Apple Care on new 24" iMac?

[TohMac]

Do I really need Apple Care for my new iMac?

I never purchased it for my 2014 iMac and although it has slowed down considerably since and now has been replaced it just kept going. I never had any issues with it.

My new iMac, that I have barely set up yet is telling me I have 20 days left to add AppleCare+ coverage.

Please enlighten me. It is automatically covered for a year if I have any issues, or am I mistaken?

If I don't add coverage, what am I up against. And for that matter, should I add it, of what benefit will it be?

 

[Bigwaff]

It’s covered for 1 year from purchase. AppleCare+ adds additional coverages.

AppleCare Products - Mac

Learn how to set up and use your Mac computer. Get direct access to Apple experts for questions on using MacOS and iCloud, and connecting to printers.

www.apple.com

The iFixIt team gave the M1 iMac a repairability score 2/10. Scroll to the end “Final Thoughts”

iMac M1 24" Teardown

Is the new M1 iMac just a silly-sized M1 iPad, a detached-keyboard M1 MacBook, an M1 Mac Mini stretched out like pizza dough? We’ll only know by...

www.ifixit.com

It’s basically unrepairable if any major component fails.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

The only thing AppleCare+ gives you over the warranty in the first year, is accidental damage protection. It’s a desktop computer so “you’d think” damage is far from common, but I’ve seen more than a couple iMacs with smashed screens, either from moving the iMac or from dropping something on it (－‸ლ)

 

[mmkerc]

While I may just be lucky, in 37 years of use Apple products I have never had an issue that was outside of warranty period. If they fail they generally fail in the 1st year. Inferring from your post, you are using at home, in an a/c space, with stable power service. Instead of spending money on AppleCare I would invest in a good UPS/surge protector if you do not have one already.

However if you are risk adverse, Applecare a good product/service at a fair price.

For more on what AppleCare provided you can read this https://www.techradar.com/how-to/apple-care.

 

[TohMac]

While I may just be lucky, in 37 years of use Apple products I have never had an issue that was outside of warranty period. If they fail they generally fail in the 1st year. Inferring from your post, you are using at home, in an a/c space, with stable power service. Instead of spending money on AppleCare I would invest in a good UPS/surge protector if you do not have one already.

However if you are risk adverse, Applecare a good product/service at a fair price.

For more on what AppleCare provided you can read this https://www.techradar.com/how-to/apple-care.

My thoughts as well, regarding a failure within the first year. Mine so far have not failed. My husband did purchase an iPhone just over a year ago and it failed 24 hours before the year was up, They fixed it and he felt obliged to pick up AppleCare for it afterwards. But phones can drop. Yes you are right my iMac never moves from its one spot and with stable power service.
That said you have reminded me that I would be best off investing in a better UPS/surge protector. I have one but its years old and likely a lower end piece.
I did lose a Windows computer in or around 2002 due to a bolt of lightening that hit the building I lived in at that time.

Still reading up on AppleCare. Surprised I only have 20 days left as I have only had this iMac less than a month. Thought I only had to consider it near the end of the one year mark.
In any event, thanks for the link. Going to read up further on that tonight.

 

[TohMac]

Signed up for it after all. I think my iMac cost $2,700 (Canadian) so for a bit more there is no worry attached. Not that I have had problems before without it but better to be safe than sorry. Thanks for all the replies. Now looking around for a proper surge protector.

 

[Bigwaff]

Now looking around for a proper surge protector.

I would opt for a UPS unit rather than a basic surge protector. Obviously more expensive, but the battery backup will save your devices from a hard shutoff if power is interrupted and all include surge protection. Sudden power loss can lead to data corruption which can also render your system unusable. With UPS unit, you at least may have the opportunity to shutdown properly.

 

[TohMac]

I would opt for a UPS unit rather than a basic surge protector. Obviously more expensive, but the battery backup will save your devices from a hard shutoff if power is interrupted and all include surge protection. Sudden power loss can lead to data corruption which can also render your system unusable. With UPS unit, you at least may have the opportunity to shutdown properly.

Thanks. I did just start looking for one on Amazon.ca here but so many negative reviews on each one I peeked at. Guess I shall have to head to a dedicated good computer store and try and find one there.
I did lose a Windows computer to lightening back around 2005.

 

[Bigwaff]

I've used this one for years and it has served me well.

APC UPS Battery Backup Surge Protector, 425VA Backup Battery Power Supply, BE425M

 

[TohMac]

I've used this one for years and it has served me well.

APC UPS Battery Backup Surge Protector, 425VA Backup Battery Power Supply, BE425M

I will take your word for it and pick one up.

Sorry I am female and not too techy.
I see two listed here in Toronto but am not sure which one would be yours.
The difference in price between the two is quite substantial.

Amazon model. $298 (Canadian)

APC BE425M Back-UPS 425VA Battery-Backup UPS (BE425M) - 6-Outlets. $92.99 (Canadian)

The latter for $92.99 is a well regarded computer supply store here in Toronto.

Can I possibly ask you to take a peek and tell me which one is yours? Assuming it might be the latter unit.

 

[Bigwaff]

The $93CA is the one I have. On Amazon, it’s on sale for $62US right now.

 

[TohMac]

The $93CA is the one I have. On Amazon, it’s on sale for $62US right now.

Perfect. Thank you. I will buy it. The Amazon Canada website is not as great as the US version. We can get badly dinged on some American products and if there is an issue, too expensive to ship back.
So I will go pick one up at the other store.

Thanks for all of your help!!!

 

[Surfsalot]

Worth it for a iMac, as they do in home repairs, had a 2015 27" iMac screen replaced twice with it for pink tinge, repair guy had to drive 4 hours to do it.
Have it on my 24".

