14 DAY TRIAL // A number of Microsoft Surface Book 2 owners complain that the most recent Windows 10 feature update causes GPU performance issues on their devices.
Windows 10 May 2019 Update, or version 1903, reportedly causes the GPU unit on the Surface Book 2 to disconnect at random times, even if the latest drivers are installed.
Posts on reddit (via WL) and in other places like Microsoft’s own Feedback Hub confirm this isn’t an isolated problem. Microsoft, however, has remained completely tight-lipped on GPU issues on the Surface Book 2 after updating to version 1903.
Only the Surface Book 2 with the dedicated NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 seems to be impacted, as the graphics card keeps disconnecting, in turn causing various issues on the device.
Downgrading is the only option
Some owners reached out to Microsoft support for assistance, and in the majority of cases, the proposed solution was a downgrade to Windows 10 October 2018 Update (the previous Windows 10 feature update). Indeed, users who hit this bug have no other option than to downgrade to Windows 10 version 1809, at least until a fix is released.
In the meantime, it’s believed that Microsoft has already halted the rollout of Windows 10 May 2019 Update to a number of Surface Book 2 units, possibly to all models equipped with the dedicated graphics card. A message in Windows Update now indicates that the update isn’t ready for this device.
“The Windows 10 May 2019 Update is on its way. We’re offering this update to compatible devices, but your device isn’t quite ready for it. Once your device is ready, you’ll see the update available on this page. There’s nothing you need to do at this time,” the message in Windows Update reads.
To downgrade to Windows 10 version 1809, users need to go to Settings > Update & Security > Recovery > Go back to the previous version of Windows 10 and then follow the instructions on the screen.