Yellow hazy vertical line on left side of screen

[wynand32]

Let me be really clear here, since I'm one of the first posters on this issue:

1. The yellow line itself, from what I can tell, is VERY common to recent-build SP3s. Frankly, it's been present on every one I've seen since I noticed it on mine, including every single one at my local Microsoft kiosk. I therefore suspect that it's inherent in the design and/or manufacturing process and that it will take some time to resolve. That's why I've bagged returning my current unit for a new one; I may wait to see if it's fixed one day and then consider a swap.

2. The yellow line is NOT that noticeable. In fact, unless I'm reminded of it such as via this thread and actually look for it, I really don't see it. It doesn't impact the use of the machine, and otherwise the screen is superior.

3. The yellow fringe on the left half of the screen that I mentioned above turns out to be equally hard to see. It's one of those things that while you're focusing on it stands out, but when you're just using the machine doesn't really catch your eye. Hard to explain, but there you have it.

I recommend that anyone who notices the issue just hold tight with it at least as long as you're still under warranty. I do believe it should be replaced as a warranty issue, but I don't think you're very likely to get a unit without the issue at this point. And in the meantime, try not to focus on it--in my experience, it's really not an issue when you don't.

 

[supervelous]

Let me be really clear here, since I'm one of the first posters on this issue:

1. The yellow line itself, from what I can tell, is VERY common to recent-build SP3s. Frankly, it's been present on every one I've seen since I noticed it on mine, including every single one at my local Microsoft kiosk. I therefore suspect that it's inherent in the design and/or manufacturing process and that it will take some time to resolve. That's why I've bagged returning my current unit for a new one; I may wait to see if it's fixed one day and then consider a swap.

2. The yellow line is NOT that noticeable. In fact, unless I'm reminded of it such as via this thread and actually look for it, I really don't see it. It doesn't impact the use of the machine, and otherwise the screen is superior.

3. The yellow fringe on the left half of the screen that I mentioned above turns out to be equally hard to see. It's one of those things that while you're focusing on it is stands out, but when you're just using the machine doesn't really catch your eye. Hard to explain, but there you have it.

I recommend that anyone who notices the issue just hold tight with it at least as long as you're still under warranty. I do believe it should be replaced as a warranty issue, but I don't think you're very likely to get a unit without the issue at this point. And in the meantime, try not to focus on it--in my experience, it's really not an issue when you don't.

Agreed. Some will swear they don't see it, and maybe they don't, or don't have it. But I've had the i5 128GB, i5 256GB, and now i7 256GB and all 3 have the yellow line. And so did the ones at the MS Store I went to, although it's hard to see unless you're looking for it.

Like you said, when I don't look for it, I don't notice it so I'm just going to live with it as I'm otherwise very happy with the screen and device.

 

[T.J. Godin]

I remember reading about this issue on the first gen Surface Pro, but I believe history may be repeating itself with the Surface Pro 3. I had my unit for 2 weeks when I began to notice it, in particular when web browsing with white backgrounds.

So, I exchanged my unit and now believe even my new unit may have the beginnings of the same issue - only a few days into using it. It is a very faint hazy yellow vertical line, maybe a quarter of an inch wide along the left side of the screen. Makes me wonder if there is a component behind the screen which is heating up causing it. (I've seen that before on Lenovo tablets)

Anyone else experiencing the same?

Just an update, now that I've had the replacement unit a few weeks. Like other posters have mentioned - it seems to just be a design flaw. It certainly isn't as noticable on my 2nd unit as the 1st one - but, it certainly is there. It doesn't appear to be getting any worse, so for now I'll accept it. (which is kind of crazy when you consider what we all payed for our SP3's)

Anyway, I'm sure their will be a revision which hopefully addresses the issue. If it worsens - I'll have to claim it within the warranty period, so we'll see in the future.

Thanks to everyone for confirming the issue. Hopefully Microsoft monitors these type of threads.

Best regards.

 

[i3po]

Just an update, now that I've had the replacement unit a few weeks. Like other posters have mentioned - it seems to just be a design flaw. It certainly isn't as noticable on my 2nd unit as the 1st one - but, it certainly is there. It doesn't appear to be getting any worse, so for now I'll accept it. (which is kind of crazy when you consider what we all payed for our SP3's)

Anyway, I'm sure their will be a revision which hopefully addresses the issue. If it worsens - I'll have to claim it within the warranty period, so we'll see in the future.

Thanks to everyone for confirming the issue. Hopefully Microsoft monitors these type of threads.

Best regards.

Aren't you afraid that they won't fix it unless people start actually voting with their wallets? I mean, the one I plan on getting is 1500+ after warranty and student discount. For that price there shouldn't be any defects like that.

