How many of you purchase the extra AppleCare when making a purchase? Worth the extra expense? Or does the standard Apple warranty do the trick?
I think it is essentially for portable devices (i.e., MacBooks, iPods, iPhones, etc.) because self-repairs can be very difficult or next to impossible to complete. I tend to avoid it on desktops for the opposite reasons.
I tell most people to buy it not at time of purchase but before the first year is up (that you can gauge your "abuse factor).
How many of you purchase the extra AppleCare when making a purchase? Worth the extra expense? Or does the standard Apple warranty do the trick?
It's a gamble either way. I recently had to take in my two and a half year old iMac because its video card failed. Obviously it was out of warranty. I did not have Applecare for it. I ended up paying almost $400 for parts and labor. Applecare for the iMac would have been $179, I think. When I bought my Macbook Air, I purchased Applecare for it, but I am still within warranty coverage for it. If I never have to make use of the Applecare coverage, I am out about $300 on the Air. My feeling is that even one repair to an out of warranty Mac will allow Applecare to pay for itself.
I think it is essentially for portable devices (i.e., MacBooks, iPods, iPhones, etc.) because self-repairs can be very difficult or next to impossible to complete. I tend to avoid it on desktops for the opposite reasons.
I tell most people to buy it not at time of purchase but before the first year is up (that you can gauge your "abuse factor).
It's a gamble either way. I recently had to take in my two and a half year old iMac because its video card failed. Obviously it was out of warranty. I did not have Applecare for it. I ended up paying almost $400 for parts and labor. Applecare for the iMac would have been $179, I think. When I bought my Macbook Air, I purchased Applecare for it, but I am still within warranty coverage for it. If I never have to make use of the Applecare coverage, I am out about $300 on the Air. My feeling is that even one repair to an out of warranty Mac will allow Applecare to pay for itself.
If it was a generic windows box with off-the-shelf hardware that I could easily get into with two or three screws and be done with it in fifteen minutes, I would have done. My time is worth more.
If it was a generic windows box with off-the-shelf hardware that I could easily get into with two or three screws and be done with it in fifteen minutes, I would have done. My time is worth more.
I would not buy a Mac without AppleCare (or any computer without a 3-year warranty) these days. First off, as Macs get thinner, the margins for adequate cooling shrink with them and things are more likely to fail that way. Second, parts aren't made in general to the same quality they were a decade ago. Third, if something does break and you don't get some yahoo who doesn't know what they're doing and doesn't really care, dealing with Apple care is quick and easy. I've literally had my iBook fixed back to me less than three days after calling. That's not an aberration either. I've had mine back in less than 72 hours in three of the four motherboard repairs.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kishan
If it was a generic windows box with off-the-shelf hardware that I could easily get into with two or three screws and be done with it in fifteen minutes, I would have done. My time is worth more.
You mean you don't like to completely disassemble a computer just to get at them hard drive? Come one man, it's part of the fun. Seriously, without some training in repairing electrical devices, I wouldn't attempt much beyond troubleshooting. Most of the time it's a bad cable or something easily replaceable like a Power supply (okay, no so easy on a mac), other times its not.
If you plan to keep your Mac more than 10 months then you should get it. Applecare has saved my ass quite a number of times. You'll only realise its value when either you go, "Thank goodness I got Applecare" or, "F**K, I should've got that Applecare!". No sales pitch, just sayin' it like it is.
Are they? Even if they are, one is moved around a lot and one just sits on a desk. One has more heat dissipation issues. I know which one is more likely to fail.
I would get it for a laptop as well. As a portable computer, they're more prone to wear and tear, thus have a higher probability of something going wrong. And when something does go wrong, its expensive and sometimes hard to fix yourself.
Also, AppleCare increases the value of a Mac if you go to sell it (assuming it still under AppleCare warranty).
That being said...I have AppleCare on my iMac and haven't purchased it for my new MacBook, but I will. You have until the original 1yr warranty runs out to get AppleCare. If you forget and the 1yr passes you're SOL for getting AppleCare on it. So don't forget!
BTW...you can find some good prices on AppleCare on eBay. I've purchased AppleCare for as much as $30-$50 off the original price.
