Microsoft Surface devices come last in reliability survey

Update: Microsoft’s Panos Panay (Corporate VP, Microsoft Devices, and the guy in charge of Surface) has made a fuller defense of Surface devices in a blog post. Panay called the findings of Consumer Reports disappointing, and said that “predicted 1-2-year failure and actual return rates for Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book are significantly lower than 25%”.

He further noted that ‘incidents per unit’ as tracked by Microsoft were at record lows, and indeed under 1%. Panay concluded: “We stand firmly behind the quality and reliability of the Surface family of devices.”

Original story follows...

Consumer Reports, the consumer watchdog and product reviews outlet, has rescinded its recommendations on all Microsoft Surface products, citing long-term reliability issues.

More specifically – and, arguably more importantly – the move was made in response to annual subscriber surveys between 2014 and early this year citing “two-year breakage rates of 25%.”

“New studies conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center estimate that 25% of Microsoft laptops and tablets will present their owners with problems by the end of the second year of ownership,” the report reads.

This motion includes both the brand new Surface Pro and Surface Laptop devices launched mere months ago. 

A breakage rate after two years of 25% is remarkable, which probably spurred on Consumer Reports to revoke its recommendations. At the top of the chart provided by Consumer Reports, sits Apple with 10%, then Samsung at 16%. At the bottom of the chart there's Microsoft, with Toshiba not too far behind with a 24% estimated breakage rate.

Source: 2017 Winter Product Reliability Survey, Consumer Reports National Research Center

Source: 2017 Winter Product Reliability Survey, Consumer Reports National Research Center

Of course, a Microsoft representative provided Consumer Reports with a public statement via email.

“Microsoft’s real-world return and support rates for past models differ significantly from Consumer Reports’ breakage predictability. We don’t believe these findings accurately reflect Surface owners’ true experiences or capture the performance and reliability improvements made with every Surface generation.”

Survey says…

What’s hugely important to point out here is that Consumer Reports’ retraction of its recommendation appears entirely dependent upon subscriber survey answers. Said subscribers – from a total of 90,741 surveyed between 2014 and early this year – have reported issues during device startup as well as freezing and random shutdown problems.

This retraction does not appear to be based on actual testing from within the Consumer Report labs.

Now, the outlet says as much in its report of this stripping of recommendations, and expresses deep trust in its subscribers. Furthermore, how could something like this have come from lab testing? It would be practically impossible.

Also, we all know that the Surface line has earned its licks for all of the above listed issues – not that we personally have experienced many during our time reviewing Surface products and since. Albeit with varying speed and success, Microsoft has addressed most if not all of them through the years.

But, no matter how you slice it, Consumer Reports made this ruling based on the findings of its own readers, not those of its analysts and editors.

Joe Osborne

Joe Osborne is the Senior Technology Editor at Insider Inc. His role is to leads the technology coverage team for the Business Insider Shopping team, facilitating expert reviews, comprehensive buying guides, snap deals news and more. Previously, Joe was TechRadar's US computing editor, leading reviews of everything from gaming PCs to internal components and accessories. In his spare time, Joe is a renowned Dungeons and Dragons dungeon master – and arguably the nicest man in tech.

Latest in Windows Laptops
The Microsoft Surface Laptop on a blue background with text saying Lowest price next to it.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop is our best-rated model and right now it's close to half price with this massive $700 discount
Dell XPS 13 Laptop in graphite on yellow background with big savings sign
Save $400 on the top-rated Dell XPS 13 - one of the best laptops money can buy
The Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro on a blue background next to text saying Don't Miss.
This half-price Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro is easily the best Presidents' Day laptop deal
Microsoft Surface Pro on a blue background
Best Buy has a huge $350 discount on this excellent high-end Surface Pro bundle
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU9 angled with coffee
I tested the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU9 and found a no-frills laptop at a decent price
Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid open
I tried the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid and found it very unique - and very expensive
Latest in News
Panos Panay and Alexa Plus
Amazon's Panos Panay teases future Alexa+ devices from speakers to possible wearables
Metroid Prime 4
I reckon the Nintendo Switch 2 could launch with Metroid Prime 4 – here’s why
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6
New rumors predict a foldable iPhone will launch next year – and cost almost twice as much as the iPhone 16 Pro Max
Pebble smartwatch countdown
Pebble confirms its smartwatch announcement is just hours away
Logo of YouTube Shorts
Is YouTube auto-playing Shorts when you open the app? Well, you’re not alone - here’s how to fix it
Google DeepMind panel discussion
“More sovereignty and protection” - Google goes all-in on UK AI with data residency, upskilling projects, and startup investments