Is Apple Care worth the extra cost?
We have more and more converts converting to the Mac end of the computing spectrum. When they begin looking at purchasing their machine they must ask themselves, do I spend the extra cash on Apple Care or get more on the computer and forego Apple Care?
Well, it depends. If you’re handy with tools and don’t mind tinkering and fixing it yourself, you could skip on getting Apple Care and get a better system. Do remember though that all Apple hardware comes with a one year warranty out of the box.
Another thing to consider as well is that as long as you purchase Apple Care within the first year, you can extend it to the full 3 years for Macs, or two Years for iPods and iPhones.
So, if you’re on a budget and would rather get better system now, go for it, ’cause you can always get Apple Care. But if you would rather spend the money now, and save up for another Mac later on, and just replace it when it comes time, feel free to do that as well.
There are those who argue whether or not Apple Care is really worth the cost at all. Just remember that if you decide to not get Apple Care at all, and it’s after the initial one year warranty period, you are going to most likely have to pay Apple, or somebody else, to fix your computer if it breaks. This can be a costly proposition, depending on what is needed.
Another aspect to determine is how soon you plan on replacing the system, and if you do replace it within a year, are you going to hand it down to somebody else. If so, are they comfortable without Apple care? If they are, then maybe you don’t need it.
I consider Apple Care to be the security blanket that is good to have, even if you never use it. Just because if that hard drive does die before the end of the warranty you can have Apple replace it. On that subject, Do you have a current backup of your system?
November 7th, 2008 at 2:31 pm
I have a G4 Mini that's never had trouble, and that I never got the warranty for, but I can attest that AppleCare may as well be mandatory if you buy a laptop or any first generation product, especially recently. I'd never bought a laptop warranty before because I am very careful with my gear, but some friends told me about problems they'd had. So I bought coverage at the last minute for my MacBook… and it's been in for repairs several times for defects since then. Good news, though: you don't have to pay Apple's retail price for AC. I got mine at A____n for $50 off, and there's other places that will sell it discounted as well. Just be careful to buy the right box for the product you have.
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November 7th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
that's an excellent point about first version machines. I think that would be the one caveat that convinced me to actually purchase apple care
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November 8th, 2008 at 6:50 pm
I never used to buy AppleCare, but I do now, and I sleep a whole lot easier. I recommend it —especially for laptops.
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November 9th, 2008 at 2:29 am
it just comes down to: if your machine has a problem, do you fix it or replace it? Unless you replace it, EVERY time, get Applecare. Pays for itself with the first repair. If you're really tight with cash, I agree you can hold out until the end of the first year – when I buy a new machine, I just put its Applecare anniversary in iCal as the first entry.
With the exception of Dells (and Apples), pretty much any non-trivial (hard drive, RAM) failure is a mess to get fixed even under warranty – you either have to give up your machine for weeks, or deal with the likes of the “Geek Squad”… Neither of which is a very good experience.
If you value your time at all, or use your machine to get paid, get the Applecare, period.
November 9th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
I had Applecare on my Pismo and G4 Aluminum and didn't need it, as the problems happened within the first year (screen on the Pismo and motherboard on the G4). I didn't have it on my PB 5300, which was the one where I really needed it — screen, hinges, HDD, floppy drive. What a mess that machine was.
markzero's point about first generation machines is well taken.
November 9th, 2008 at 9:12 pm
Get AppleCare. They take care of you for a full three years. It's crazy not to get it.
November 10th, 2008 at 5:18 pm
I recommend apple care on laptops, well worth it. Doesn't usually matter on a desktop.
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November 10th, 2008 at 9:57 pm
If it was like the service I received on Chat available only – for .MAC, I wouldn't make the investment. There was a 4.5 hour waiting period only to be eventually connected to someone who barely knew what electricity was.
November 14th, 2008 at 1:24 am
Re: Is Apple Care worth the price?
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November 14th, 2008 at 11:41 am
Excellent points. How cool would it be to be able to use apple juice to run your mac… ;)
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December 12th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
I am not sure why Apple Care is recommended so much? Most people hate extended warranties.
That is what Apple care is all about. Dell offers 1 yr phone support too. Why does Apple only give you 90 days? They don't seem to back up their computers very well. Not unless you care to pay for it. That to me is not very customer oriented.
December 19th, 2008 at 4:07 am
I'll be the first to admit how much I hate warranties and I rarely ever get them. However, I've always gotten them on my Macs. I've only needed it a couple of times, but it really paid off when I did.
Also, I worked as a member of the Genius team for a few years at Apple. We could usually get repairs for free and just pay for the parts. Thing is, unless you just need a cable or something (unlikely) the least expensive parts cost quite a bit. Take my word for it, AppleCare is more than worth it.
Also, esp. for laptops, if you sell one to upgrade in a couple years, you can usually get a good bit more for it if you have AppleCare because the buyer knows they will have the security of a warranty. I just sold an almost 3-year old iBook for $600 because it still had 6 months of AppleCare on it.