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DustEd

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 30, 2010
1
0
I'm finally about to purchase my first iPad, but I can't decide on which is a better deal for the money:

16GB WiFi iPad w/AppleCare
or
16GB 3G iPad w/o AppleCare
 
I'm finally about to purchase my first iPad, but I can't decide on which is a better deal for the money:

16GB WiFi iPad w/AppleCare
or
16GB 3G iPad w/o AppleCare

I chose Wifi ipad with no apple care.
Unless you feel so compelled to get the best of best, I would settle down for wifi ipad. 3G ipad is great, but it's not worth 130 dollars extra.
 
I got the 16GB wifi model and used the $130 I saved to buy an Apple iPad case and a 2 year insurance plan from Worth Ave Group that covers accidental damage and theft for about $115 ($40 + $75). Another option to consider. BTW, I can tether my iPad to my windows mobile phone on Verizon, so the 3G wasn't important to me. Everyone's situation will vary, including yours.

Update: FYI, I bought a Squaretrade warranty the same day I got my iPad (they advertise on nearly every iPad related website). Then I saw some info on Worth Ave Group and decide to go with them instead, and cancel SquareTrade. Here is some interesting verbiage from the SquareTrade Customer Care Plan policy:

The total value of your warranty is in most cases equal to the purchase price of your item. For every valid claim filed against your item for which we provide repair services, the total value of your coverage is reduced by the cost of the repair services rendered. In the event a valid claim is filed with us and repair costs are estimated to exceed the current value of your warranty - the balance of your warranty value will be offered instead.
 
Will you ever use the 3G? And if you do, that's an additional $15/month at the least. That said, having 3G is a lot more convenient, but if money is so tight you are trying to balance out the costs of Apple Care vs 3G, then the extra convenience might not be worth it to you.

For what it's worth, I've never gotten Apple Care for any of my iDevices, but that's because I figure a year's use is, to me, value for money, and any use I get over a year is extra value. If it breaks within the year, I'm covered by the Apple warranty, and if it breaks after the year is up, that's a good excuse to upgrade to the next model. :D
 
or you could just pay with an amex card and get another year of warranty.

certain citibank cards have that, too. dunno about other banks.
 
eBalut said:
I got the 16GB wifi model and used the $130 I saved to buy an Apple iPad case and a 2 year insurance plan from Worth Ave Group that covers accidental damage and theft for about $115 ($40 + $75). Another option to consider. BTW, I can tether my iPad to my windows mobile phone on Verizon, so the 3G wasn't important to me. Everyone's situation will vary, including yours.

Update: FYI, I bought a Squaretrade warranty the same day I got my iPad (they advertise on nearly every iPad related website). Then I saw some info on Worth Ave Group and decide to go with them instead, and cancel SquareTrade. Here is some interesting verbiage from the SquareTrade Customer Care Plan policy:

The total value of your warranty is in most cases equal to the purchase price of your item. For every valid claim filed against your item for which we provide repair services, the total value of your coverage is reduced by the cost of the repair services rendered. In the event a valid claim is filed with us and repair costs are estimated to exceed the current value of your warranty - the balance of your warranty value will be offered instead.

While that is true about square trade, all of the policies I looked at had disclaimers that they could cancel your policy at any time if they felt you were making too many claims.
 
You have 364 days to buy apple care.... As long as it is bought before the warranty expires you are good to go!

I couldn't give up my 3G. I'm 25 miles from home killing the 90 minutes between appointments..... After spending 2 hours in the waiting room at speech therapy.
 
If you're thinking of getting an extended warranty don't forget to look into Squaretrade too. Their warranties include coverage on accidental damage (something applecare doesn't cover).
 
Touch wood, I'm quite careful with my devices and belongings; therefore, I purchased the wifi model (as I always have wifi handy) with no AppleCare or warranty.
 
I say go for the 3G, the ability to turn it on and off as you need it is appealing to me. Around town and home I would have no need for it. the 2-3 times we make trips to visit family it would be worth the $15 for 1 month of 3g to me.

As far as the AppleCare, get it later if you still feel the need for it. You have until the fist year is up. Thats what I did with my iPhone 3Gs
 
I say go for the 3G, the ability to turn it on and off as you need it is appealing to me. Around town and home I would have no need for it. the 2-3 times we make trips to visit family it would be worth the $15 for 1 month of 3g to me.

