Migliaccio & Rathod LLP is currently investigating the Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 equipped with Intel or AMD processors for overheating, excessive fan noise, and reduced battery life. Owners report that the laptop, marketed as capable of handling anything from casual to business tasks, activates its fan to full speed under moderate, even light, loads. The problem becomes worse when the laptop is charging, as the heat produced exceeds what is comfortable to rest on one’s lap and may even be dangerous against skin. Microsoft’s forums have multiple open discussions boards and threads open from owners reporting this problem. Despite the laptop’s launch on October 2, 2019, Microsoft has yet to find a suitable software solution to address overheating. If the cause of the overheating is hardware related, then owners would be required to replace the entire laptop—a costly “option” for those whose warranty has expired.
Laptops often overheat due to inadequate internal cooling. A computer’s fans activate to moderate and control internal temperatures. A laptop with good thermal management does not need to constantly run its fans, or at full throttle, for prolonged periods of time. Computers run the risk of shutting down or crashing because that is the computer’s last option to cool its internal components. This puts owners at risk of losing unsaved work or corrupting files. Over the long term, battery life suffers because the computer uses more power to cool itself down, and lithium-ion batteries degrade in high heat conditions. Indeed, owners of the Surface Laptop 3 report that they are getting nowhere near the advertised battery life—three or four hours rather than the advertised 11.5 hours. Needless to say, a computer that starts at $899 and can cost as much as $2800 should have adequate cooling, no matter its configuration.
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Attorneys Committed to Consumer Protection
The lawyers at Migliaccio & Rathod have years of experience in class action litigation against large corporations, including in cases involving defective products and unfair & deceptive trade practices. More information about our current cases and investigations is available on our blog.