Hey Microsoft!!! Fix your Surface Book before it dies!

[Yonic Boom]

One thing I did notice about the trackpad is that it gets a ton better if you have enhance pointer precision checked. Between that and turning up the sensitivity it made a pretty huge difference. YMMV of course.

 

[illidanx]

Nowhere along the way would I post that Microsoft should be ashamed of themselves about this product. I simply let them, and the world at large, see that there are problems. THEN, give them the time and space to correct them.

I don't see why MS should not be ashamed of their QC. It's terrible by the amount of problems the users experience. I can't believe none of these problem come up during QC when the ratio seems to be really high. Even a cheap Chinese notebook has fewer problems.

 

[explosive0]

Uggh....I am experiencing similar problems on my SP4. I am considering returning it. For myself (and I suspect many of us) this was the MOST expensive computer I have ever purchased. I expected better.

Edit: I see other's going after the OP. Read around the web, MANY people are raising these same complaints. This is a widespread problem. This afternoon I found my SP4 blazing hot in its sleeve (while 'asleep') and nearly dead. This evening I found it cool and felt relieved until I realized it was actually DEAD-cold. It had finished itself off while asleep. In addition to all the display issues I am having I am ready to return it.

Mine blue-screened on me earlier today. I tried resetting it and it went crazy. Downloaded USB recovery image but it just runs and throws an error halfway through. Got too tired and busy so I guess I'll give it another try tomorrow, if not, back to the store she goes.

 

[ytrewq]

Lots of drama in this thread.

In technology, being an early adopter means you're going to run into glitches. MS is no different than any other tech company in that regard. If that doesn't work for you, don't be an early adopter.

I do agree that the display driver glitches should have been noticed and resolved before release. But they'll get sorted out. In the meanwhile, I can live with it. Which means I'm a good candidate for "early adopter.". If you can't, then you're not.

 

[Devhux]

Lots of drama in this thread.

In technology, being an early adopter means you're going to run into glitches. MS is no different than any other tech company in that regard. If that doesn't work for you, don't be an early adopter.

I do agree that the display driver glitches should have been noticed and resolved before release. But they'll get sorted out. In the meanwhile, I can live with it. Which means I'm a good candidate for "early adopter.". If you can't, then you're not.

I agree. While it's annoying that such an expensive machine shipped with bugs like this, one has to realize that new products can indeed have issues. If you expected perfection, perhaps you should have waited to see what the early adopters had to say first. Microsoft is hardly alone in launching a device with bugs.

 

[photobriangray]

Lots of drama in this thread.

In technology, being an early adopter means you're going to run into glitches.

I do agree that the display driver glitches should have been noticed and resolved before release. But they'll get sorted out. In the meanwhile, I can live with it. Which means I'm a good candidate for "early adopter.". If you can't, then you're not.

Why does it mean that there will be problems? There isn't a beta OS installed on the new Surfaces and it is not called the Insider Book. Early adopter is using Insider builds on your phone. Early adopter is buying a product knowing that features are missing and there are bugs. My Roku worked great out of the box. My first slingbox worked great out of the box. I have installed and tested dozens of graphics cards and sound cards over the years and most of them had great user experiences out of the box, as long as it wasn't actual pre-release beta hardware.

The Book is a VERY expensive Windows PC. It should be held to a higher standard, especially after all the platitudes from Panos. These are not isolated issues with a small group of noisemakers, it is reviewers, forum members, newbs, nerds and the Windows Central staff. Read the Surface Book support threads, plenty of first Windows users enticed by the hardware are getting crapped on by the software, software from a SOFTWARE COMPANY. It needs to be fixed now. I don't want to deal with troubleshooting. I want to edit photos for ten hours on battery. I want to be able to use the web browser the OS is installed with. I want to close the lid on my Book and not lose 20% of the battery on the drive home. Do I want to take the time to drive to the MS store after transferring any files not cloud protected, convince the guys that it is defective, ask for another book (hoping it is in stock), set everything up, install the first firmware update and cross my fingers that I get a "good one"? Nope. If it gets returned, I'll get a fingerprint type cover for the Pro 3 and lament not having this amazing display and keyboard.

