Microsoft to Fix Surface Pro 3 Overheating

If you’ve got a Surface Pro 3, you might want to keep that thing off your lap – at least for a week or two. Apparently, versions of the tablet PC equipped with Intel i7 CPUs have been overheating lately, which results in the fan going overtime, premature shutdowns, and a “thermometer gauge” icons that tell users their tablets are too damn hot. The issue has prompted an official response from Microsoft yesterday that a fix is on the way.

Microsoft offered up a comment on the situation to ZDNet, promising that Surface Pro 3 customers whose computers are bugging out will hopefully find relief soon in the form of a patch:

“The Surface Team is aware of a very small number of Surface Pro 3 Intel Core i7 devices that are temporarily restarting and incorrectly showing a ‘Thermometer Gauge’ icon while attempting to boot up. Our investigation reveals that the system is triggering this event sooner than it should for some people, only when the device restarts, and this does not occur when the device is booted and running. We have an update that will address this that will be ready for our customers as soon as possible.

The i7 version of Surface Pro 3 is a first-of-its-kind tablet delivering i7 processing power in a thin and light package. As such, the increased power calls for the fan to spin more regularly and at higher speeds – and for the unit to run slightly warmer. If customers have any questions or concerns, they should contact Microsoft Support.”

The issue, as you can see, is that the Surface is simply a victim of its own success. Too powerful! Too thin! All will be well.

Jokes aside, the Surface Pro 3 is a great machine, but it’s definitely got some technical issues to work out of its production. I had to be sent three different machines during my review period, with the third and final unit I received actually working. The Surface Pro 3 model I reviewed had an i5, and overheating wasn’t the issue with any of them. However, the first unit had a massive dead zone at the top of its touchscreen and the battery gauge never worked accurately. The second one had phantom touches on a constant, repeated basis. I never got the crazy overheating issue, but there’s no question that the Surface gets hot when you’re putting it through its paces.

Hopefully this fix will get the job done and Microsoft will be able to rehabilitate the Surface name.

[Source: ZDNet]