As far as the AppleCare, get it later if you still feel the need for it. You have until the fist year is up. Thats what I did with my iPhone 3Gs

I have a dlink pocket router. I use it for my Tivo, but take it with me when I think I'll need it. (My mothers for example.)
 
Gps?

Isn't it true that only the 3G models have a GPS in them? If so, that would be another reason to buy the 3G model.
 
I have a dlink pocket router. I use it for my Tivo, but take it with me when I think I'll need it. (My mothers for example.)

I've though of getting something like that, but I still have a few family members still living in the stone age with out DSL/high speed... other than that wifi would seem to accommodate most all people, unless you want to surf while riding in the car down the road.
 
Tracey,

These doctor's offices don't have wifi ? I asked the receptionist once, and she typed in the password.

The Occupational Therapist does as of recently - but her computer guy did it not her, so i'm guessing she doesn't have the pw to share, and wouldn't feel comfy doing so.

The Speech Therapy office - nope, just some random net at times in the back office called "Guido's Net". Which is open but scares me! LOL!! They are all hardwired in the office so no need for it. The worst part, they have crappy 3G speeds there too (it borders on Edge).

I'm seriously never near wifi during the week at all my regular places. I know that is hard to believe in todays world, but there was a reason for needing 3G for me!

Heck, neither of those places (i'm in the Speech waiting room 3 hours a week, and OT for 1) are even near a spot with it to dash over and steal for a bit.
 
Squaretrade > Applecare

Why dont you get Squaretrade warranty? Applecare on the ipad is awful , esp if an accidental drop or water damage.
Squaretrade gives you 100% purchase price back if it cant be fixed.

They gave me my ipod classic refund super quick (My HD controller died).
 
why not just get the WiFi and if your out and need to connect to the web why not drop into the golden arches for a coffee and connect to there WiFi. This is what i do with my laptop at the moment. Or you can just sit on the carpark and buy nothing. I know it only has a 50mb download but it's better than nothing.
 
why not just get the WiFi and if your out and need to connect to the web why not drop into the golden arches for a coffee and connect to there WiFi. This is what i do with my laptop at the moment. Or you can just sit on the carpark and buy nothing. I know it only has a 50mb download but it's better than nothing.

The thought of planning my out of the house Internet bouncing from one mcd's to another sounds horrid to me! My kids would be excited though.

Maybe it's because I don't like coffee either? Which leaves me the same issue with starbucks. I don't even really like the smell of coffee... I couldn't sit in a coffee house for longer than oh, 2 minutes!
 
While that is true about square trade, all of the policies I looked at had disclaimers that they could cancel your policy at any time if they felt you were making too many claims.

Yes, but I wasn't talking about canceling your policy. Squaretrade is a warranty and Worth Ave Group is insurance. Sure, I have to pay $50 deductible for each claim I make, but consider the following scenario: I drop my iPad and crack the screen. A quick Google search suggests a cost of repair of around $150. With a Squaretrade warranty, my cost would be zero, but according to their own policy, the value of my warranty would then be $349 ($499 - $150, assuming a 16GB wifi only model). Now say a year later, my iPad gets damaged beyond repair. It would appear that I would only be offered $350 from Squaretrade, and not the $499 that everyone locks onto from their advertisements. With a Worth Ave Group insurance policy, the first claim would cost me $50, but the second claim would either get me a replacement iPad or the replacement cost minus another $50. If my iPad was stolen, Squaretrade would refund the warranty pro-rated (maybe $50), but Worth Ave Group would replace or give me replacement cost. I am not saying Squaretrade isn't a good company, but they surely have done more advertising on iPad related websites and as such caught my attention right away. It wasn't until I read some other reviews that I became aware there were other options. Seems to me it would cost me less and cover me for more things with a Worth Ave Group insurance policy, so I switched.

BTW, for the OP- I was in the apple store on two separate occasions last week. While waiting to talk to a specialist, I observed two different customers complain that their iPhones were not working. Now I don't know if they had active apple care coverage, but on both cases, the specialists looked inside the charging port and said "this iPhone has water damage, see the pink dot?". Apple care won't cover that kind of damage. I wouldn't waste $100 on an additional year of apple care.
 
AppleCare just covers defective parts not damage. I figure I have a much higher chance of damaging the device than something being wrong with it after the 1 year mark. Plus I try to stick to the rule of never paying more than 10% of purchase price for an extended warranty.
 
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