I can be patient, but don't think for a second these are isolated issues and just drama. People rely on these devices for their livelihood.

 

[AbsoluteZerow]

Awesome post.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[zerospace-net]

Why does it mean that there will be problems? There isn't a beta OS installed on hte new Surfaces and it is not called the Insider Book.

I respectfully disagree with this statement. Windows 10 still feels to me very much like a beta OS. I've been saying since day 1 that Windows 10 feels like a public beta test. I probably won't recommend it to anyone who asks until early next year. While I like many aspects of it, it still feels half finished, unpolished, and generally buggy. I like where MS is going with Windows 10, but it just feels like MS needed to let it bake a little longer before pushing it on the public. I have hope that the threshold update will address most of my issues with the OS, after which I can freely tell friends and family to take their free upgrades.

Of all the issues the OP has raised (and many others as well), I have seen almost none of them except two -- the battery drain while sleeping and the audio pops. In fact, I just unplugged my SB about 1 hour ago and left it asleep while I copy some last data from my SP3 to move over to it. The battery drained about 6% in an hour. Ouch. The audio popping is an issue I saw with the SP3 and the dock as well. To me, most of the issues with the SB probably stem from 2 things: a new/somewhat underbaked OS and bleeding edge hardware with buggy drivers. 'Tis the price of being an early adopter of both, and apparently, this combo is pretty deadly for some. I really wish MS had pushed off releasing the SB and SP4 until Win10 was better & the drivers were more stable, but obviously that didn't happen. If you've never bought absolutely bleeding edge hardware (either in the form of a pre-built machine or parts), it's just the way it goes. I remember all the issues with motherboards when USB 3.0 started appearing on them. That wasn't pretty either, and some people spend hundreds on a motherboard alone, only to suffer issues just like what we're seeing with the SB. Nothing's perfect.

I have had no BSODs yet. I have had zero issues with the screen not detaching (or BSODing while detached). I have had no issues with video or color shifting (have played a few games on this thing already, too). So let's be clear about something: not every Surface Book out there has these problems. To presume they all do is pretty bold. I'll just say this: what have I been doing all this time while many folks with issues are complaining up a storm (much like probably every other new SB owner who doesn't have issues)? We're all dead quiet, because we're just enjoying our new device.

I don't doubt you guys have these issues, but please stop making it sound like you speak for all of us, because some of us would politely like to be left out of it. I get it, I really do. You're upset. Rightfully so. But you should be on MS's support forum telling THEM directly about how you feel. That would be far more constructive than complaining here.

All of that said, I wish everyone with the severe issues with their SBs the best. I hope MS pushes some firmware updates or driver updates quickly that fix your problems (and I believe, after my early experience with the SP3, that they will). I've had a great experience so far with my SB, and I hope you all get to have the same very soon.

 

[hansjs]

Why does it mean that there will be problems?

The Book is a VERY expensive Windows PC. It should be held to a higher standard, especially after all the platitudes from Panos. T
I can be patient, but don't think for a second these are isolated issues and just drama. People rely on these devices for their livelihood.

Totally agree. I bought the SB after a year with a SP3 I mostly loved. Thus far, the SB has been a huge disappointment. When I got mine, it was at a login screen, not a setup screen. I have done 2 compete resets (1st one would not allow Windows updates to complete) to get what appears to be a clean, mostly working install. Even still, the scrolling issues, Edge issues, occasional display driver stopping and resetting issues, sleep/wake issues, and occasional share drive connection issues are more than a user of $2700 laptop should endure.

Microsoft is charging a premium price for a premium device and aiming its comparisons right at the MacBook Pro. This is a big deal for Microsoft. People are actually clamoring for Microsoft products again, and the are going to waste it if these issues aren't fixed really soon. How many of your average users would even take the time to reset the PC twice to get a clean install (which should have come out of the box)? The hardware here is leaps and bounds ahead of Apple, but Microsoft needs to get to that "It just works out of the box" mentality that Apple users have come to expect.

I have 15 days (11 left) to return this, and am really hoping MS is able to give me a good reason not to return it. If this is still the product in 10 days, I will return this and just get the type cover for my SP3 and wait for the next generation.

