Here's what's new in the recent Surface Studio and Surface Pro 4 firmware updates

By Dan Thorp-Lancaster
last updated

Surface Studio
Surface Studio (Image credit: Windows Central)

Both the Surface Studio and Surface Pro 4 recently snagged a batch of firmware updates. As is usually the case, release notes for the updates weren't available right away, but Microsoft has since added changelogs for both updates to its Surface Update tracker.

Here's what's new (opens in new tab) with the Surface Studio:

  • NVIDIA driver update for NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M [[ applicable to i7 platform devices ]] - NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M 21.21.13.7620 - Reduces time to wake from sleep and improves compatibility with the latest games.
  • NVIDIA driver update for NVIDIA GeForce GTX 965M [[ applicable to i5 platform devices ]] - NVIDIA GeForce GTX 965M 21.21.13.7620 - Reduces time to wake from sleep and improves compatibility with the latest games.
  • Microsoft - Firmware - Surface UEFI - 117.1394.768.0 - Improves time to wake up from sleep and speech recognition accuracy.
  • Intel(R) Corporation driver update for Intel(R) Smart Sound Technology (Intel(R) SST) OED - Intel(R) Smart Sound Technology (Intel(R) SST) OED - 8.20.0.968 - Improves reliability of Skype call audio and notification alerts.
  • Intel(R) Corporation driver update for Intel(R) Smart Sound Technology (Intel(R) SST) Audio Controller - Intel(R) Smart Sound Technology (Intel(R) SST) Audio Controller - 8.20.0.968 - Improves reliability of Skype call audio and notification alerts.
  • Intel(R) Corporation driver update for Intel(R) Ethernet Connection (2) l219-LM - Intel(R) Ethernet Connection (2) l219-LM - 12.15.23.8 - Improves Ethernet connection stability.

And here's what's new (opens in new tab) with the Surface Pro 4:

  • Microsoft – Firmware – 2.0.302.0 - Surface Pro 4 Firmware Update - 2.0.302.0 improves keyboard stability.
  • Intel Corporation - HIDClass – 1.2.0.78 - Intel Precise Touch Device - 1.2.0.78 disables touch when cover is closed.
  • Microsoft Driver update for Surface Integration Service Device - Surface Integration Service Device - 1.0.241.0 improves battery life during sleep.
  • Microsoft Driver update for Surface Integration - Surface Integration - 1.0.121.0 improves battery life during sleep.
  • Microsoft driver update for Surface Storage Firmware Update - Surface Pro 4 - Surface Toshiba Storage Firmware Update driver - 1.1.617.0 improves storage performance.
  • Microsoft Driver update for Surface Embedded Controller Firmware - Surface Embedded Controller Firmware - 103.1414.256.0 adds support for an upcoming product release.
  • Microsoft – System – 103.1413.258.0 - Surface System Aggregator - 103.1413.258.0 adds support for an upcoming product release.
  • Microsoft – Firmware -106.1414.768.0 - Surface UEFI - 106.1414.768.0 improves system stability.

Have you noticed any performance improvements since grabbing the updates? Let us know in the comments!

Dan Thorp-Lancaster
Dan Thorp-Lancaster

Dan Thorp-Lancaster is the former Editor-in-Chief of Windows Central. He began working with Windows Central, Android Central, and iMore as a news writer in 2014 and is obsessed with tech of all sorts. You can follow Dan on Twitter @DthorpL and Instagram @heyitsdtl. 

