Microsoft’s Surface line of Windows 10 hybrids has been highly successful for the Redmond company, serving as halo devices to prompt OEMs to produce their own high-quality devices as well as generating some significant revenues and profits. The various Surface models haven’t been without issues, however, with a variety of firmware updates heading to the machines to fix various problems.
Recently, Microsoft issued new firmware for the Surface Pro 3 aimed at resolving issues with SIMPLO batteries. Specifically, models with batteries by that manufacturer were losing charge capacity at a precipitous rate. The problem was resolved with the latest firmware update for the machines, and those particular users were breathing a little more easily.
Now, as InfoWorld reports (via Neowin), there’s apparently a new issue with the Surface Pro 3 stemming from the firmware update. This time, it appears that Surface Pro 3 units with LGC batteries are now suffering from significant battery drain. According to Neowin:
Some owners with LGC batteries have reported severe battery drain since installing Microsoft’s August 29 firmware update, which included the fix for the Simplo battery problem. One user reported going from an average of 4 hours of battery life, to less than 90 minutes of usage from a full charge. Others say that they’ve had issues with their LGC battery since upgrading to the Windows 10 Anniversary Update on their Surface Pro 3.
For some users, the issue is more severe. A growing number of Surface Pro 3 owners have complained that they’re no longer able to use the device unless it’s plugged in, as the LGC batteries aren’t charging at all. In many cases, removing the power cable causes the device to instantly switch off.
Microsoft responded on a relevant Answers community thread, indicating that they’re seeing the problem and that it’s a new one:
That’s definitely a different problem from what we saw with the Simplo batteries. I’ll send it back up to the engineering team.
We’re sure that Microsoft’s engineering team will be working overtime to fix the issue. We’ll keep our eyes open for updates, and let us know in the comments if your Surface Pro 3 is suffering from this issue.