 

[syspry]

huh. call me crazy but I bet there's a report button that would've eliminated the need for all of the arguing in this thread by people taking it upon themselves to be moderators

 

[AbsoluteZerow]

One guy was arguing, with himself. I think it's fine so far?

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[Saw Dust Maker]

I pre ordered on Oct9.
The basic book.
Giving a ship date of no later that the 26th.
Not shipped yet - maybe a blessing?

Song and dance from MS store. No real info on when it will ship.
Only today did I get "this has been identified as an issue"

Think this has to do with all issues they are having?

Should I cancel until issues are worked out?

By the way, they did ship and charge me for the Dock.
Got that to me on the 26th.
Wow it is the most useless $200 object I have ever paid for.

 

[ParoleGA]

I pre ordered on Oct9.
The basic book.
Giving a ship date of no later that the 26th.
Not shipped yet - maybe a blessing?

Song and dance from MS store. No real info on when it will ship.
Only today did I get "this has been identified as an issue"

Think this has to do with all issues they are having?

Should I cancel until issues are worked out?

By the way, they did ship and charge me for the Dock.
Got that to me on the 26th.
Wow it is the most useless $200 object I have ever paid for.

I have no advice on your Book order, sorry. I'd probably cancel if they didn't at least provide some helpful info, soon. As far as the dock, I honestly can't believe they are charging $200 for it. That is what they charged for the SP3 dock. While I thought that was overpriced, too, at least it had some moving parts and held the tablet.

 

[hansjs]

Should I cancel until issues are worked out?

Depends on your tolerance for a really nice machine with entirely unfinished firmware. My guess is it's probably a month or two away from working out most of the bugs through firmware updates.

 

[Jazmac]

 

[StevoPhilo]

Why does it mean that there will be problems? There isn't a beta OS installed on the new Surfaces and it is not called the Insider Book. Early adopter is using Insider builds on your phone. Early adopter is buying a product knowing that features are missing and there are bugs. My Roku worked great out of the box. My first slingbox worked great out of the box. I have installed and tested dozens of graphics cards and sound cards over the years and most of them had great user experiences out of the box, as long as it wasn't actual pre-release beta hardware.

The Book is a VERY expensive Windows PC. It should be held to a higher standard, especially after all the platitudes from Panos. These are not isolated issues with a small group of noisemakers, it is reviewers, forum members, newbs, nerds and the Windows Central staff. Read the Surface Book support threads, plenty of first Windows users enticed by the hardware are getting crapped on by the software, software from a SOFTWARE COMPANY. It needs to be fixed now. I don't want to deal with troubleshooting. I want to edit photos for ten hours on battery. I want to be able to use the web browser the OS is installed with. I want to close the lid on my Book and not lose 20% of the battery on the drive home. Do I want to take the time to drive to the MS store after transferring any files not cloud protected, convince the guys that it is defective, ask for another book (hoping it is in stock), set everything up, install the first firmware update and cross my fingers that I get a "good one"? Nope. If it gets returned, I'll get a fingerprint type cover for the Pro 3 and lament not having this amazing display and keyboard.

I can be patient, but don't think for a second these are isolated issues and just drama. People rely on these devices for their livelihood.

I completely disagree. So you compare a complex computing system worth a minimum of 1500 dollars to that of a slingbox or roku that costs like 99-300 dollars? Mass produced vs non mass produced. Not only do they not do the same thing, but there's way more involved in making a computer. You do realize that there isn't anything that comes close to the function of the SB.

Most people with these issues are the ones withe the dGPU. It's the first time there has been a gpu in a keyboard dock so you have to expect some hiccups. Not everyone is having this same issue either.

Is this the smoothest launch. No it isn't. Could it have been done better? Yes. If they decided to wait a bit longer and not try to rush and release it before the holidays then they may have actually had the time to release.

I expected it. Don't let your initial excitement cloud your judgement.

 

[Spongers8X]

Finally!! Someone with some sense in this thread! This whole thing makes me think of the time my mom purchased the first generation of the new VW Beetle. That thing cost at least 10 times what this does, and that thing had problems for years. Electrical problems, switchgear problems, engine problems. Did VW fix it in a week? (Or to be fair, within 10 weeks) Nope, it took her years to get that thing trouble free. VW tried some new techniques and technologies that didn't quite work out. Doesn't mean it wasn't a bad product, just that they do what they can to fix it.

