it be these had more quality control?

Neither the SL or the SB seem to suffer from this problem.

 

[Plantje]

The models I've seen, all 13 of them, had a really fat bar of light coming from the bottom. I had people in the Media Markt and Coolblue agreeing with me it was unacceptable. Literally one of these units was a little better, but still pretty bad.

So yeah, I think it's that bad. I'm now heavily debating getting a Surface Laptop instead, since battery life is also important to me as well.

But it feels like settling. I really loved the SPs I've handled: form factor, build, sitting on the couch watching video or using it as a tablet, snapping on the cover and doing work... Just awesome.

Now I am curious and during my lunch break I will head over to Mediamarkt and check some of them. You mention it's not the black, but the whites where you see the issue? What do you mean by that? So, it's best visible when hitting ctrl+alt+del?
Once you see it... it cannot be unseen.... I get that. I had an issue with a very tiny scratch on my Asys Vivotab RT that was caused by a design flaw of the tablet... In the end I got a new tablet, but I really had to mail Asus a lot for that!

And yes, I too see the SP as basically the only one in the category. In the longer run I opt for the i5/8/256 one with LTE. I keep track of alternatives in an Excel sheet. Almost all of them are thicker, heavier, have (l0ud) active cooling. I am looking for something to replacee my desktop, Surface 3 and my work laptop. A Surface Pro is basically the only device that comes close to doing that. All alternatives feel like compromising.

 

[FlatSurface]

I've attached an image that shows what I mean. Notice the glowy bar at the bottom. Not the best pic, if it's darker it's that much more prominent.

 

[Plantje]

Yes, it's clear. Must be pretty obvious during booting as well, right?

 

[FlatSurface]

Yes, it's clear. Must be pretty obvious during booting as well, right?

During the blue boot screen it's the worst. I also distinctly notice it during browsing in tablet mode and you're on a largely white webpage (nu.nl comes to mind). But what really gets me is that you DON'T see it in landscape mode, if you're working. The darker menu bar hides the effect completely, which is what makes the whole thing so weird.

So, you know, if you can live with it in tablet mode and during booting / task manager you're fine. But I honestly feel that for a machine at this price point, it shouldn't be there.

The reason I started this topic is to see if there are any units without lightbleed at all, or if anyone else has just decided to ignore the issue and I'm being too harsh.

 

[Plantje]

During the blue boot screen it's the worst.

I get this. During the boot of basically any machine the brightness is cranked up all the way.

I also distinctly notice it during browsing in tablet mode and you're on a largely white webpage (nu.nl comes to mind).

This I don't get. So, if you have a largely white screen you see a white bar at the bottom? Light bleed is always white to my understanding; how can you see light bleed on a white screen?

But what really gets me is that you DON'T see it in landscape mode, if you're working. The darker menu bar hides the effect completely, which is what makes the whole thing so weird.

So, you would see it in landscape if you auto hide the task bar?

So, you know, if you can live with it in tablet mode and during booting / task manager you're fine. But I honestly feel that for a machine at this price point, it shouldn't be there.

Agreed to some extent: with a lot of issues I would be pretty much ok if it were a sub € 200,- device. But some issues should never happen to something this expensive.

The reason I started this topic is to see if there are any units without lightbleed at all, or if anyone else has just decided to ignore the issue and I'm being too harsh.

Reason for me to respond is to see if I am a person deciding to ignore it of if I have just never seen it before or perhaps if I am just not that picky.

On a related matter: did you not notice that if you use the device as a tablet and you hold it in one hand you see wrinkles on the screen? It happens if you press the bezels as well. As far as I know only the Microsoft Surface tablets have this (and perhaps some really cheap devices). iPads, Samsung tablets etc don't have these issues.