Which is a better use of $250 - AppleCare or a hard drive upgrade?

Comments

• Reply 1 of 35

  not unlike myself Posts: 2,037member

  April 23, 2003 4:22PM

  Rule #1) Buy AppleCare for any laptop purchase period.
  
  Rule #2) When it doubt, refer to rule #1
  
  Rule #3) Maybe you didn't get the message the first two times....
  
  Rule #4) There is no step 4...
  
  Rule #5) There is also no spoon...
• Reply 2 of 35

  retrograde Posts: 503member

  April 23, 2003 4:24PM

  I am staring down the throat of an early mac purchase because my iBook just went belly up. As someone who did not buy AppleCare I can only tell you how hard I am kicking myself now.
  
  
  
  My vote is to purchase AppleCare. You cannot go back and buy AppleCare once your warranty is up whereas you can always buy another hard drive down the road.
• Reply 3 of 35

  mcq Posts: 1,543member

  April 23, 2003 4:43PM

  Quote:
  

  
  Originally posted by Not Unlike Myself
  
  Rule #1) Buy AppleCare for any laptop purchase period.
  
  Rule #2) When it doubt, refer to rule #1
  
  Rule #3) Maybe you didn't get the message the first two times....
  
  Rule #4) There is no step 4...
  
  Rule #5) There is also no spoon...
  

  
  

  
  
  Rule #6) The above 5 rules don't apply if you keep your iBook less than one year
• Reply 4 of 35

  retrograde Posts: 503member

  April 23, 2003 4:49PM

  Quote:
  

  
  Originally posted by MCQ
  
  Rule #6) The above 5 rules don't apply if you keep your iBook less than one year
  

  
  

  
  
  Good point. Now, I wonder if Murbot has ever bought AppleCare?
• Reply 5 of 35

  luca Posts: 3,833member

  April 23, 2003 4:58PM

  Hmm, AI was down for a while, my post didn't go through. But I copied it so here it is...
  
  
  
  If I buy AppleCare, I'll always be stuck with the 30 GB internal hard drive until December of 2005. 30 GB will NOT be enough in 2005. Although I'll probably be able to afford an external, compact hard drive sometime in there. I agree that AppleCare is probably a really good choice... but it's such a better deal to replace the internal drive! Anyway, I can't afford any of that stuff until after summer anyway, so I'll just wait.
  
  
  
  I was thinking of getting an external firewire drive case from NewEgg for around $50, and then also getting an internal hard drive somewhere else, like a 60 or 80 GB. Since I will still be using the 30 GB internal as my primary drive, I can go cheaper on the external and just get a 4200 RPM instead of a 5400 RPM. Googlegear has an 80 GB 4200 RPM for a little over $300 right now. Any other places that have laptop hard drives? I checked NewEgg but they only go up to 40 GB (cheap though, for a 4200 RPM especially). And pre-assembled ones like the FireLite are a bit overpriced. MCE's is the worst - they charge $139 just for the empty case!
• Reply 6 of 35

  pscates Posts: 5,847member

  April 23, 2003 5:26PM

  Another vote for AppleCare!
  
  
  
  I just got my iMac back from the shop, where they had to replace a broken USB port (the little plastic piece inside somehow snapped and came off). This "repair" entailed installing an entire new motherboard (it's all on the unit, I suppose) and what WOULD'VE been a $420 bill (parts and labor) was $0.
  
  
  
  Hard drives are a dime and dozen and only getting cheaper. When your computer goobers up, it's nice to know you might not be left holding the bag for the bill.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Just my two pennies...
• Reply 7 of 35

  bioflavonoid Posts: 723member

  April 23, 2003 5:35PM

  I vote for hard drive ! For the first year you get Apple Care anyways... and if you decided to buy Apple Care after the first year, then you can. If you want to buy another hard drive... you'd void the warranty installing it, and then you'd have to pay a lot of money for the hard drive... and it'd be hard to back up all of your files unless you have a fw hd... and the list goes on!!!!!!!!!!!
  
  
  
  My 2 CENTS!!!!!!!!
• Reply 8 of 35

  matsu Posts: 6,558member

  April 23, 2003 5:35PM

  DO NOT BUY APPLECARE untill Apple puts a reasonable price on it. No reason why laptop (i/pBook) applecare should cost any more than iMac Applecare.
  
  
  
  DO NOT BUY APPLECARE UNLESS YOU ARE 100% POSITIVE that you'll be holding on to that machine for more than 2 years. Yes 2 years. Use a good major credit card that will double your warrantee on any item to a maximum of ONE ADDITIONAL YEAR. Any mac will than have 24 months of coverage, and any mac plus AppleCare will have 48 months.
  
  
  
  When Apple offers reasonable prices on AppleCare, then get it, untill then, there are better cheaper options (that also cover accidental/screen damage) No need to get hosed by Apple.
• Reply 9 of 35

  ast3r3x Posts: 5,012member

  April 23, 2003 5:44PM

  I think you will see AppleCare is the better option
  
  
  
  
  
  Laptops are fragile and will break or be hurt...their chances of it are amazingly high because it mobile and moves with you
  
  
  
  
  
  desktops/towers are stationary (for the most part) and will show hardware problems before the warrenty runs out. But as long as you are careful (and use a surge protector) your hardware should be safe.
• Reply 10 of 35

  luca Posts: 3,833member

  April 23, 2003 5:49PM

  I just realized that with my tax rebate coming up, I'll easily be able to afford a bare OEM drive + Firewire enclosure. I definitely won't get AppleCare until the end of the year, and I'll make my decision then whether to get it or not. If I feel my computer is really holding me back and I want to replace the internal drive and/or replace it in less than two years, then I may not get the Apple Care. But if the external hard drive thing works out fine, and I think my computer will last me the years, then maybe I will get it. It all depends. The thing that makes it difficult is that I take my computer with me a lot of places - it makes me want to get an internal drive. It also makes me really want to get AppleCare because I'm guessing my battery will wear out quicker than usual. Hopefully a portable external drive will be an acceptable solution.
• Reply 11 of 35

  the inevitable Posts: 62member

  April 23, 2003 5:57PM

  If you think that you can come-up with $250 before the 1-year warranty expires, go with the hard drive upgrade.
  