42 Comments
  • Microsoft Driver update for Surface Embedded Controller Firmware - Surface Embedded Controller Firmware - 103.1414.256.0 adds support for an upcoming product release. Microsoft – System – 103.1413.258.0 - Surface System Aggregator - 103.1413.258.0 adds support for an upcoming product release. These are for Surface Pro, and they are saying there is a upcoming product release? SP5 perhaps?
  • Might be a peripheral.  Who knows.
  • Could be that. Dreaming of the possibilities.
  • Perhaps Surface Dial? "upcoming product release" could have been written in the fall maybe... I kind of hope something new and shiny might me coming our way!
  • Got my Dial on Monday. Have not had too much time to play with it and it is a little limited from what I would like it to do, but it is still cool and makes some scenarios easier. But really I would love a Surface Studio monitor to connect to any computer, including a SP.  
  • Completely agree on the second point, it was a huge missed opportunity not to allow users to use the Surface Studio sceeen that way.
  • Agreed, it seems like a lot of people want a stand alone Surface screen. I would love to have a 24-28 inch touch screen monitor. Dual monitors would be even better. However, I don't think they should've enabled the Surface Studio's screen to allow Surface Pro pass through.
  • Most probably SP5 accessories (i.e. keyboard, pen)
  • Notice that it doesn't say hardware product, so it could be new product coming with Creator's update. Another guess is remember the news about Surface and Wacom cross-compatible stylus​? http://www.wacom.com/en-us/about-wacom/news-and-events/2017/1211. Maybe its firmware update on Surface side to support the Wacom upcoming pen.
  • Has nothing to do with the Surface Pro 5, these firmwares aren't shared between releases (hence why the Surface Pro 1, 2 and 3 aren't getting these). This is probably just referring to the Creators Update.
  • more likey surface dail on screen supprot sp4
  • "adds support for an upcoming product release"
  • God I was 'bout to comment the same! Hopefully the surface phone.
  • I guess it's Pro 5
  • That makes no sense. Why would the SP4 need support for the SP5?  It would be a software or accessory like a new pen, keyboard or dock
  • They may use the same drivers or same firmware. Think it like updated the firmware and drivers, but SP4 is the only device using them right now.
  • It's going to be surface pro 5. and Surface 5. Surface 5 will be running snapdragon 835 with cellular.
  • 1. There wasn't a Surface 4, so I would think that name to come first. I wonder if that would be better, to use the numbers AND the Pro tag to help keep minds straight on the different markets. 2. There is no indication that we are within even 12 months of W10A, so expecting a Surface to launcch with an ARM chip anytime soon is unwise. Mid-2018, which owuld be around the 835's successor, would make more sense for that.
  • There's already phones that are due out with snapdragon 835. But it could be a completely new product all together. Either way they will be launching something in the fall but it could be that they will get something sooner for the creators update. Something VR/3D related maybe?
  • I think it's too early for Surface 5 they just announced the Win on ARM it probably is not ready for production yet.
  • Well then that would be stupid of MS, why announce something only for it to be released a year later by which time nobody cares.
  • They announced Scorpio last year everybody is still pumped about it
  • My coworker came in today saying hers will not charge anymore. Gotta look into it tomorrow, but wasn't sure if this was a known issue with a new update that might have come.
  • What I foresee is Pro 5 with spring announcement summer availability, Tablet with phone capabilities (S4/S5/SPhone wathever you want to call it now)(ARM) with fall announcement winter availability...
  • The screen flickering issue is still present on surface pro 4...
    ​  and you can reproduce it when the scrren brightness is below 20% ,I am the only one ?
  • It's funny that my screen was upside down after the update. Had to undock it to get it to flip.
  • Windows key plus arrow keys to change screen orientation :)
  • I had that problem with one of my first SP4's.  Exchanged it and the problem went away.  You probably need new hardware.
  • I almost always have my brightness set to the lowest or 20% and i don't experience this issue
  • I have the same problem on a Surface pro 4 that I just received. Also a little bit of backlight bleeding.
  • the backlight screen bleed is an issue that is widely ignored, I just got used to it at this stage with my SP4
  • I could just say the usual "seems faster". But it really does seem faster, especially Photoshop. It did require 3 reboots to install everything for some reason.
  • Probably getting ready for the Dial. Seeing as how the updates date back to the launch of the Dial, they could have help these updates because of an issue with the accessory. Either way, it's good to see the SP4 still getting Firmware. Love the update to battery life and touch while cover is closed.
  • I noticed I had to restart my device twice for it to actually install the firmware update. I believe it was the same for the last firmware update too.
  • Please anybody tell me how can I get that wallpaper ?
  • https://www.shutterstock.com/fr/image-illustration/color-kingdoms-series...   (tips : Install the extension "TinEye Reverse Image Search" in chrome, really handy)
  • No love for the book?
  • We can find this wallpaper free? Please tell me!
  • Thats all nice and good but why the hell has Microsoft abandoned the older Surface Pro devices going all the way to Surface Pro 1 with no new driver updates, even though Intel has relesed several new drivers since Microsoft's last firmware/driver update. If this is the sort of support to expect after a few years on a Pro device, then Microsoft can forget a future buy when I am replacing my Surface Pro. No Driver support = No buy. p.s. I wonder how many fanboys will jump up coming up with excuses and downvoting because its so unreasonable to expect continued Driver support, especially when Intel has already relesed newer drivers, just Microsoft did not bother to test and push them out.  
  • waiting for surface dial
  • What became of the ability to place Surface Dial directly on the screen of Surface Pro 4? I understood that was coming in a Q1 2017 firmware update.
  • Have you tried it with your Dial?