Microsoft will fix it, guaranteed. May take some time, but be patient and use the very good device you purchased and trust they will fix it. Their track record is actually pretty good.

I completely disagree. So you compare a complex computing system worth a minimum of 1500 dollars to that of a slingbox or roku that costs like 99-300 dollars? Mass produced vs non mass produced. Not only do they not do the same thing, but there's way more involved in making a computer. You do realize that there isn't anything that comes close to the function of the SB.

Most people with these issues are the ones withe the dGPU. It's the first time there has been a gpu in a keyboard dock so you have to expect some hiccups. Not everyone is having this same issue either.

Is this the smoothest launch. No it isn't. Could it have been done better? Yes. If they decided to wait a bit longer and not try to rush and release it before the holidays then they may have actually had the time to release.

I expected it. Don't let your initial excitement cloud your judgement.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[Stocklone]

GIMP is unusable for me for instance.

Unusable and incredibly laggy now. Do you have any ideas for alternatives? Inkscape scales perfectly on the Surface Book so I think it's more of a GIMP problem.

 

[ytrewq]

Why does it mean that there will be problems? There isn't a beta OS installed on the new Surfaces and it is not called the Insider Book. Early adopter is using Insider builds on your phone. Early adopter is buying a product knowing that features are missing and there are bugs.

No, that is not what the phrase "early adopter" means. Early adopter simply means that you buy a product early in its life cycle, when it is still new to market. And yes, it does mean that there will be problems. But since you probably won't take my word for it, try listening to EVERYONE ELSE ON THE INTERNET:

"Early adopters are the first wave of users of technology products like software, hardware and social media sites... Here are some of the drawbacks of early adoption... 4. Product or service may not have all the kinks worked out. Finally, there are bugs."
Tablet Carts | Risks and Rewards For Early Adopters by Anthro

"Are you the type of person who pre-orders the newest tech gadgets as soon as they?re available? Then you?re an early adopter... Bugs tend to slip through the cracks, even into the release product. As an early adopter, you?re putting yourself at risk because you might encounter one of these bugs. Those who don?t adopt early can sit back, wait a few months to see if any major issues arise, and buy the product when everything is working as intended." 5 Reasons Why Being An Early Adopter Is A Bad Idea

"Any early adopter is making an implicit trade-off: they want to be among the first to have something knowing full well that first and second generation products can be plagued with bugs or manufacturing issues." RealClearTechnology- Three Reasons Not to Buy a 4K TV (Yet) - Early Adopter Risks

"Early adoption does come with pitfalls: early versions of products may be buggy and/or prone to malfunction . . ." The Web is ours!~: The disadvantages of being an early adopter

"When the latest, greatest phone hits the market many people are willing to queue for hours to get it. Not everyone, though. Some people want the new phone but don't get it right away ? and not because their wallets are a bit light or they dislike queues. They're happy to let the early adopters rush in so that someone else gets to discover all the glitches that inevitably plague any brand-new device. Technology moves fast and companies are motivated to get new products out the door as soon as possible, without hunting down every last glitch (if that's even possible). Eager customers will soon discover these and then they can be fixed. Once the design stabilises, those who hung back initially can join in the fun." The perils of being an early adopter

I could cut-and-paste thousands of similar articles, all of which repeat the common sense I articulated in my prior post: If you buy a new piece of technology the first week it is out, there will be bugs and kinks. If that bothers you, don't be an early adopter.

If you can't see the obvious risk inherent on being an early adopter, and if you insist on blaming the manufacturer for the fact that brand-new technology typically has kinks to work out, then don't be an early adopter.

Everyone else in the world gets it. (And if you need that proven to you, Google "risks of being an early adopter." Literally everyone who speaks to this issue says the same thing.)

 

[ShinraCorp]

I personally use Paint.net (a .NET program if you're wondering lol.) It's actually really good, sure it's not as advanced as Photoshop or GIMP but maybe it'll help you out for the time being