  
  
  AppleCare can be bought later; a hard drive upgrade cannot.
  
  
  
  But I do recommend that you get AppleCare.....at least eventually. If it really is just one or the other, go with the AppleCare and later get an external HD.
• Reply 12 of 35

  luca Posts: 3,833member

  April 23, 2003 6:12PM

  But replacing the internal hard drive voids the warranty. So if I do that, I won't be able to get AppleCare. The middle ground is to get an external hard drive AND AppleCare, but it's not as convenient as just having one big internal hard drive.
  
  
  
  And why can't I buy a hard drive upgrade later? I mean, I'm not completely out of space - I still have about 8 GB left on mine. But I've been pretty strict about how much stuff I leave on the computer and how much I burn to CDs. And by the end of the year, I'm pretty sure I'll be out of room. Another thing is that if I wait until I'm totally out of space on my internal hard drive, I will have waited a bit longer and the prices on hard drives and cases will go down slightly. Maybe an 80 GB will become affordable in a couple months.
  
  
  
  Anyway, I am sure I can come up with the money in time, it's more just a question of whether I'm willing to sacrifice my warranty for the convenience of having all my storage internally. If I just buy the case and hard drive separately, I'd be able to see what it's like having a portable external hard drive, and if I really wanted, I could always swap the hard drives and either keep or sell the smaller one. But I'm pretty sure I can just get an external now and keep it around - it would be handy for backups even if I didn't need the space.
• Reply 13 of 35

  escher Posts: 1,811member

  April 23, 2003 7:02PM

  Having had to pay $300 for a silly out-of-warranty repair on my iBook, I definitely vote for AppleCare.
  
  
  
  

  Quote:
  

  
  Originally posted by Luca Rescigno
  
  But replacing the internal hard drive voids the warranty.
  

  
  

  
  
  AFAIR, you'll void your warranty only if you open up the iBook yourself. If you have an Apple Service Provider (like MCE) upgrade your HDD, you'll keep your warranty/AppleCare.
  
  
  
  In any case, it sounds like you can buy a FireWire case and large 2.5" HDD now and save up for another 8 months to get AppleCare. That will obviously get you the best of both worlds.
  
  
  
  Escher
• Reply 14 of 35

  luca Posts: 3,833member

  April 23, 2003 7:39PM

  Just ordered an IBM Travelstar 40GN (not the 5400 RPM 40GNX) and a 2.5" case with the Oxford bridge from NewEgg. Total cost - $164 shipped. Pretty good, considering MCE's equivalent is $280, and the SmartDisk and Lacie both cost $250.
• Reply 15 of 35

  the inevitable Posts: 62member

  April 23, 2003 8:45PM

  Just checking, is the external enclosure you ordered capable of being powered solely by the power supplied by the firewire cable (ie. no power cord is necessary)? If not, you may find it very restrictive as far as where you can use that drive.
  
  
  
  I'd just hate to see you get it in the mail and find that its not very portable and possibly have to go through the trouble of returning it...
• Reply 16 of 35

  luca Posts: 3,833member

  April 23, 2003 9:16PM

  Yes, it is bus-powered.
• Reply 17 of 35

  matsu Posts: 6,558member

  April 23, 2003 9:23PM

  I repeat, DO NOT buy AppleCare, it is completely overpriced. Always use a good creditcard and get 2 years worth of coverage that way. Beyond that, it's well worth it to look at AppleCare alternatives, or even to take a closer read of your home owners insurance. No need to throw away perectly good money for something Apple ought to supply anyway.
• Reply 18 of 35

  serrano Posts: 1,806member

  April 23, 2003 9:24PM

  
  
  
  
  Get AppleCare.
• Reply 19 of 35

  luca Posts: 3,833member

  April 23, 2003 9:27PM

  Quote:
  

  
  Originally posted by Matsu
  
  I repeat, DO NOT buy AppleCare, it is completely overpriced. Always use a good creditcard and get 2 years worth of coverage that way. Beyond that, it's well worth it to look at AppleCare alternatives, or even to take a closer read of your home owners insurance. No need to throw away perectly good money for something Apple ought to supply anyway.
  

  
  

  
  
  I already bought the iBook, in December. So I can't buy it again with a credit card. Also, I am in college, and I don't own a credit card, so that's just not possible. I do not own a home so I have no home owner's insurance.
  
  
  
  If there are AppleCare alternatives, I'd sure love to hear them. I agree it is a bit overpriced - two extra years of warranty service, but you have to send it in, and it takes a bit of effort just to convince them there's a problem. But I don't even know where to start as far as other warranties go... so yeah. No idea. Maybe if I could find a less expensive one that gives me just one extra year of coverage - I mean, I don't think I'll be using the iBook until late 2005, but I bet I'll use it until late 2004.
• Reply 20 of 35

  matsu Posts: 6,558member

  April 23, 2003 9:33PM

  I believe that some of the American big box electronics retailers will et you buy extended coverage from them whether you purchased the item from them or not.
  
  
  
  Then there's safeware too