HomeWinBuzzer NewsMicrosoft Resolves Surface Pro 3 Battery Drain with Firmware Update

Microsoft Resolves Surface Pro 3 Battery Drain with Firmware Update

The company has finally solved an issue that saw some Surface Pro 3 devices drain battery at a rapid pace. Microsoft’s firmware means the long-standing problem will auto-correct over a few charging cycles.

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The situation regarding the 3 and its battery draining problem has turned into a saga. The story has stretched through the summer and caused controversy. However, has released a firmware update that finally addresses the problem.

You may remember last month users started complaining about worse than normal battery degradation. The was dropping battery life quickly, mostly under one hour. Users noted that devices with SIMPLO batteries were more frequently affected.

Of course, battery degradation for li-on juicers is common. It is par for the course in fact. However, this kind of rapid decline is worrying. It was especially concerning considering the degradation of the Surface Pro 3 coincided with the device ending its warranty cycle.

Microsoft was quick to respond and say that it would conduct an investigation into the problem. However, the company said it would not pay for fixes with replacement units. The best offer from Redmond was to reduce the price of a replacement to $500.

Problem Solved

Just last week the company said that a permanent software fix would arrive in the ‘coming weeks'. The company has lived up to that promise with a firmware release. The company updated a FAQ regarding the issue explaining the software problem that caused the battery draining problem:

“Think of this like a fuel gauge in a car, where the car looks to the fuel gauge to determine how much to fill the tank,” Microsoft says. “In this case, if the fuel gauge isn't working right, the car would also not be able to fill the tank — even though the tank is fine.”

The company explains that the firmware sorts out the issue. However, the issues will take “several charge and discharge cycles” before self-correcting.

Last Updated on April 9, 2020 12:00 pm CEST by Luke Jones

SourceMicrosoft
Luke Jones
Luke Jones
Luke has been writing about all things tech for more than five years. He is following Microsoft closely to bring you the latest news about Windows, Office, Azure, Skype, HoloLens and all the rest of their products.

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