The dreaded screen flicker again

[MSWARD]

Hi,

Sorry to bring up the dreaded screen flicker yet again but I have just be given 2 surface pro 4's i5 8gb.

Had a couple of issues with screens and I see its a common issue on these but what I have not really seen is anyone saying how they actually fixed it i.e. is it actually the screen panel or another item like the controller.

I am an IT engineer so replacing the screen does not seem that much of an issue, bit of a pain getting it out but as I will be replacing it, as long as I am careful with the cables the actual screen is not a worry. Just did not want to spend £100 on a screen only to find it's actually caused by something else.

Issues I have :

SP4 1 - This is deffo something to do with heat, it works fine then randomly you would get phantom touches on the screen, switch it off, let it cool for a few mins and good to go again, sometimes for hours before it happened again. The other day while testing it, I noticed it happened more when it was plugged in so firstly I set it to best battery not best performance hoping it would throttle back the CPU a bit but it still happened, then I noticed if I charged it then used it without the power plugged in it was fine, I I left it about 2 hours playing a video on at least 2 occasions and it never happened, plugged it in the mains at the end of one test and within 5 mins it was happening. I then noticed the PSU was not a Microsoft one so grabbed the other one which is MS thinking maybe it was that, I would say possibly it took longer to happen but it did eventually happen just the same. I have reformatted it totally and as I say have been running it on best battery to try to reduce it happening, I have done a screen calibration.

SP4 2 - Works fine, even with the non MS charger from the other one, only issue is I noticed if I run say Sky Go and watch something for a long time (i was watching F1 testing) then the top of the screen gets a slight flicker after a while, it does take quite a long time and in general use and testing you would never see it, I have used it for watching a normal film online and it never happened so I dont think I will do anything with this one, just keeping this for myself but thought I would ask.

So my question is would replacing just the screen on No 1 cure that ?, I see them going for £250-300 with this spec on Ebay and the screen will be £85-100 so still worth doing but only if it will cure the issue once and for all.

Any help much appreciated.

 

[XXLMandalorian]

Well, I'm am in I similar situation. We had a SP4 and it was flickering during Team's meetings. Can't say if the screen replacement will fix it but it should. Might as well replace the ribbon cables as they are only $10ish each. I had read that the screen getting too hot but another post said the ribbon cables are getting too hot. I plan to add some thermal resistance tape to the ribbon cables just cause it a headache to open this thing.

If you do open it up, I'd would replace the thermal paste while you are in there. The SP4 we had a crazy amount of it so it seemed to be more an insulator then anything. It runs way cooler now. I'd like to also say be super carful around the middle of the surface with the wifi when taking the screen off. Don't use a spudger here or anywhere really. I thought I botched the wifi but it works.


Side note: I thought I had got the right screen but it seem I may not. What are you going off of when buying one? I also could of also been too rough with the digitizer connector as my old splintered screen no longer works now. XD

 

[MSWARD]

Doing some investigation and I have yet to check all this out but the LG screen from the Surface 5 apparently fits but requires a new cable as the connector on the screen if different, this apparently is a better screen and does not appear to have the issue hence people are fitting that rather than the Samsung one ??. I also read the later Surface 4's have the LG screen so if that's true to you have to guess they solved the issue by simply changing the screen to this new type. Unfortunately the screen is more expensive, the cable is about £10-15 on top as well.

I have read of people changing the screen only for the fault to re-appear a few months along the line so either I replace the really bad one I have and sell it straight away just in case or fit the 5 screen in the realyl bad one, keep that as mine and sell the one that occasionally flickers.

I watched a load of the videos on removing the screen so yep am now aware of all the cables etc. you need to avoid, my usual tactic is to mark these with tape on the screen so I know not to push anything in there, helps a lot when your in the heat (Excuse the pun) of the moment trying to get the screen off.

 

[XXLMandalorian]

Doing some investigation and I have yet to check all this out but the LG screen from the Surface 5 apparently fits but requires a new cable as the connector on the screen if different, this apparently is a better screen and does not appear to have the issue hence people are fitting that rather than the Samsung one ??. I also read the later Surface 4's have the LG screen so if that's true to you have to guess they solved the issue by simply changing the screen to this new type. Unfortunately the screen is more expensive, the cable is about £10-15 on top as well.

I have read of people changing the screen only for the fault to re-appear a few months along the line so either I replace the really bad one I have and sell it straight away just in case or fit the 5 screen in the realyl bad one, keep that as mine and sell the one that occasionally flickers.

I watched a load of the videos on removing the screen so yep am now aware of all the cables etc. you need to avoid, my usual tactic is to mark these with tape on the screen so I know not to push anything in there, helps a lot when your in the heat (Excuse the pun) of the moment trying to get the screen off.

Every do any more digging? Had shelved our surface repair for the time but another SP4 we have is going down this road two. Had ended up getting the wrong screen and was not able to return the refurb screen.

 

[MrSweet1991]

Every do any more digging? Had shelved our surface repair for the time but another SP4 we have is going down this road two. Had ended up getting the wrong screen and was not able to return the refurb screen.

I upgraded to the LG panel mate, it's refurbished but it doesn't suffer from the design flaw. It does require a different cable as it's a higher pin connector for the LG Panel.

Before I link you the chap who I purchased my panel off I've literally just created my first thread on here as the pixels seem large in my opinion.

But the cable I purchased was this:

For Surface Pro 4 1724 LCD LED Screen Flex Cable M1010537-003 for LG Screen Only 7427074395802 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for For Surface Pro 4 1724 LCD LED Screen Flex Cable M1010537-003 for LG Screen Only at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk