My Microsoft Surface experience

[mranieri]

My wife bought me a Surface RT from a local Microsoft store for Christmas...Everything was great for a couple of months and then the screen started to get a little crazy...the blacks had green in them. I immediately took it to the store she purchased and showed them.....I know there was a one year warranty on the Surface so I figured they would send it out to get fixed or whatever. She did not buy any other protection when purchased. Anyway, they immediately went into the back and came out with a replacement Surface in an unbranded box. I asked if it was a refurb and she said she didnt think so because these came in with the original inventory......anyway we proceeded to set everything up and I went home happy.

After a few weeks and after I had the new tablet setup the way i liked it, I noticed that when I went to charge it, the small light on the charger would not illuminate....after a while I decided to reboot the tablet and try again. The battery was more than 3/4 full before my reboot. Well, when I attempted to reboot, the tablet shutdown and would not come back up. It would flash the Surface logo and then a battery symbol. Frustrated, I went back to the store. The tech tried to charge it with one of their chargers but it still would not work. The manager of the store came over apologizing and grabbed a brand new sealed RT off the shelf to replace the replacement. He then asks "would you be interested in a Pro?" He offered full credit on the RT applied to the PRO.

What the hell, I told him to do it and I have never been happier....yes the battery life is night and day and there is no Office on the Pro but this little machine is incredible.....and I have to say...the Microsoft store experience really was top notch.....they were very helpful and didn't give me the runaround. I didnt have to send my device in for replacement-- they did it all and made sure I was happy. No Service agreements and no hassle.

Kudos Microsoft! It's about Time~!

Just my story!

Mark

 

[souldier]

Man you got real lucky! "Having problem with your surface rt? No problem we'll just replace it with the surface pro!" Happy for you. Welcome to club pro. I've been loving it so far

 

[kristalsoldier]

I wonder what was wrong with the first RT that you returned.

 

[mranieri]

Man you got real lucky! "Having problem with your surface rt? No problem we'll just replace it with the surface pro!" Happy for you. Welcome to club pro. I've been loving it so far

Just to be clear....I had to pay the difference...it came to $430 with tax

 

[mranieri]

I wonder what was wrong with the first RT that you returned.

The first RT had a graphics processor problem. I the tech inspect the case to see if I had dropped it. When I asked her why she was looking at the case she said that typically this problem is associated with the tablet being dropped. I assured her it was not;. She also speculated that there was pressure applied on the rear case while in my bag. I doubt it but you never know....regardless, they did right by me.

 

[TeknoBlast]

Damn, sounds like everything went well. Great move on the Pro. I would have done it too.

 

[kristalsoldier]

The first RT had a graphics processor problem. I the tech inspect the case to see if I had dropped it. When I asked her why she was looking at the case she said that typically this problem is associated with the tablet being dropped. I assured her it was not;. She also speculated that there was pressure applied on the rear case while in my bag. I doubt it but you never know....regardless, they did right by me.

Now that part - the part in bold - is worrying! I would have thought that the VaporMg case would withstand that kind of normal usage. Dropping the tablet is quite another thing! Hmmmm...

 

[mranieri]

Now that part - the part in bold - is worrying! I would have thought that the VaporMg case would withstand that kind of normal usage. Dropping the tablet is quite another thing! Hmmmm...

I said the same thing. She said that pressure applied in the right spot could cause problems.....I travel light and my bag is padded where the tablet goes so I doubt this was the case....

 

[FFX]

Now that part - the part in bold - is worrying! I would have thought that the VaporMg case would withstand that kind of normal usage. Dropping the tablet is quite another thing! Hmmmm...

I also find this very worrying, I have my surface in my backpack almost everyday.

 

[oion]

If a device designed for mobile travel cannot take a regular beating in someone's bag, that's just ridiculous. I mean, where is this RIGHT SPOT? It's one thing if wireless gets screwed up if your hand happens to be covering the internal antenna while holding a tablet, but messing with the internals from case flex is a more severe mechanical design flaw. I don't expect military Panasonic Toughbook sturdiness, but bag pressure shouldn't be an issue.

Another possibility is that the MS rep was wrong and was indirectly shifting blame from an inherent product failure to user abuse/failure, arguably much worse than an inherent but rare flaw. Manufacturing flaws and DOA happens in the electronics industry, which is okay to me because replacement should be easy (like for the OP). But a long-term investment not living up to expected mobile usage like banging around in a bag would spell far more significant doom for the product line than a bad manufacturing batch. If the rep was doing that sort of psychological thing in order to "save face" for MS in the short term, very bad move.

But anyway.

Nice upgrade to the Pro, was it the 64GB one?

 

[mranieri]

If a device designed for mobile travel cannot take a regular beating in someone's bag, that's just ridiculous. I mean, where is this RIGHT SPOT? It's one thing if wireless gets screwed up if your hand happens to be covering the internal antenna while holding a tablet, but messing with the internals from case flex is a more severe mechanical design flaw. I don't expect military Panasonic Toughbook sturdiness, but bag pressure shouldn't be an issue.

Another possibility is that the MS rep was wrong and was indirectly shifting blame from an inherent product failure to user abuse/failure, arguably much worse than an inherent but rare flaw. Manufacturing flaws and DOA happens in the electronics industry, which is okay to me because replacement should be easy (like for the OP). But a long-term investment not living up to expected mobile usage like banging around in a bag would spell far more significant doom for the product line than a bad manufacturing batch. If the rep was doing that sort of psychological thing in order to "save face" for MS in the short term, very bad move.

But anyway.

Nice upgrade to the Pro, was it the 64GB one?

Yup...wife would have a fit if I spent anymore!!!

 

[J515OP]

Wow, you guys sure are good at speculating and over reacting Isn't is just as plausible that a company would want to inspect the device to make sure it wasn't fraudulent abuse? I am sure MS has their fair share of people trying to to bring back a Surface that the dog used as a chew toy in the pool as a "warranty return." Additionally it is possible that the MS representative was saying in a polite way that she was making sure the device wasn't user abused without straight out saying to their face that they are making sure the customer isn't lying to them about the condition of the device?

Of course we also have to keep in mind that the MS rep. could have simply misspoke or said something other than what they actually meant. Bottom line is the device was replaced with a minimum of hassle and the customer walked away happy.

Nope scratch all that it was really Bill Gates in theatrical quality costume and he really wanted that particular Surface RT for personal use so he planted a seed of doubt in the customers head to make sure the exchange went through and he could keep it for his very own!