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SB i7/256/8 slight bulge on the back of tablet from heat?

Piratechip

New Member
Hi, i was wondering if anyone noticed a bulge on the back of their tablet portion of the surface book. It almost feels like a distortion in the casing due to heat. If i used my hands and slid it across the lower area (below the windows logo) i can feel a slight bump. It seems to be permanent now, and I don't believe this was there before.

Do i have a defective unit? or is this normal because of the heat?

I also noticed my surface book can get up to 80~84 degrees (HWMonitor) while running on high performance mode and playing games. Is this normal?

I got my surfacebook yesterday and i am quite sad about this. Thanks the help.
 

giliav

New Member
Hi there,
I just checked mine (i7/16gB/512GB) and I didn't notice a bulge. Is it noticeable by eye or do you need to really press it hard to feel it?
The tablet center does indeed tend to get hot under load but I didn't test it in games yet so I'm not sure if it's normal or not.

If it's noticeable perhaps post a picture here? Take it from the side of the tablet thus showing it in profile to see if there's any bumps on it.
 
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Piratechip

New Member
Thanks for the fast reply. It not noticeable by eye, but its definitely noticeable when I swipe my hands across the back with very little pressure.
 

giliav

New Member
Hmmm, sounds ok yet I'm not sure.
Hopefully others can check their devices and update the thread later on (most member post late during the day).
 

GreyFox7

Super Moderator
Staff member
If you lay it on a flat surface like a granite countertop does it rock. if there is a bulge it should not be stable laying flat.

The case may have had a bulge before it was assembled. I am skeptical that there is enough heat generated to create a bulge in the case, I think that would require temperatures well in excess of normal operating range.
 

G-man

Member
I saw one in the Microsoft store with a SHARP dent...from the inside out. How the heck does that happen? It had to have happened at the factory.
 

Deryl McCarty

Active Member
I too have noticed a slight bulge on the back of the tablet portion of my SB, but not enough to cause it to "rock" while in use. I never did think it to be heat related, but rather more a manufacturing "feature". What concerns me a bit more is the is the very slight difference (gap) between the tablet-keyboard fit on the right hand side (near the latch mechanism) than on the left. My SB had never been over-stressed there but I do admit that I usually pull up the tablet from the right hand top side after getting the green light and "click" from the detach key. Maybe 1/32" or less. I also notice that the "mouse buttons" that are part of the left and right bottom of the touch pad are no longer just on the bottom but I can activate them up to 3/4ths of the way to the top of the touch pad and they click and work just fine. Neither of these issues cause trouble or interfere, but I will trudge up to the Bellevue MSFT Store and ask if this is normal. Just want to avoid future troubles.
 
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Piratechip

New Member
So i went in and exchanged my surface book yesterday, and it seems like all the surface books in the Microsoft store also has a slight bump. Even the new one i received has it. It might just be my OCD for even noticing it, but i just hope it doesn't become anything serious in the future after constant use.
 

Telstar1948

Active Member
I have the i5/8/256/dGPU, but there's no bump or dent on the back of the clipboard. I do have that little "sticky" noise on my SB that some have reported when pushing up on the bottom of the keyboard in certain places...kind of a popping where the case will momentarily stick to some glue inside then let go. None of this is a defect from any functional stanpoint.
 

Wayne Orwig

Active Member
If you look at the teardown:
Microsoft Surface Book Teardown
It looks like that is where the processor is getting pressed against the cabinet as a heatsink. So yes, it is easily going to be the warmest spot with a slight bulge. My i7/256/dGPU also has it. I can't see it, but I can barely feel it.
Non-issue for me.
 
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