Surface Laptop 3 has a nasty screen problem and so far there's no fix

Microsoft Surface Laptop 3
(Image credit: Future)

Based on recent user reports, the Surface Laptop 3 is having a serious display problem. Even worse, Microsoft is making those affected pay for a fix. 

As reported by ZDNet, several users on both Reddit and Microsoft's own forums are claiming that their Surface Laptop 3 screens are randomly cracking, even without being dropped or moved around in any way. Microsoft user BipolarBarbie reports that their Surface Laptop 3 started showing a "hairline crack in the glass on the right hand side of the screen" after only two weeks with the device. Several users replied to this thread calming to have the same problem. 

A Microsoft agent replied to this thread, but not in a way that made users happy. According to Microsoft, those that own a Surface Laptop 3 still covered under warranty can use an accidental damage claim to replace their laptop for a "deductible fee." It's unclear what this exact fee is, but users in the Microsoft forums claim to have been asked to pay fees ranging from $700 to $800 to replace their Surface device.

Microsoft provided a comment to ZDNet, noting that "we are evaluating the situation and investigating the root cause of the claims." 

In our Surface Laptop 3 review, we gave Microsoft's premium notebook 3.5 out of 5 stars for its elegant design, impressive speakers and vibrant, bright display. However, we did find its performance and battery life a bit underwhelming for the price. There's still a lot to like about the Surface Laptop 3, but you might want to hold off on getting one until Microsoft gets to the bottom of this display problem. 

Michael Andronico

Mike Andronico is Senior Writer at CNNUnderscored. He was formerly Managing Editor at Tom's Guide, where he wrote extensively on gaming, as well as running the show on the news front. When not at work, you can usually catch him playing Street Fighter, devouring Twitch streams and trying to convince people that Hawkeye is the best Avenger.