News - Users reporting Microsoft Surface Pro 3 overheating issues

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Some Windows Installer background tasks appear to be the main culprits.

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Read more.

Back in the old days we didn't need a service and associated processes just to install software, i guess there is something to be said about keeping things simple.

Ah the joys of compromising size.

I think they pushed the Surface 3 Pro to be so small (thin) and light weight, that they've potentially cut too many corners. One fan, vs the previous models two for instance.

Getting mine tomorrow, fingers crossed that I don't come across these issues. XD

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Originally Posted by Infinite

Getting mine tomorrow, fingers crossed that I don't come across these issues. XD

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Where did you get yours from? I'm off to singapore, but I might buy a UK cover beforehand....

I'm still waiting to see a phone which prioritises battery life and thermals over thin-ness. I'm perfectly happy with the size of the ArmourDillo case on my Nexus 4, which I only really feel the need to use because of the glass back, and because it actually seems more comfortable to hold.

If I had something with a removable battery I'd be tempted to try something like this, but that volume could be utilised more efficiently by the phone manufacturer.

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Originally Posted by watercooled

I'm still waiting to see a phone which prioritises battery life and thermals over thin-ness. I'm perfectly happy with the size of the ArmourDillo case on my Nexus 4, which I only really feel the need to use because of the glass back, and because it actually seems more comfortable to hold.

If I had something with a removable battery I'd be tempted to try something like this, but that volume could be utilised more efficiently by the phone manufacturer.

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Kind of off topic but relating to that case on your phone. I got a very similar one for my HTC One (didn't want the back to get all scratched up!) in white. My only quibble with it is the inner soft case has started to fade from the lovely white that it was to an awful sweaty yellow/cream thing. It's awful :(

But it has saved my phone from 3 long falls from my hands to the ground. One of them in a nightclub when some arseh**e knocked my phone out my hand and it flew a good five foot above my head before coming crashing down. Just chipped the corner of hard case, the shock was absorbed by the inner soft case and my phone was fine (although it was held very delicately for a few days afterwards!)

On topic: -sigh- it's always a worry with these super thin devices isn't it? I wonder how they will combat these potential issues. Quicker to throttle or a more aggressive fan curve? Also, on the topic of these items overheating, is it possible to undervolt these or are these kind of BIOS options just off limits?

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Originally Posted by TheAnimus

Ah the joys of compromising size.

I think they pushed the Surface 3 Pro to be so small (thin) and light weight, that they've potentially cut too many corners. One fan, vs the previous models two for instance.

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I'm sure I said this when it was announced but I'd bet the Surface 3 Pro was supposed to use broadwell cpu's which would have run cooler etc but they then got delayed. Rather than wait on broadwell, MS then went with the current low power cpus instead.

I would put money on the SP4 (I'm waiting on this) being fine with the same config when it's released with a broadwell cpu.

Having said that Windows is pretty poor when it comes to having background processes/programs etc draining battery, just look how much longer os-x lasts in comparison on the same hardware.

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Originally Posted by TheAnimus

Where did you get yours from? I'm off to singapore, but I might buy a UK cover beforehand....

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My cousin is coming back from her US holiday (specifically Oregon; no sales tax) so I told her to pick up the i5 256gb version.

Its £1109 in the UK
compared to US $1149 (inc Student discount) which works out to be around £700 :p Saves me £409!!

Same, I've ordered the type cover in red on the UK store. I didn't want the keyboard with no £££ sign ;)

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Originally Posted by LSG501

I'm sure I said this when it was announced but I'd bet the Surface 3 Pro was supposed to use broadwell cpu's which would have run cooler etc but they then got delayed. Rather than wait on broadwell, MS then went with the current low power cpus instead.

I would put money on the SP4 (I'm waiting on this) being fine with the same config when it's released with a broadwell cpu.

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Agree! But sadly, I've a more immediate need.

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Originally Posted by LSG501

Having said that Windows is pretty poor when it comes to having background processes/programs etc draining battery, just look how much longer os-x lasts in comparison on the same hardware.

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This depends a lot, I've often complained about chrome killing my battery life, but tbh, it's so hard to really compare cross platform things, as Apple aren't exactly incentivised to make bootcamp helpful beyond minimum.

I know for instance that my Ultrabook gets much better battery life watching netflix, in the dedicated metro app, than in the desktop for instance. This is just a great way of how it can be the same task but very different in battery life.

The thermal issue is a concern for me, as hell, Singapore, it's cold when it's 30C!

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Originally Posted by TheAnimus

This depends a lot, I've often complained about chrome killing my battery life, but tbh, it's so hard to really compare cross platform things, as Apple aren't exactly incentivised to make bootcamp helpful beyond minimum.

