Applecare 13" Is it worth it?

[Macking1]

Recently bought a 13" macbook pro and was looking into the applecare for it. Wondering is it worth the money or shall I risk it? Can get it cheaper than what apple are offering it for so any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance

 

[jerryk]

Recently bought a 13" macbook pro and was looking into the applecare for it. Wondering is it worth the money or shall I risk it? Can get it cheaper than what apple are offering it for so any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance

I think it is worth it given repairs costs are higher as more and more components are soldered to the main board.

Regarding getting it at a discount, people have suggested you can it in the returns/refurb section of Amazon for less than retail.

 

[ZapNZs]

Yes. With the way the computer is designed, if one component fails, this often entails a very high repair bill (think 1/3-1/2 the purchase price.) Further, I believe with current AppleCare terms that they will replace your battery free of charge once it hits 80% capacity - which if you use the computer a lot, you will likely reach between year two and year three (be sure to verify this as I believe=I am not 100%.) If you use AppleCare just once in the next three years, it pays itself off.

If considering a third party insurance or warranty provider, be sure to read the terms closely, and read other reviews on that plan from that company, as a third party may or may not use Apple-certified parts and/or Apple-certified technicians, and they may not cover everything or have specific exclusions that are different from AppleCare (for example, their policy on water damage.)

 

[Apple_Robert]

If you can't afford to self-insure against Mac repairs, purchasing AppleCare may be something you want to seriously consider. And if you look around, you can find it cheaper (a lot of the time) than what Apple charges. B&H Video is a good place to start checking.

 

[Macking1]

I think it is worth it given repairs costs are higher as more and more components are soldered to the main board.

Regarding getting it at a discount, people have suggested you can it in the returns/refurb section of Amazon for less than retail.

Thank you

 

[happyslayer]

The latest 2016 MacBook Pros have no user replaceable parts. Definitely get Apple Care (AC.) You do not, however, have to buy AC with the laptop as you get a year of coverage when you buy it. You just need to buy AC within that first year. I set a calendar entry to remind me to buy AC 11 months after purchase and I usually get it from B&H if possible.

 

[SteveJUAE]

Recently bought a 13" macbook pro and was looking into the applecare for it. Wondering is it worth the money or shall I risk it? Can get it cheaper than what apple are offering it for so any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance

I appreciate your dilemma in so far as you think with a premium laptop why should I need AC. MAC's are equally likely to require repairs as any other premium laptop after 1 year. IE If Macs were that good you would not need AC or it would last 5 years

Having said that many Apple users have good luck and get several years of service.

IMO there is a distinct change in the cost of risks with the latest generation of MBP's being more homogenised. Previously as there was more serviceable components you could be hit with an average repair charge more in the $2-400 range but now more like $4-900 or more

Having never previously had AC on many MAC's that I have bought for my family I can say I have been lucky and a couple $1000 in front for it but I rarely keep any laptop longer than 12 months before gifting on

However the MB I gifted my eldest I did suggest he buys AC for the increased risk with the new KB and tiered batteries which IMO were more risky over previous gens

Therefore I suggest you opt for AC on the new MBP's

There is another benefit to the good advice also given by above posters is that unlike some other OEM's who give 12 months support Apple telephone support hotline only lasts 90 days, AC extends this

Good luck

 

[thekev]

I think it is worth it given repairs costs are higher as more and more components are soldered to the main board.

Regarding getting it at a discount, people have suggested you can it in the returns/refurb section of Amazon for less than retail.

It's equivalent to paying for one depot repair in the second or third year of ownership. It's not a very good deal.

 

[vatter69]

Disagree. Apple Care at discount is around 170-180 (insert Dollar/Euros here). I dont think you can get anything repaired on a 13" 2016 model for that price. It's 3 years peace of mind. It's a no brainer imo.

Sad that they don't come with 3 years full guarantee in the first place - but that's a different topic

 

[maflynn]

Gen 1 product, with apple dealing with prior issues, such as staingate and bad dGPUs. I'd say its a no brainer and get the extended warranty.

 

[SDColorado]

I have had 2 screen replacements on my 13", both covered under AppleCare. AppleCare definitely paid for itself, with the totals being in the $450 range each time, with $0 due as a result of the warranty. I agree with other posters above, due to the complexities of the new builds and repairs to them, it becomes more and more important to add AppleCare,

 

[sarakn]

Definitely worth it. Purchased my first macbook, late 2013' model and it worked great except there were times I had to take it in because a key stopped responding. Happened maybe 3 times in 3 years - annoying, true. Anyway, last time was about 1 week before my 3 yr Applecare expired. Took it in about a month later and they noticed overheating. They tried to replace 2ce and it was still overheating - the area above the function keys. Took a while, but Apple replaced my laptop with a brand new late 2016 model - 2.7/455/1TB. Can't be happier. Just got it last week and ordered AppleCare again for it.

 

[SHKLMRE]

I purchased AppleCare on my 2013 13" MacBook Pro. The HDMI port and a sticky trackpad that was giving me problems, and I only had about a week left on my warranty, Apple fixed the port, gave me a brand new battery, replaced the screen, and also replaced the keyboard, trackpad, and bottom housing all for free since the they saw that my warranty was up. Basically gave me a brand new laptop, that I already had for three years. I'm going in year 4 and it's never been better. Due to that experience and security, I will forever buy Apple care. A simple fix like the HDMI port might've been costly, much more than the initial cost of the Apple care.