If after I buy the surface there is noticeable yellow I will return it and get something else. Maybe the Lenovo yoga pro. If that has screen problems I won't get a computer at all. My college has 100's of computers available to students. Hell, maybe I will even find an old slide rule in my parents basement somewhere and pretend it is 1978. I'm just not so attached to luxuries that I feel it necessary to delude myself or settle for something that isn't working properly.

I with that said, I went to the MS store and didn't notice it at all on the floor models. The lights didn't seem that bright either so maybe there are good models out there. It seems like no reviews are saying anything about yellow screens and there are less reports of this on forums than there are on macrumors about the airs and mini ipads.

I believe this should give people hope to try it, but if there is a problem people should feel free to return faulty products. Don't let yourself be victimized by poor QC when there are competing products on the market. They might not have pen input or be as light, but they won't have inherent problems with the thing you are looking at and interacting with the most.

 

[Liam2349]

Would it be possible for any of you to take a picture of this? Or if it's not visible in the photo, draw in where you see the line? I'd like to look for it when I get my SP3 in 2 weeks.

It will be particularly interesting to see if the UK batch has this.

 

[Ph33zy]

It might be hard to see in this pic, but look to the left side of screen. There is a vertical yellow haze that shows up well in white background. I only have my HTC M8 camera handy right now. It's also hard to take a pic of the screen because the screen appears to be flicking and noisy (when it really isn't).

 

[wynand32]

Would it be possible for any of you to take a picture of this? Or if it's not visible in the photo, draw in where you see the line? I'd like to look for it when I get my SP3 in 2 weeks.

It will be particularly interesting to see if the UK batch has this.

I tried to take a picture of it to send to Microsoft support, but it's really difficult to capture. I'll describe it this way: along the left-hand side of the screen, there's a hazy yellow line running the full height of the screen about 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch thick. It actually seems set into the screen about 1/8 of an inch, so there's the edge of the screen, a line of normal white (on a white screen, of course) and then the hazy line. On a colored screen it appears as a fuzzy brighter line of whatever color.

It's that 1/8 of an inch or so gap that convinces me it's not simply light bleed, and it's also more regular than light bleed tends to be. So, I haven't the foggiest what's causing it. It hasn't changed since I first noticed it weeks ago, so I don't think it's any kind of adhesive that needed drying as some yellow bits tend to be.

 

[wynand32]

View attachment 3042

It might be hard to see in this pic, but look to the left side of screen. There is a vertical yellow haze that shows up well in white background.

Yes, right as I write my post saying I couldn't capture the line, you go ahead and do it. Good on you.

Yes, that's what mine looks like as well. Although your image seems to accentuate a grayness that's apparent immediately to the right of the line, which on mine seems an artifact of the contrast between the line and the normal part of the screen.

Oh, and yours might be slightly worse than mine. Is it that apparent on yours to the naked eye?

 

[Ph33zy]

Yes, right as I write my post saying I couldn't capture the line, you go ahead and do it. Good on you.

Yes, that's what mine looks like as well. Although your image seems to accentuate a grayness that's apparent immediately to the right of the line, which on mine seems an artifact of the contrast between the line and the normal part of the screen.

Oh, and yours might be slightly worse than mine. Is it that apparent on yours to the naked eye?

Tried my best....Since we have the issue, we know exactly where it is and what to look for. I'm curious to see if other people can actually see it.

Yes mine is very apparent to the naked eye. As I mentioned earlier, it only started showing up a couple days ago. I bought it on launch day.

My wife's SP3 has a very faint haze that I would've never noticed if I didn't have a problem on mine. I'm willing to bet it will show up later. She just got hers 2 weeks ago.

 

[wynand32]

So, are you sure it only showed up a few days ago, or is it possible that you're just now noticing it? Mine has been there at least two weeks (my current unit is a replacement for my launch day unit, but I've still owned it for over 30 days), and I can't say if it was there when I bought it. I really only noticed it after reading the OP in this thread.

 

[tallshorty]

I also have this yellow hazy line on the left side. I noticed right when I got it. It doesn't normally bother me but I do notice it when using word or onenote especially when I hold it in portrait mode.

 

[Ph33zy]

So, are you sure it only showed up a few days ago, or is it possible that you're just now noticing it? Mine has been there at least two weeks (my current unit is a replacement for my launch day unit, but I've still owned it for over 30 days), and I can't say if it was there when I bought it. I really only noticed it after reading the OP in this thread.

Positive it just showed up recently. I didn't even know about the problem until I had it and started searching for the problem.