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chrome/firefox are both really bad, although chrome is supposedly being worked on iirc, with the way they utilise the gpu compared with IE. I've seen tests that show IE lasts a lot longer than firefox/chrome. I'm not just referring to bootcamp either, take the same hardware config including same size battery and do the exact same things under optimal conditions and os-x is more efficient due to the underlying way the code works, windows needs to 'borrow' some of this. I've seen reviews where near identical machines, one with windows (not bootcamp) and one with os-x being nearly 4 HOURS different in battery life under the same tests...

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I know for instance that my Ultrabook gets much better battery life watching netflix, in the dedicated metro app, than in the desktop for instance. This is just a great way of how it can be the same task but very different in battery life.

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true but you could argue that metro apps have been coded to be super efficient due to the need to work on arm too, the desktop side of things hasn't had that same 'philosophy'. Also if you're using the metro app it's going to be h264, it might be silverlight (been a while since I used netflix) on the desktop which is heavier on the cpu, you've then got the inefficiencies of firefox/chrome to consider.

Having said the general approach to desktop software is to make it more bloated and less efficient for the same stuff... just look how much bigger/heavier office 2010 is compared to say office 2000.

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The thermal issue is a concern for me, as hell, Singapore, it's cold when it's 30C!

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The thermals are kind of my issue too, that's why I'm waiting (if I actually bother lol) for the next gen. If I'm going to use things like photoshop I don't want it getting too hot :)

Those that yearn for a slim tablet with a benchmark quality display panel should look no further than Nexus 7 v.2013, in my honest opinion. It is just disappointing to expect desktop hardware to fit in outside its comfort zone.

I live in the uk and had mine for 3 weeks now, have I5 127gb and had no such problems but it did get hot playing league of legends, was on over 24 hours inc some sleep time and still had juice

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Originally Posted by LSG501

chrome/firefox are both really bad, although chrome is supposedly being worked on iirc, with the way they utilise the gpu compared with IE. I've seen tests that show IE lasts a lot longer than firefox/chrome. I'm not just referring to bootcamp either, take the same hardware config including same size battery and do the exact same things under optimal conditions and os-x is more efficient due to the underlying way the code works, windows needs to 'borrow' some of this. I've seen reviews where near identical machines, one with windows (not bootcamp) and one with os-x being nearly 4 HOURS different in battery life under the same tests...

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Issue is, it's very hard to compare as OSX isn't as flexible as windows. When compared with BSD on the exact same hardware, windows normally comes out on top.

For me, I'll be killing the battery life somewhat by using hyper-v anyway! So no connected standby.

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Originally Posted by LSG501

true but you could argue that metro apps have been coded to be super efficient due to the need to work on arm too, the desktop side of things hasn't had that same 'philosophy'. Also if you're using the metro app it's going to be h264, it might be silverlight (been a while since I used netflix) on the desktop which is heavier on the cpu, you've then got the inefficiencies of firefox/chrome to consider.

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It's not because it's been coded for ARM, it's because the OS makes some massive assumptions, look how long it takes to switch app, etc.

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Originally Posted by LSG501

Having said the general approach to desktop software is to make it more bloated and less efficient for the same stuff... just look how much bigger/heavier office 2010 is compared to say office 2000.
The thermals are kind of my issue too, that's why I'm waiting (if I actually bother lol) for the next gen. If I'm going to use things like photoshop I don't want it getting too hot :)

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Interestingly the new 2013 is noticably lighter and faster. Sometimes with software, even the stuff I design, it ends up going tick tock, to borrow from Intel.

You do a massive re-engineering project, then you refine all the little bits more.

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Originally Posted by mtcn77

Those that yearn for a slim tablet with a benchmark quality display panel should look no further than Nexus 7 v.2013, in my honest opinion. It is just disappointing to expect desktop hardware to fit in outside its comfort zone.

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The colours were not great imsho.

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Originally Posted by TheAnimus

The colours were not great imsho.

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Yes, you are referring to saturation which is low. You might favour Samsung and OLED; though, I find their colours to be off. Way too much gamma causes deviation and especially their reference white tone is positively deviated towards blue hues.
I much like the tablet to be as matte paperback text is. I don't like high saturation, it strains my eyes(it also means colours have deviated from reference).
Yet, it is the one I know which comes closest to reference srgb: 97%.
Fact is, the backlight technology is superior and very power saving - 4 times better than IGZO at minimum brightness. It is also the most uniform and the most nonbleeding backlight I have seen, there is no polarized light aliasing at angles, it just smoothly tapers in contrast.
People regard IGZO panels best unbeknownst to LTPS which is a higher tier. What can I say, I hope its production ramps up to feature in more tablet lines sooner because it is just rendering colors superiorly due to its higher reflectance(%47 of generated at the backlight).