 

[OrenLindsey]

If the machine breaks at all and you don't have AppleCare+, you will have to pay hundreds to fix it, or buy a new one. Macs are pretty good long-term, but you have to decide if you want to take that risk.

 

[TohMac]

Yes, I purchased the AppleCare. On the off chance it is needed. Peace of mind. Likely won't need it and I live in the city so a very short drive to Apple. Wouldn't need them to come to me.

 

[whitby]

I have had several iMacs that have had motherboard failures after the first year’s warranty was up, so I generally get AppleCare. Information on the 24” iMac is pretty sketchy, so I am not sure whether they are prone to MB, power supply or screen failures, but history shows that iMacs are not as reliable as Apple would have you believe (I have owned around 8 or 9 of them - 27” most of them - and everyone has had both major and minor failures, power supplies, motherboard, disks etc.). My 24” has been fine for around 26 months but it only gets light use.

 

[mmkerc]

I have had several iMacs that have had motherboard failures after the first year’s warranty was up, so I generally get AppleCare. Information on the 24” iMac is pretty sketchy, so I am not sure whether they are prone to MB, power supply or screen failures, but history shows that iMacs are not as reliable as Apple would have you believe (I have owned around 8 or 9 of them - 27” most of them - and everyone has had both major and minor failures, power supplies, motherboard, disks etc.). My 24” has been fine for around 26 months but it only gets light use.

Just to be clear you are saying you have had a 100% failure on every iMac you have had! WOW

In helping a number of people with their Mac's over the years I have only seen one have a power supply/motherboard issue. While it was a iMac, after it went bad (person opted to get a new one instead of repair due to age (3 1/2 years old). We ran some power checks on his house and found a wide variation in his power supply (voltage range from 95 volts to 135volt) as well as a tendency to lose power in thunderstorms (he lives in a rural area) so we install a UPS/Surge protector and he has not had a problem wit the new iMac in 6 years.

Hope you luck changes.

 

[whitby]

Just to be clear you are saying you have had a 100% failure on every iMac you have had! WOW

In helping a number of people with their Mac's over the years I have only seen one have a power supply/motherboard issue. While it was a iMac, after it went bad (person opted to get a new one instead of repair due to age (3 1/2 years old). We ran some power checks on his house and found a wide variation in his power supply (voltage range from 95 volts to 135volt) as well as a tendency to lose power in thunderstorms (he lives in a rural area) so we install a UPS/Surge protector and he has not had a problem wit the new iMac in 6 years.

Hope you luck changes.

Yes, every iMac I have owned has developed a problem, with the exception of the current 24” iMac. Failure modes were power supplies (2), motherboard failure (2, 1 catastrophic and 1 with mysterious USB/TB problems), hard disk failure (3), memory failures causing random crashes (2).

Once repaired they were fine and never failed again. All my machines are connected to sine wave UPSs. In their defense they were worked hard as machines for my business/work. It seemed I would get issues after 13 to 15 months which were then resolved and then they would work until I sold or retired them. We still have a 2017 iMac that needed a new motherboard after 13 months but has not given any trouble since. And I just donated a 2015 machine to a friend that had a Fusion Drive set up and had premature disk failure which Apple replaced. I replaced the hard disk with an SSD (getting rid of the fusion configuration) and it is still running well for my friend. My experience with Windows machines is different since I always built them myself.

BTW Apple service has always been superb with prompt and effective repairs.

 

[TohMac]

Wow! Sorry to hear of your bad luck with other iMacs. Fortunately (touch wood) I have never had a problem with any of mine. Several MacBook Pros from 2007 onwards. As mentioned I am still running my iMac from Dec 2014. Never had an issue with it although it is slowing down now. I download a lot of tv shows/movies and then convert them in an app called Handbrake. Lately it is difficult and slow to do so with email open and numerous webpages. So using the new iMac for all other basic needs but I am not a power user. Perhaps that is partly why mine have all done so well.

I needed a new iMac and could not wait for a 27" 5k version but for my needs it is fine. I don't like the look of it as much as I did the 27" 5k version. I got both in aluminum but whilst the older one has the aluminum strip along the bottom and the rest above in black, the new one has white around the screen. I think black looks much better. Hoping that is the extent of my displeasure with this 24" iMac.

 

[whitby]

Wow! Sorry to hear of your bad luck with other iMacs. Fortunately (touch wood) I have never had a problem with any of mine. Several MacBook Pros from 2007 onwards. As mentioned I am still running my iMac from Dec 2014. Never had an issue with it although it is slowing down now. I download a lot of tv shows/movies and then convert them in an app called Handbrake. Lately it is difficult and slow to do so with email open and numerous webpages. So using the new iMac for all other basic needs but I am not a power user. Perhaps that is partly why mine have all done so well.

I needed a new iMac and could not wait for a 27" 5k version but for my needs it is fine. I don't like the look of it as much as I did the 27" 5k version. I got both in aluminum but whilst the older one has the aluminum strip along the bottom and the rest above in black, the new one has white around the screen. I think black looks much better. Hoping that is the extent of my displeasure with this 24" iMac.

I think I stuck with these machines because a) once repaired they seemed to be reliable and b) Apple provide excellent service. I never lost data with any of the machines (I take backups regularly with Carbon Copy Cloner and Time Machine) which cannot be said of in the Windows environment.

I just extended AppleCare on my 2020 i9 27” iMac as the 24” just cannot replace it and I am reluctant to buy a Mac Studio which has all the same issues as an all in one in that you cannot update or repair anything in them, apart from the screen (which of course is separate for a Mac Studio) and cost substantially more (CPU and screen). If they make a new 27”or larger iMac I may be back in the market again, meanwhile my 2020 will have to keep me going.