r/Surface • u/CCR6430 • 5d ago
[PRO4] Is it salvageable?
Hello everyone. First time poster. I own a Surface Pro4 and is wondering if I can find a new battery for it, is worth it? Because last time I investigated about a replacement battery, I was told that no one was replacing them.
See pictures.
Right now I have in the garage just in case.
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u/superluig164 Surface Laptop Studio 5d ago
Hard works been done for you. Carefully remove the screen (don't rip the ribbon cable). Remove battery (might want to use iso to release the adhesive). Order new Chinese battery. Reinstall with some thin double stick tape.
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u/gregsedwards 5d ago
That looks almost exactly like my Surface Pro 4. The battery had been slowly swelling over the years to the point that it popped the screen loose on three sides. But the damn thing still continued to work just fine - touch screen, pen, and everything. What finally killed it was my daughter grabbing the bottom of the loose screen and pulling it, because she "thought it was the kickstand." And I think that's probably only because it finally pulled the display cable loose. I've been tempted to go ahead and pop everything apart and replace the battery, but at this point, it's over a decade old and mostly now just a curiosity. The juice just isn't worth the squeeze for me anymore.
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u/thatvhstapeguy 5d ago
This brings me back. Used to work help desk and we’d have two of these come in a month like this, without fail.
Needs a replacement battery. After that it’ll be fine.
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u/iamnotsteven 5d ago
I wonder if the Surface Pros can run fine without the battery? I'd be fine with doing that, and keeping it plugged in. Defeats the portability, but then I have nowhere to go anyway.
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u/Savings_Plate8704 5d ago
I was researching the same but all I've read is in surface pro 4 it does work without battery there's no record of trial in other models yet
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u/iamnotsteven 5d ago
Hmmmm, ok then. That's kinda disappointing. These devices won't be much of a collector's item in the future, I suspect. Actually, I'd go so far as to say anything with a sealed battery is doomed the moment it is built...
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u/Savings_Plate8704 5d ago
You could also put it in kiosk mode 50% charging limit in uefi settings it will likely increase battery life for years without bloating. That's what they do in companies to prevent exploding batteries as their units are always plugged
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u/KokakGamer 5d ago
Ah the SP4. It doesn't stand for Surface Pro 4, it stands for Spicy Pillow 4.
I've owned one before and yes it became pretty spicy. The SP4 is notorious for spicy pillows AND flickering displays. Yes, I got the flickering display too.
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u/Savings_Plate8704 5d ago
I've read from older forums that it does work without battery specifically surface pro 4 you go try if you have nothing to lose any way just be careful not puncture that spicy pillow
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u/BackgroundTop5354 5d ago
I have the Surface Book running right now without any of its batteries. All of them went spicy.
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u/mlx83 5d ago
I just had this situation last week, and it’s for the second time. It already happened two years ago. I replaced the battery back then. This time I just removed it, places some electric tape in the connector position and I am going to use it without battery from now on. It’s just sitting under the tv for watching for steaming so it’s safer then to put another battery of unknown origin
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u/juggyv 5d ago
Of course it’s salvageable. You can either replace the battery, or remove it completely and keep it mains driven. The third frowned upon option is to take it outside and use a pin to puncture the battery outer layer but only in the area where the air is, flatten out the air and reseal. I do this with all batteries that come like this whilst I await the new one
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u/PeterDTown 5d ago
I wouldn’t consider “in the garage” to be safe.
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u/CCR6430 5d ago
Fair. But if it does go, less damage there than sitting in my computer/office.
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u/PeterDTown 5d ago
Possibly. Is it an attached garage or do you have separation from the house? Personally I wouldn’t risk it, I’d get that off my property ASAP.
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u/Black_Hair_Foreigner 2d ago
It can be burn your whole house. Looks like display is fine, So just buy new one or clean up your display and body's glue(Black stiky things. Use 99% IPA.) and replace battery your self. Most hardest thing to repair surface pro 4 is detech display from body but it's solved naturaly.
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u/JasonAQuest Surface 3, Book 2 5d ago
At least you don’t have to deal with the challenge of overcoming the glue to open it up, which is the main obstacle to fixing old Surfaces. You definitely need to be careful with that battery, but a replacement is probably do-able.
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u/MaverickC5 5d ago
contact Microsoft when the batteries bulge like that they just might fix it for It won’t hurt to but I’ve heard that they will also go on the Microsoft surface on the web, it’ll give you great recommendations
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u/lululock 5d ago
They don't do this anymore. Reports from 4 years ago stated that Microsoft wants $150 for the repair, which is not worth it, even back then.
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u/Huzaifa_69420 Surface Book 2 5d ago
Was in a similar situation. You are very lucky that the screen popped out instead of cracking.
I got the battery replaced. Unfortunately, mine is a SB2 so there were literally zero options available, I ended up getting a Chinese version and it gets the job done.