does the SP4 heat up?

[macmee]

I want to buy a SP4 but only if it doesn't get hot like the SP3 does.

Sometimes the SP3 will just randomly get hot because windows is doing something in the background. Updates usually heat it up, and any sort of games heat it up. Chrome used to heat up but in newer versions it's been better.

So, does the SP4 have the same heating issues as the SP3? If I got the SP4 could I play games and not expect the fan to go crazy like the SP3?

Also for the steep price I can't believe the entry model only has 4gb of ram...

 

[leeshor]

If my fan has come on on mine, I didn't notice.

 

[dgwoodward]

I have an SP3 and now the SP4. Chief reason for my upgrade was the whole fan thing. I have done a bunch of so loading and updates and the only time it came on was when I was doing big updates. Otherwise has been silent. Definitely glad I made the upgrade.

 

[GreyFox7]

I want to buy a SP4 but only if it doesn't get hot like the SP3 does.

Sometimes the SP3 will just randomly get hot because windows is doing something in the background. Updates usually heat it up, and any sort of games heat it up. Chrome used to heat up but in newer versions it's been better.

So, does the SP4 have the same heating issues as the SP3? If I got the SP4 could I play games and not expect the fan to go crazy like the SP3?

Microsoft Surface Book (Core i5, Nvidia GPU) Notebook Review

Stress Test
The Microsoft notebook holds up extremely well to stress tests. The CPU itself is able to maintain a consistent Turbo Boost of 2.8 - 2.9 GHz compared to its base 2.4 GHz clock rate when running Prime95. The Nvidia GPU throttles just slightly under Furmark from its base 954 MHz to a steady 823 - 888 MHz range. Running both Prime95 and FurMark simultaneously will throttle the GPU further while the CPU is unaffected. The catch is that CPU temperature can reach 90 C under these conditions compared to ~75 C for the dGPU.

Unigine Heaven stress is more representative of real-world loads. Constant CPU Turbo Boost is not necessary under such loads, so the CPU will range from as low as 500 MHz up to 2.9 GHz as needed. Core temperature is consequently much lower near the 60 C range. The GPU is able to run consistently with Boost at 993 MHz.

Temperature
Unlike typical notebooks where we only measure surface temperature development on the base of the device, the Surface Book calls for measurements on both the display and base portions since its CPU and GPU are separated accordingly.

When idling, the base remains noticeably cooler than the tablet portion, which can be as warm as 33 C near the bottom quadrant of the screen. Maximum loads will accentuate this hot spot to over 46 C on both sides of the tablet. Microsoft has concentrated this hot spot nearest the center of the device, so the tablet can still be held comfortably in its default landscape mode without burning any fingers. Nonetheless, the left side of the device will still grow noticeably warmer than the right. When compared to other detachables like the Portege Z20t or Transformer Book T300 Chi, the Surface Book runs warmer despite its use of two active fans.

As for the base, the front areas remain relatively cool when under high processing loads while the keyboard will warm up considerably near the center keys. The warmest areas lie on the surface immediately above the top row of Function keys, which is conveniently away from the palm rests and touchpad. While our load temperature measurements are not representative of real-world browsing use, the Surface Book is still one of the warmest detachables we've seen.

​

 

[dajogejr]

I can say on W10 my SP3 is a toasty bugger.
My SP4...cool as a cucumber. I've felt it get warm once or twice, but nothing compared to my SP3.

 

[macmee]

urghhh I hate you guys

....ordering one now

 

[macmee]

this thread reports that SP4 is just as bad as SP3 in regards to heating issues

http://forums.windowscentral.com/microsoft-surface-pro-4/390590-heat-fan-sp4.html

 

[dajogejr]

Captain Jack,
I use my SP exclusively at home and work.
My 3 on 8.1 was no issues at all. One of my biggest concerns with W10 on it (Upgraded and now full wipe, factory load) is the heat.

I've been on my SP4 all day. In the dock and out. Videos, web, email, MS Office work (Outlook, Word, Visio) Pandora streaming, etc.
Not even warm.
Watching video alone on my SP3 warms it right up.

I can only tell you my experience. SP3 was my only device from November of last year, until last week.

 

[macmee]

Captain Jack,
I use my SP exclusively at home and work.
My 3 on 8.1 was no issues at all. One of my biggest concerns with W10 on it (Upgraded and now full wipe, factory load) is the heat.

I've been on my SP4 all day. In the dock and out. Videos, web, email, MS Office work (Outlook, Word, Visio) Pandora streaming, etc.
Not even warm.
Watching video alone on my SP3 warms it right up.

I can only tell you my experience. SP3 was my only device from November of last year, until last week.

Any thoughts to battery life? Apparently there's a bug where the device wont go in low power mode Sp4 only getting less than 5 hours battery life with light internet use • /r/Surface

wondering if my SP4 will have similar battery to my SP3

 

[Moonsurface]

It is meant to be better for heat but I doubt you could game on it without it getting warm, it probably wouldn't get as hot as the SP3 and it'd be quieter but heck it's a proper processor in there in an even thinner body than before, the heat gotta go somewhere and gaming will be a harder task than most. My phone gets hot when gaming!

Doesn't bother me that much on my SP3 - not since I came from a huge Dell laptop that would blow the fan ALL the time and significantly louder than the Surface Pro - no excuse for that one really given the case was over an inch thick and the fan would blow when it wasn't even doing anything.

 

[dajogejr]

Yep. Battery life on my SP4 blows. It doesn't sleep or hybernate quite right.
I altered the settings a little because when it's on the dock at work, I don't need it to hybernate.
For me, it's a bug. My typical MO is hit the power button at bed time. Wake up, hit the power button again to wake from hibernate.
If I go to bed with 40% battery left I wake up with maybe 10% if any at all.
I've played with WiFi connected standby settings as well to no avail.
leeshor is getting exceptional battery life. I know he likes turning off WiFi when not in use. Having to reconnect when waking up bugs me.

I'd be happy if he could share with us some battery saving tips and tricks... I could use some.
With my SP3. I could use it a few hours on Friday night, Saturday and I may have to charge it come Sunday night.
Now...I charged it every day over the weekend.

 

[macmee]

Yep. Battery life on my SP4 blows. It doesn't sleep or hybernate quite right.
I altered the settings a little because when it's on the dock at work, I don't need it to hybernate.
For me, it's a bug. My typical MO is hit the power button at bed time. Wake up, hit the power button again to wake from hibernate.
If I go to bed with 40% battery left I wake up with maybe 10% if any at all.
I've played with WiFi connected standby settings as well to no avail.
leeshor is getting exceptional battery life. I know he likes turning off WiFi when not in use. Having to reconnect when waking up bugs me.

I'd be happy if he could share with us some battery saving tips and tricks... I could use some.
With my SP3. I could use it a few hours on Friday night, Saturday and I may have to charge it come Sunday night.
Now...I charged it every day over the weekend.

It's disappointing to hear these are still issues. I used to have these problems with my Sp2 which is why I updated to the SP3.