Same components, yes, but a desktop isn't going to be thrown in a backpack and carried around everywhere. It doesn't have a hinge that will be bent and flexed repeatedly. It also doesn't have a tiny fanless power adapter, or a battery that will be charged and discharged many times.
Laptops are subject to many more vibrations and environmental changes than any desktop. And laptops die much, much faster.
Comments
How many of you purchase the extra AppleCare when making a purchase? Worth the extra expense? Or does the standard Apple warranty do the trick?
I think it is essentially for portable devices (i.e., MacBooks, iPods, iPhones, etc.) because self-repairs can be very difficult or next to impossible to complete. I tend to avoid it on desktops for the opposite reasons.
I tell most people to buy it not at time of purchase but before the first year is up (that you can gauge your "abuse factor).
Dave
How many of you purchase the extra AppleCare when making a purchase? Worth the extra expense? Or does the standard Apple warranty do the trick?
It's a gamble either way. I recently had to take in my two and a half year old iMac because its video card failed. Obviously it was out of warranty. I did not have Applecare for it. I ended up paying almost $400 for parts and labor. Applecare for the iMac would have been $179, I think. When I bought my Macbook Air, I purchased Applecare for it, but I am still within warranty coverage for it. If I never have to make use of the Applecare coverage, I am out about $300 on the Air. My feeling is that even one repair to an out of warranty Mac will allow Applecare to pay for itself.
I think it is essentially for portable devices (i.e., MacBooks, iPods, iPhones, etc.) because self-repairs can be very difficult or next to impossible to complete. I tend to avoid it on desktops for the opposite reasons.
I tell most people to buy it not at time of purchase but before the first year is up (that you can gauge your "abuse factor).
Dave
thats a good advice. i'll probably do that
It's a gamble either way. I recently had to take in my two and a half year old iMac because its video card failed. Obviously it was out of warranty. I did not have Applecare for it. I ended up paying almost $400 for parts and labor. Applecare for the iMac would have been $179, I think. When I bought my Macbook Air, I purchased Applecare for it, but I am still within warranty coverage for it. If I never have to make use of the Applecare coverage, I am out about $300 on the Air. My feeling is that even one repair to an out of warranty Mac will allow Applecare to pay for itself.
or you can fix it yourself for $80.
or you can fix it yourself for $80.
If it was a generic windows box with off-the-shelf hardware that I could easily get into with two or three screws and be done with it in fifteen minutes, I would have done. My time is worth more.
If it was a generic windows box with off-the-shelf hardware that I could easily get into with two or three screws and be done with it in fifteen minutes, I would have done. My time is worth more.
I hear ya and I agree.
If it was a generic windows box with off-the-shelf hardware that I could easily get into with two or three screws and be done with it in fifteen minutes, I would have done. My time is worth more.
You mean you don't like to completely disassemble a computer just to get at them hard drive? Come one man, it's part of the fun. Seriously, without some training in repairing electrical devices, I wouldn't attempt much beyond troubleshooting. Most of the time it's a bad cable or something easily replaceable like a Power supply (okay, no so easy on a mac), other times its not.
I wouldn't get it for a desktop, but I would for a notebook. You've got a year to decide, anyway.
No difference anymore. Same components.
No difference anymore. Same components.
Are they? Even if they are, one is moved around a lot and one just sits on a desk. One has more heat dissipation issues. I know which one is more likely to fail.
Also, AppleCare increases the value of a Mac if you go to sell it (assuming it still under AppleCare warranty).
That being said...I have AppleCare on my iMac and haven't purchased it for my new MacBook, but I will. You have until the original 1yr warranty runs out to get AppleCare. If you forget and the 1yr passes you're SOL for getting AppleCare on it. So don't forget!
BTW...you can find some good prices on AppleCare on eBay. I've purchased AppleCare for as much as $30-$50 off the original price.
No difference anymore. Same components.
Same components, yes, but a desktop isn't going to be thrown in a backpack and carried around everywhere. It doesn't have a hinge that will be bent and flexed repeatedly. It also doesn't have a tiny fanless power adapter, or a battery that will be charged and discharged many times.
Laptops are subject to many more vibrations and environmental changes than any desktop. And laptops die much, much faster.