Surface Owners Look to February for Battery Fix

Just a week or so ago, Microsoft delivered its first firmware update for 2016 for its latest Surface iterations, the Surface 4 and the Surface Book. Owners of these devices have been waiting feverishly for fixes to battery issues that have plagued the devices since they officially launched.

The battery drain has been a big issue. Despite recent Microsoft revenue reports suggesting Microsoft’s Surface line is helping to bolster earnings, I know of many potential Surface buyers who are holding off until Microsoft can fix the glaring issues. Microsoft is not exactly new to hardware delivery. The company’s accessory (mouse, keyboard) lines is an almost secret success. But it seems when it comes to major hardware distribution, there’s been lessons to learn with each new step.

While the January firmware update for both devices described attention to battery life, its seems to only be a partial fix. Microsoft touts 9 hours for the Surface Book battery and 12 hours for the Surface Pro 4. However, Sleep mode seems to be the biggest problem for the devices. Even after this latest firmware update, Surface Book owners continue to complain that the device gets unusually warm and battery continues to drain when in Sleep mode. The battery can drain as much as 15 percent in 25 minutes.

Microsoft is listening to/hearing the new complaints. A post to the Answers forum for Surface that originally delivered an apology in December 2015, has now been updated to admit that the January firmware update wasn't enough to solve the battery problems for everyone.

What’s your experiences with the Surface Pro 4 or Surface Book? Are you seeing much improvement after the January firmware update?